A Myanmar pilot saved the day after his aircraft's landing gear failed, forcing the jet into an emergency landing with no front wheels on Sunday morning, an official said.

The nailbiting touchdown -- in which nobody was injured -- was the second instance of a malfunctioning flight in less than a week within the country.&nbsp;

The Myanmar Airlines flight UB-103 -- an Embraer-190 model -- was grounded at around 9 am in Mandalay (0230 GMT), a city popular among foreign tourists, with all 89 people on board including seven crew members, safe.&nbsp;

An unverified video circulated on social media showing a graceful landing before the nose of the jet tipped over and ground to a halt.&nbsp;

Ye Htut Aung, deputy director general of Myanmar's Civil Aviation Department, told AFP the pilot tried repeatedly to drop the landing gear at the front of the plane -- first through its computer system, then manually.

"They tried hard twice by flying around twice and asked to check whether the nose wheel dropped or not," Ye Htut Aung said, calling it a "technical fault".&nbsp;

"So they had to land with the back wheels... The pilot could land it skillfully," he said. "There were no casualties."

Myanmar National Airlines is now sending engineers to Mandalay to check on the aircraft, Ye Htut Aung said, adding that all jets get a daily flight check.&nbsp;

Passenger Soe Moe told AFP: "Smoke came out a little when we landed... All passengers are okay."&nbsp;

Sunday's incident comes just days after a Biman Bangladesh Airlines plane crash-landed and slid off a runway while landing in Yangon airport during a storm on Wednesday, leaving 11 passengers injured.&nbsp;

Myanmar's monsoon season has caused problems for commercial and military flights in the past.&nbsp;

A military plane crashed into the Andaman sea in 2017 with 122 people on board -- one of the deadliest aviation accidents in the country's history -- which authorities attributed to bad weather.&nbsp;

And in 2015, a passenger plane by Air Bagan veered off the runway due to bad weather and heavy rain.

A Myanmar pilot saved the day after his aircraft's landing gear failed, forcing the jet into an emergency landing with no front wheels on Sunday morning, an official said.

A Myanmar pilot saved the day after his aircraft's landing gear failed, forcing the jet into an emergency landing with no front wheels on Sunday morning, an official said. The nailbiting touchdown -- in which nobody was injured -- was the second instance of a malfunctioning flight in less than a week within the country. The Myanmar Airlines flight UB-103 -- an Embraer-190 model -- was grounded at around 9 am in Mandalay (0230 GMT), a city popular among foreign tourists, with all 89 people on board including seven crew members, safe. An unverified video circulated on social media showing a graceful landing before the nose of the jet tipped over and ground to a halt. Ye Htut Aung, deputy director general of Myanmar's Civil Aviation Department, told AFP the pilot tried repeatedly to drop the landing gear at the front of the plane -- first through its computer system, then manually. "They tried hard twice by flying around twice and asked to check whether the nose wheel dropped or not," Ye Htut Aung said, calling it a "technical fault". "So they had to land with the back wheels... The pilot could land it skillfully," he said. "There were no casualties." Myanmar National Airlines is now sending engineers to Mandalay to check on the aircraft, Ye Htut Aung said, adding that all jets get a daily flight check. Passenger Soe Moe told AFP: "Smoke came out a little when we landed... All passengers are okay." Sunday's incident comes just days after a Biman Bangladesh Airlines plane crash-landed and slid off a runway while landing in Yangon airport during a storm on Wednesday, leaving 11 passengers injured. Myanmar's monsoon season has caused problems for commercial and military flights in the past. A military plane crashed into the Andaman sea in 2017 with 122 people on board -- one of the deadliest aviation accidents in the country's history -- which authorities attributed to bad weather. And in 2015, a passenger plane by Air Bagan veered off the runway due to bad weather and heavy rain.

Myanmar plane in emergency touchdown as landing gear fails

After relentless diplomatic pressure and global outrage, fallen democracy icon <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/amnesty-international-strips-myanmars-suu-kyi-of-conscience-award-176943">Aung San Suu Kyi </a>finally decided that a pardon for two Myanmar journalists jailed for reporting on a Rohingya massacre was the only way to resolve an issue that has dogged her government for nearly 18 months.

Observers say the unexpected release of the two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/reuters-journalists-jailed-in-myanmar-freed-from-prison-216559">Reuters reporters</a> was a political decision timed to save face for the country's civilian leader, after a vigorous international campaign that saw Amal Clooney join their legal team, Time magazine put the pair on their cover, and journalism awards and honours pile up -- including the prestigious Pulitzer Prize.

A presidential pardon freed Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, from prison on Tuesday to a media frenzy and messages of congratulations from the White House to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The pair spent more than 500 days behind bars under colonial-era state secrets convictions after probing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown.

Global attention on the reporters and the damage already done to the country's reputation were "potentially costly" to the government, said independent analyst Richard Horsey.

Nobel Laureate Suu Kyi -- already seen as a pariah by many for perceived complicity in the Rohingya's plight -- provoked outcry when she refused to intervene, insisting "rule of law" must be followed.

The abrupt decision to release the pair this week was made because <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-to-release-6500-prisoners-in-amnesty-on-tuesday-says-president-216638">Myanmar</a>'s leaders had "taken into consideration the long-term interest of (the) country", said government spokesman Zaw Htay.

Retired Thai diplomat Kobsak Chutikul, who has worked in an advisory capacity to Suu Kyi's government, told AFP that senior officials had all known a pardon must be granted at some point but "nobody felt they could bring this up with her".

Political timing was also a factor, observers say.

Myanmar is due to go to the polls next year and this was a chance to "get it out of the way" beforehand rather than risk overshadowing the vote, Kobsak said.

'Albatross round their necks'

Behind the international condemnation, backroom diplomacy appears to have played a key role in convincing Suu Kyi to pardon the reporters.

One man waiting among the crowds outside the gates of Yangon's notorious Insein Prison was British health expert Lord Ara Darzi, whose name barely came up during regular media coverage of the saga.

A close confidant of Suu Kyi, he has regularly visited the country over the past two years in an advisory role on a Rakhine state commission.

But he has known the leaders for years, and hosted her in London after her release from house arrest.

"From what I hear, he finally found the opportunity to convince Suu Kyi this was an albatross hanging round their necks," said Kobsak, who served alongside Darzi on another Myanmar government commission.

The discussion would have taken place "behind the scenes, in quiet conversations in her house", he added.

Darzi later hinted about his role to reporters at a press conference following the journalists' release.

"The lesson is simple: dialogue works even in the most difficult of circumstances," he said.

Presidential pardons are traditionally granted around the Myanmar new year in April.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were freed in the third amnesty in just over a week that saw a total of 23,000 prisoners released.

The pair were handed a seven-year jail sentence last September, upheld first by Yangon's High Court and then the country's Supreme Court last month.

Reuters maintained the duo were imprisoned in retaliation for their expose, while legal experts argued the case was riddled with irregularities.

With the judicial process having run its course all the way to Myanmar's top court, Suu Kyi "may have been convinced the twisted passage of justice had been served," Yangon-based analyst David Mathieson said, calling her change of heart a "political calculation".

Despite the release, observers warn against reading too much into prospects for greater press freedom in the beleaguered democracy, which began a troubled transition from military rule in 2010.

"The pardon will not change the conditions that journalists (in Myanmar) are facing," said activist Cheery Zahau.

After relentless diplomatic pressure and global outrage, fallen democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi finally decided that a pardon for two Myanmar journalists jailed for reporting on a Rohingya massacre was the only way to resolve an issue that has dogged her government for nearly 18 months.

After relentless diplomatic pressure and global outrage, fallen democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi finally decided that a pardon for two Myanmar journalists jailed for reporting on a Rohingya massacre was the only way to resolve an issue that has dogged her government for nearly 18 months. Observers say the unexpected release of the two Reuters reporters was a political decision timed to save face for the country's civilian leader, after a vigorous international campaign that saw Amal Clooney join their legal team, Time magazine put the pair on their cover, and journalism awards and honours pile up -- including the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. A presidential pardon freed Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, from prison on Tuesday to a media frenzy and messages of congratulations from the White House to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The pair spent more than 500 days behind bars under colonial-era state secrets convictions after probing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown. Global attention on the reporters and the damage already done to the country's reputation were "potentially costly" to the government, said independent analyst Richard Horsey. Nobel Laureate Suu Kyi -- already seen as a pariah by many for perceived complicity in the Rohingya's plight -- provoked outcry when she refused to intervene, insisting "rule of law" must be followed. The abrupt decision to release the pair this week was made because Myanmar's leaders had "taken into consideration the long-term interest of (the) country", said government spokesman Zaw Htay. Retired Thai diplomat Kobsak Chutikul, who has worked in an advisory capacity to Suu Kyi's government, told AFP that senior officials had all known a pardon must be granted at some point but "nobody felt they could bring this up with her". Political timing was also a factor, observers say. Myanmar is due to go to the polls next year and this was a chance to "get it out of the way" beforehand rather than risk overshadowing the vote, Kobsak said. 'Albatross round their necks' Behind the international condemnation, backroom diplomacy appears to have played a key role in convincing Suu Kyi to pardon the reporters. One man waiting among the crowds outside the gates of Yangon's notorious Insein Prison was British health expert Lord Ara Darzi, whose name barely came up during regular media coverage of the saga. A close confidant of Suu Kyi, he has regularly visited the country over the past two years in an advisory role on a Rakhine state commission. But he has known the leaders for years, and hosted her in London after her release from house arrest. "From what I hear, he finally found the opportunity to convince Suu Kyi this was an albatross hanging round their necks," said Kobsak, who served alongside Darzi on another Myanmar government commission. The discussion would have taken place "behind the scenes, in quiet conversations in her house", he added. Darzi later hinted about his role to reporters at a press conference following the journalists' release. "The lesson is simple: dialogue works even in the most difficult of circumstances," he said. Presidential pardons are traditionally granted around the Myanmar new year in April. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were freed in the third amnesty in just over a week that saw a total of 23,000 prisoners released. The pair were handed a seven-year jail sentence last September, upheld first by Yangon's High Court and then the country's Supreme Court last month. Reuters maintained the duo were imprisoned in retaliation for their expose, while legal experts argued the case was riddled with irregularities. With the judicial process having run its course all the way to Myanmar's top court, Suu Kyi "may have been convinced the twisted passage of justice had been served," Yangon-based analyst David Mathieson said, calling her change of heart a "political calculation". Despite the release, observers warn against reading too much into prospects for greater press freedom in the beleaguered democracy, which began a troubled transition from military rule in 2010. "The pardon will not change the conditions that journalists (in Myanmar) are facing," said activist Cheery Zahau.

Suu Kyi tries to save face with Myanmar reporters' release

Chain-smoking singer Gudar Mia, who recently turned 80 in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, lit another cigarette, closed his eyes, and crooned the opening words of a Rohingya folk song.&nbsp;

"Sorry, my throat is not good," he said, taking a puff as he sat cross-legged in the home of his lifelong friend, Amir Ali, a violinist in his mid-seventies.

As young men, back in Myanmar, they had played together in a wedding band, touring their native <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-rebels-storm-police-base-in-rakhine-state-amid-fresh-clashes-in-temple-town-209519&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjW2eLSo4viAhXLh3AKHTrpD5QQFjABegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3WBLeX9Q2-NWlMVFNEnoS2">Rakhine state </a>on the western border performing on moonlit nights beside the rice fields.&nbsp;

"We were hired every day, sometimes we couldn`t go home for 20 days," said Amir Ali, a bone-thin man with hollowed cheeks and a faraway look.

Now their venue is a bamboo shelter in a Bangladeshi camp on the edge of a trash-filled swamp, their audience a curious crowd of fellow refugees. But for the first time in decades they are free to play music.

In recent years Myanmar imposed debilitating restrictions on the Rohingya, a Muslim minority demonised as immigrants from <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/four-bangladesh-nationalist-party-lawmakers-take-oath-at-last-moment-214598&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj4td_5o4viAhUVk3AKHeRECfgQFjAGegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2B4tL37aYSGD1AopWDEWR2">Bangladesh</a>. They were prevented from travelling, gathering in groups, and expressing their ethnicity. Getting permission to perform was nearly impossible, refugees said.&nbsp;

"Back in Myanmar, we couldn`t gather more than 10 people, so how could we sing?" said Amir Ali, idly strumming the violin and cradling his baby nephew.

It had been a long time since the band`s last wedding when, in August 2017, soldiers arrived in their quiet village in northern Rakhine State and burned it to the ground. The sweeping crackdown, which the United Nations has said was executed with genocidal intent, drove 730,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh.

Now home to close to a million people, including those who fled previous waves of violence, the camps comprise the world`s largest refugee settlement.&nbsp;

There, Rohingya society is re-forming. While life in the camp is bleak and monotonous, refugees say Bangladesh offers relative freedom compared with the apartheid-like conditions they endured in northern Rakhine.&nbsp;

"PLAY AN OLD SONG!"

On a recent morning, several hundred Rohingya, including the wedding band, crowded into the office of a local community organization for a `Rohingya Traditional Affairs Day`.

Someone rigged up a large speaker normally used for the call to prayer to amplify a harmonium, an accordion-like instrument, and an ensemble of musicians including Amir Ali the violinist, now deafeningly loud, struck up with a high-tempo jam.&nbsp;

"This is a traditional affairs event!" one of the organizers cried out, gesturing at the players to stop. "Play an old song," he said.&nbsp;

Known as hawla, the old songs are slow and normally played at weddings, love stories that revolve around the towns of northern Rakhine, traditions like flying kites, and the rhythms of rice farming.

They involve frustrated love affairs and travel by boat and motorcycle between the villages. Unlike newer songs, they are not about recent suffering, but rather a peaceful time before.

Amir Ali and Gudar Mia grew up in the same village, Hlaing Thi, in Maungdaw township, close to the Bangladeshi border. Amir Ali, from a wealthier family, learned to play violin from an relative who owned one.&nbsp;

He forged an imitation instrument out of bamboo before later buying one in Bangladesh. "The whole day he was playing the violin," recalled Gudar Mia, who lived across the river and memorized old songs from his relatives as a child.

"Mostly we sang in the farmland while we harvested our crops, and sometimes in the moonlit nights we sang and danced," he said. "At that time there were no restrictions."

After 1978, when the administration led by General Ne Win led a crackdown on the Rohingya that drove tens of thousands into Bangladesh, restrictions on the village tightened, with most villagers unable to travel. Gudar Mia never ventured further than a few miles from Hlaing Thi.

"Only rich people could get the permission to hold (wedding) ceremonies," said Amir Ali. "We could not earn money, like earlier. I was very disappointed."

`NOT AN ETHNIC GROUP`

In Myanmar, where ethnicity is linked to citizenship, the authorities and much of the public do not recognise the Rohingya as an ethnic group, and expressions of culture are restricted. In 2015, five men who published a calendar featuring the phrase "Rohingya is an ethnic group" were jailed for causing "fear or alarm to the public".&nbsp;

At the traditional affairs event, after the music, the crowd gathered for traditional food, including a sweet dish known as modhu baator or "honey rice" usually eaten during the hottest time of the year to cool down and luri feera, rice-flour flatbreads made during festivals to be eaten with beef or goat curry.

"When we talk about (our culture), it becomes fresh in our memories," said Mohammed Eleyas. "We are an ethnic group with our own strength that we can develop."

Speaking to Reuters by phone, Min Thein, a senior Myanmar government official at the Ministry of Social Welfare, which is tasked with repatriating the Rohingya, referred to them as "kalar", a slur reserved for foreigners of South Asian origin.

"Their culture was not restricted, they were able to build a lot of mosques in Rakhine," he said. "There is a transportation problem for the area not only for kalar but also other ethnics such as Rakhine, Daignet, etc," he said, referring to Buddhist minorities.

"In Myanmar, Rohingya is not considered as an ethnic (race) according to our history books," he said, adding that another Muslim ethnicity, Kaman, was the only one recognised.&nbsp;

Rohingya refugees, he said, "can go through the verification process to apply for citizenship when they come back".

"EACH OF US HAS TRAUMA"

But the Rohingya are facing what is likely to be a long exile. Efforts to start repatriation to Rakhine failed last year, after refugees protested and the United Nations said conditions in Rakhine state were not right for returns.

In the camps, youth leaders see cultural activities as a form of therapy for the young generation, restless, frustrated and with few opportunities for formal education.

Before he fled Rakhine, a young NGO worker named Mayyu Ali secretly mailed verses to local literary magazines under a pseudonym. In Bangladesh, he has hosted poetry training for students and since appealing for submissions for poems to post on a Facebook page called Art Garden has been inundated with more verses than he can publish.&nbsp;

"What I feel is I don`t want to see them with a gun and knife in their hand ... I want to see them hold a pen," he said. Many of the poems are paeans to northern Rakhine state, others detail the suffering many experienced on their long journey to Bangladesh.

"There are a million Rohingya, each of us has an oral history," said Mayyu Ali. "Each one of us has trauma. I want a new generation to write for themselves." But for the wedding band, the old songs remind them of all they have lost.&nbsp;

"My village was very beautiful," said Gudar Mia. "There were plenty of plants, farmlands, big lakes also." Hlaing Thi, like hundreds of other villages destroyed in the violence, was burned to the ground, satellite imagery of northern Rakhine shows.

"Back in Myanmar, I felt happy when I played violin, as it was my native country," said Amir Ali, "Here, we are always sad, so I play to reduce my stress."&nbsp;The landscape described in the hawla has gone. But, often, just as before, Amir Ali`s neighbours say they can hear the sound of a violin drifting from his shelter.

Chain-smoking singer Gudar Mia, who recently turned 80 in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, lit another cigarette, closed his eyes, and crooned the opening words of a Rohingya folk song.

Chain-smoking singer Gudar Mia, who recently turned 80 in a refugee camp in Bangladesh, lit another cigarette, closed his eyes, and crooned the opening words of a Rohingya folk song. "Sorry, my throat is not good," he said, taking a puff as he sat cross-legged in the home of his lifelong friend, Amir Ali, a violinist in his mid-seventies. As young men, back in Myanmar, they had played together in a wedding band, touring their native Rakhine state on the western border performing on moonlit nights beside the rice fields. "We were hired every day, sometimes we couldn`t go home for 20 days," said Amir Ali, a bone-thin man with hollowed cheeks and a faraway look. Now their venue is a bamboo shelter in a Bangladeshi camp on the edge of a trash-filled swamp, their audience a curious crowd of fellow refugees. But for the first time in decades they are free to play music. In recent years Myanmar imposed debilitating restrictions on the Rohingya, a Muslim minority demonised as immigrants from Bangladesh. They were prevented from travelling, gathering in groups, and expressing their ethnicity. Getting permission to perform was nearly impossible, refugees said. "Back in Myanmar, we couldn`t gather more than 10 people, so how could we sing?" said Amir Ali, idly strumming the violin and cradling his baby nephew. It had been a long time since the band`s last wedding when, in August 2017, soldiers arrived in their quiet village in northern Rakhine State and burned it to the ground. The sweeping crackdown, which the United Nations has said was executed with genocidal intent, drove 730,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh. Now home to close to a million people, including those who fled previous waves of violence, the camps comprise the world`s largest refugee settlement. There, Rohingya society is re-forming. While life in the camp is bleak and monotonous, refugees say Bangladesh offers relative freedom compared with the apartheid-like conditions they endured in northern Rakhine. "PLAY AN OLD SONG!" On a recent morning, several hundred Rohingya, including the wedding band, crowded into the office of a local community organization for a `Rohingya Traditional Affairs Day`. Someone rigged up a large speaker normally used for the call to prayer to amplify a harmonium, an accordion-like instrument, and an ensemble of musicians including Amir Ali the violinist, now deafeningly loud, struck up with a high-tempo jam. "This is a traditional affairs event!" one of the organizers cried out, gesturing at the players to stop. "Play an old song," he said. Known as hawla, the old songs are slow and normally played at weddings, love stories that revolve around the towns of northern Rakhine, traditions like flying kites, and the rhythms of rice farming. They involve frustrated love affairs and travel by boat and motorcycle between the villages. Unlike newer songs, they are not about recent suffering, but rather a peaceful time before. Amir Ali and Gudar Mia grew up in the same village, Hlaing Thi, in Maungdaw township, close to the Bangladeshi border. Amir Ali, from a wealthier family, learned to play violin from an relative who owned one. He forged an imitation instrument out of bamboo before later buying one in Bangladesh. "The whole day he was playing the violin," recalled Gudar Mia, who lived across the river and memorized old songs from his relatives as a child. "Mostly we sang in the farmland while we harvested our crops, and sometimes in the moonlit nights we sang and danced," he said. "At that time there were no restrictions." After 1978, when the administration led by General Ne Win led a crackdown on the Rohingya that drove tens of thousands into Bangladesh, restrictions on the village tightened, with most villagers unable to travel. Gudar Mia never ventured further than a few miles from Hlaing Thi. "Only rich people could get the permission to hold (wedding) ceremonies," said Amir Ali. "We could not earn money, like earlier. I was very disappointed." `NOT AN ETHNIC GROUP` In Myanmar, where ethnicity is linked to citizenship, the authorities and much of the public do not recognise the Rohingya as an ethnic group, and expressions of culture are restricted. In 2015, five men who published a calendar featuring the phrase "Rohingya is an ethnic group" were jailed for causing "fear or alarm to the public". At the traditional affairs event, after the music, the crowd gathered for traditional food, including a sweet dish known as modhu baator or "honey rice" usually eaten during the hottest time of the year to cool down and luri feera, rice-flour flatbreads made during festivals to be eaten with beef or goat curry. "When we talk about (our culture), it becomes fresh in our memories," said Mohammed Eleyas. "We are an ethnic group with our own strength that we can develop." Speaking to Reuters by phone, Min Thein, a senior Myanmar government official at the Ministry of Social Welfare, which is tasked with repatriating the Rohingya, referred to them as "kalar", a slur reserved for foreigners of South Asian origin. "Their culture was not restricted, they were able to build a lot of mosques in Rakhine," he said. "There is a transportation problem for the area not only for kalar but also other ethnics such as Rakhine, Daignet, etc," he said, referring to Buddhist minorities. "In Myanmar, Rohingya is not considered as an ethnic (race) according to our history books," he said, adding that another Muslim ethnicity, Kaman, was the only one recognised. Rohingya refugees, he said, "can go through the verification process to apply for citizenship when they come back". "EACH OF US HAS TRAUMA" But the Rohingya are facing what is likely to be a long exile. Efforts to start repatriation to Rakhine failed last year, after refugees protested and the United Nations said conditions in Rakhine state were not right for returns. In the camps, youth leaders see cultural activities as a form of therapy for the young generation, restless, frustrated and with few opportunities for formal education. Before he fled Rakhine, a young NGO worker named Mayyu Ali secretly mailed verses to local literary magazines under a pseudonym. In Bangladesh, he has hosted poetry training for students and since appealing for submissions for poems to post on a Facebook page called Art Garden has been inundated with more verses than he can publish. "What I feel is I don`t want to see them with a gun and knife in their hand ... I want to see them hold a pen," he said. Many of the poems are paeans to northern Rakhine state, others detail the suffering many experienced on their long journey to Bangladesh. "There are a million Rohingya, each of us has an oral history," said Mayyu Ali. "Each one of us has trauma. I want a new generation to write for themselves." But for the wedding band, the old songs remind them of all they have lost. "My village was very beautiful," said Gudar Mia. "There were plenty of plants, farmlands, big lakes also." Hlaing Thi, like hundreds of other villages destroyed in the violence, was burned to the ground, satellite imagery of northern Rakhine shows. "Back in Myanmar, I felt happy when I played violin, as it was my native country," said Amir Ali, "Here, we are always sad, so I play to reduce my stress." The landscape described in the hawla has gone. But, often, just as before, Amir Ali`s neighbours say they can hear the sound of a violin drifting from his shelter.

In exile in Bangladesh, a bittersweet revival of Rohingya culture

Two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar after they were convicted of breaking the Official Secrets Act walked free from a prison on the outskirts of Yangon on Tuesday after spending more than 500 days behind bars.

Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar reunite with families

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday called for the release of all jailed journalists after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/reuters-journalists-jailed-in-myanmar-freed-from-prison-216559">Myanmar freed two Reuters journalists</a> who had reported on the Rohingya crisis.

"The United States welcomes the decision in Burma to release Reuters journalists Wa Lone &amp; Kyaw Soe Oo, freeing them to return to their families following over 500 days of imprisonment," Pompeo tweeted.

"We hope to see the release of other imprisoned journalists and greater freedom of expression," he said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The United States welcomes the decision in Burma to release <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Reuters</a> journalists Wa Lone &amp; Kyaw Soe Oo, freeing them to return to their families following over 500 days of imprisonment. We hope to see the release of other imprisoned journalists and greater freedom of expression.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1125789398463807488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Myanmar released two Reuters journalist, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo who were convicted in September and sentenced to seven years in jail, in a case that raised questions about Myanmar's progress toward democracy and sparked an outcry from diplomats and human rights advocates.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/reuters-journalists-jailed-in-myanmar-reunite-with-families-216622/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Before their arrest in December 2017, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in western Myanmar's Rakhine State during an army crackdown that began in August 2017.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday called for the release of all jailed journalists after Myanmar freed two Reuters journalists who had reported on the Rohingya crisis.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday called for the release of all jailed journalists after Myanmar freed two Reuters journalists who had reported on the Rohingya crisis. "The United States welcomes the decision in Burma to release Reuters journalists Wa Lone & Kyaw Soe Oo, freeing them to return to their families following over 500 days of imprisonment," Pompeo tweeted. "We hope to see the release of other imprisoned journalists and greater freedom of expression," he said. The United States welcomes the decision in Burma to release @Reuters journalists Wa Lone & Kyaw Soe Oo, freeing them to return to their families following over 500 days of imprisonment. We hope to see the release of other imprisoned journalists and greater freedom of expression. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 7, 2019 × Myanmar released two Reuters journalist, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo who were convicted in September and sentenced to seven years in jail, in a case that raised questions about Myanmar's progress toward democracy and sparked an outcry from diplomats and human rights advocates. Before their arrest in December 2017, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in western Myanmar's Rakhine State during an army crackdown that began in August 2017.

Pompeo calls for release of all jailed journalists in Myanmar

Two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar after they were convicted of breaking the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-top-court-rejects-final-appeal-by-jailed-reuters-journalists-212770">Official Secrets Act walked free</a> from a prison on the outskirts of Yangon on Tuesday after spending more than 500 days behind bars, witnesses said.

The two reporters, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jailed-reuters-reporters-us-border-photographers-win-pulitzer-prizes-210889">Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29,</a> had been convicted in September and sentenced to seven years in jail, in a case that raised questions about Myanmar's progress toward democracy and sparked an outcry from diplomats and human rights advocates.

President Win Myint has pardoned thousands of other prisoners in mass amnesties since last month. It is customary in Myanmar for authorities to free prisoners across the country around the time of the traditional New Year, which began on April 17th.

Reuters has said the two men did not commit any crime and had called for their release.

Swamped by media and well wishers as they walked through the gates of Insein Prison, on the outskirts of the commercial capital of Yangon, a grinning Wa Lone gave a thumbs up and said he was grateful for the international efforts to secure their freedom.

"I'm really happy and excited to see my family and my colleagues. I can't wait to go to my newsroom."

Before their arrest in December 2017, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in western Myanmar's Rakhine State during an army crackdown that began in August 2017.

The operation sent more than 730,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh, according to UN estimates.

The report the two men authored, featuring testimony from perpetrators, witnesses and families of the victims, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting in May, adding to a number of accolades received by the pair for their journalism.

Calls to a spokesman for the Myanmar government were not immediately answered.

Myanmar's Supreme Court had rejected the journalists' final appeal in April. They had petitioned the country's top court, citing evidence of a police set-up and lack of proof of a crime, after the Yangon High Court dismissed an earlier appeal in January.

The reporters' wives wrote a letter to the government in April pleading for a pardon, not, they said, because their husbands had done anything wrong, but because it would allow them to be released from prison and reunited with their families.

The Reuters journalists were released at the prison to Lord Ara Darzi, a British surgeon and health care expert who has served as a member of an advisory group to Myanmar’s government, and a Reuters representative.

Darzi waited for Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo at the gates of Insein prison on a street where a group of dozens of reporters and photographers expecting a release of prisoners were also waiting.

In a statement to Reuters, Darzi, 59, said the release of the two journalists came after “months of dialogue” with the government of Myanmar.

"I am delighted that the Reuters reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, have been granted a pardon, released from custody, and are with their loved ones once more. I know that it will come as a huge relief to their families, friends and colleagues,” Darzi said in the statement. “This outcome shows that dialogue works, even in the most difficult of circumstances.”

Darzi said discussions about the pardon for Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had involved the Myanmar government, Reuters, the United Nations and representatives of other governments but did not provide more detail on those closed-door talks.

Reuters had no immediate comment.

Darzi has been a member of an advisory commission that was formed to see through the advice from a panel headed by former UN chief Kofi Anan on solving the long-running conflict in Myanmar’s western region in the state of Rakhine.

Rakhine, on the Bay of Bengal, was the home to most Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Hundreds of thousands fled to Bangladesh after a military-led crackdown on the region in 2017.

Senior Myanmar government officials, diplomats and some international representatives are meeting in Yangon to discuss Rakhine this week.

“The power of dialogue must be turned towards securing a lasting peace in Rakhine State and the return of the hundreds of thousands of refugees, whose desperate plight continues. This is essential if Myanmar is to build on today’s progress so that all its citizens can live together in dignity in the hope of a better tomorrow,” Darzi said in the statement.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/reuters-journalists-jailed-in-myanmar-reunite-with-families-216622/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

Two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar after they were convicted of breaking the Official Secrets Act walked free from a prison on the outskirts of Yangon on Tuesday after spending more than 500 days behind bars, witnesses said.

Two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar after they were convicted of breaking the Official Secrets Act walked free from a prison on the outskirts of Yangon on Tuesday after spending more than 500 days behind bars, witnesses said. The two reporters, Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, had been convicted in September and sentenced to seven years in jail, in a case that raised questions about Myanmar's progress toward democracy and sparked an outcry from diplomats and human rights advocates. President Win Myint has pardoned thousands of other prisoners in mass amnesties since last month. It is customary in Myanmar for authorities to free prisoners across the country around the time of the traditional New Year, which began on April 17th. Reuters has said the two men did not commit any crime and had called for their release. Swamped by media and well wishers as they walked through the gates of Insein Prison, on the outskirts of the commercial capital of Yangon, a grinning Wa Lone gave a thumbs up and said he was grateful for the international efforts to secure their freedom. "I'm really happy and excited to see my family and my colleagues. I can't wait to go to my newsroom." Before their arrest in December 2017, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in western Myanmar's Rakhine State during an army crackdown that began in August 2017. The operation sent more than 730,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh, according to UN estimates. The report the two men authored, featuring testimony from perpetrators, witnesses and families of the victims, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting in May, adding to a number of accolades received by the pair for their journalism. Calls to a spokesman for the Myanmar government were not immediately answered. Myanmar's Supreme Court had rejected the journalists' final appeal in April. They had petitioned the country's top court, citing evidence of a police set-up and lack of proof of a crime, after the Yangon High Court dismissed an earlier appeal in January. The reporters' wives wrote a letter to the government in April pleading for a pardon, not, they said, because their husbands had done anything wrong, but because it would allow them to be released from prison and reunited with their families. The Reuters journalists were released at the prison to Lord Ara Darzi, a British surgeon and health care expert who has served as a member of an advisory group to Myanmar’s government, and a Reuters representative. Darzi waited for Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo at the gates of Insein prison on a street where a group of dozens of reporters and photographers expecting a release of prisoners were also waiting. In a statement to Reuters, Darzi, 59, said the release of the two journalists came after “months of dialogue” with the government of Myanmar. "I am delighted that the Reuters reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, have been granted a pardon, released from custody, and are with their loved ones once more. I know that it will come as a huge relief to their families, friends and colleagues,” Darzi said in the statement. “This outcome shows that dialogue works, even in the most difficult of circumstances.” Darzi said discussions about the pardon for Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had involved the Myanmar government, Reuters, the United Nations and representatives of other governments but did not provide more detail on those closed-door talks. Reuters had no immediate comment. Darzi has been a member of an advisory commission that was formed to see through the advice from a panel headed by former UN chief Kofi Anan on solving the long-running conflict in Myanmar’s western region in the state of Rakhine. Rakhine, on the Bay of Bengal, was the home to most Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Hundreds of thousands fled to Bangladesh after a military-led crackdown on the region in 2017. Senior Myanmar government officials, diplomats and some international representatives are meeting in Yangon to discuss Rakhine this week. “The power of dialogue must be turned towards securing a lasting peace in Rakhine State and the return of the hundreds of thousands of refugees, whose desperate plight continues. This is essential if Myanmar is to build on today’s progress so that all its citizens can live together in dignity in the hope of a better tomorrow,” Darzi said in the statement.

Two Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar freed from prison

Myanmar will release 6,520 prisoners in an amnesty on Tuesday, the president`s office said in a statement. President Win Myint pardoned thousands of prisoners in two mass amnesties last month.

It is customary in Myanmar for authorities to free prisoners around the time of the traditional New Year, which began on April 17. It was not clear whether two jailed <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/reuters-journalists-jailed-in-myanmar-freed-from-prison-216559&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjY3be484jiAhUEheYKHTxjCKIQFjAFegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0K5PU9TVkConfuywCpRptR">Reuters reporters </a>were among the prisoners scheduled to be released.

The two Reuters reporters, Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, were convicted in September of breaking the Official Secrets Act and sentenced to seven years in jail, in a case that raised questions about Myanmar`s progress toward democracy and sparked an outcry from diplomats and human rights advocates.

Myanmar will release 6,520 prisoners in an amnesty on Tuesday, the president`s office said in a statement. President Win Myint pardoned thousands of prisoners in two mass amnesties last month.

Myanmar will release 6,520 prisoners in an amnesty on Tuesday, the president`s office said in a statement. President Win Myint pardoned thousands of prisoners in two mass amnesties last month. It is customary in Myanmar for authorities to free prisoners around the time of the traditional New Year, which began on April 17. It was not clear whether two jailed Reuters reporters were among the prisoners scheduled to be released. The two Reuters reporters, Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, were convicted in September of breaking the Official Secrets Act and sentenced to seven years in jail, in a case that raised questions about Myanmar`s progress toward democracy and sparked an outcry from diplomats and human rights advocates.

Myanmar to release 6,500 prisoners in amnesty on Tuesday: President

A total of 12 suspected Rohingyas from Bangladesh were arrested in Mizoram for entering the state without valid travel documents, a police officer said on Monday.

Eight women and four boys from Bangladesh were taken from a house to Bawngkawn police station here on Sunday, Deputy Inspector of Police (Northern Range) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said.

It is suspected that they were victims of human trafficking.

Khiangte said the arrested people had some mobile phones without SIM cards in their possession. An investigation is on to find out their identities.

The 12 people were found in the residence of a woman who claimed that her cousin who lives at Tahan in Myanmar had asked her favour to keep the 'guests' before being taken to the neighbouring country.

In late April, eight Rohingya women were detained at India-Myanmar border Vairengte town for trying to enter Mizoram illegally and were pushed back.

They had claimed that they were from Kutupalong refugee camp at Sabulara in Bangladesh and were abducted by a group of men on April 19 and brought them to Mizoram by truck.

More than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fled from Myanmar's Rakhine state to neighbouring Bangladesh since August 2017 after a military crackdown, triggering a massive refugee crisis.&nbsp;

A total of 12 suspected Rohingyas from Bangladesh were arrested in Mizoram for entering the state without valid travel documents, a police officer said on Monday.

A total of 12 suspected Rohingyas from Bangladesh were arrested in Mizoram for entering the state without valid travel documents, a police officer said on Monday. Eight women and four boys from Bangladesh were taken from a house to Bawngkawn police station here on Sunday, Deputy Inspector of Police (Northern Range) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said. It is suspected that they were victims of human trafficking. Khiangte said the arrested people had some mobile phones without SIM cards in their possession. An investigation is on to find out their identities. The 12 people were found in the residence of a woman who claimed that her cousin who lives at Tahan in Myanmar had asked her favour to keep the 'guests' before being taken to the neighbouring country. In late April, eight Rohingya women were detained at India-Myanmar border Vairengte town for trying to enter Mizoram illegally and were pushed back. They had claimed that they were from Kutupalong refugee camp at Sabulara in Bangladesh and were abducted by a group of men on April 19 and brought them to Mizoram by truck. More than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fled from Myanmar's Rakhine state to neighbouring Bangladesh since August 2017 after a military crackdown, triggering a massive refugee crisis.

12 suspected Rohingyas held in Mizoram

Villagers in Myanmar's conflict-hit Rakhine state said Monday they are facing food shortages after being hemmed in for nearly a week by the military, which killed six people and continues to detain scores more in a crackdown against suspected rebels.

Thousands of troops have been redeployed to Rakhine state where they are using heavy artillery against the Arakan Army (AA).

The insurgents are fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in violence that has forced more than 30,000 people from their homes since December.

It is the latest unrest in an area riven by complex ethnic and religious divisions in the Buddhist-majority country.&nbsp;

The same northern part of the state also witnessed the military's bloody expulsion of some 740,000 <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-jails-three-rohingya-extremists-for-10-years-214161&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjU3fT6-YbiAhWg_XMBHYBGB3A4ChAWMAh6BAgDEAI&amp;usg=AOvVaw1nz91wxpv2ji4y_PqiT6ZR">Rohingya Muslims</a> in 2017, campaign UN investigators said amounted to genocide.

Last Tuesday security forces stormed<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-troops-kill-six-detain-scores-in-rakhine-over-suspected-rebel-links-military-spokesman-215381&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiru9Lm-YbiAhWX7HMBHbVdBfcQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2VcxdWctKfP7wfOuB0yY39"> Kyauk Tan village</a> in Rathedaung township, separating out 275 men for interrogation in the local school.

Troops admitted killing six detainees two days later and injuring eight more, claiming the men tried to attack and disarm them.

The village has been completely sealed off since the raid and several residents told AFP by phone Monday food supplies were dangerously low.

Those without any land are "really struggling", one woman told AFP by phone, asking not to be named, adding villagers were pooling their meagre supplies.

Another man confirmed the shortages under the army's "bullying" tactics and called for the international community's help.

Rakhine state lawmaker Tin Maung Win told AFP he was "very worried" about the villagers' plight.&nbsp;

He planned to visit the village Tuesday but was unsure security forces would allow him to enter after they turned him away last week.

Military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun denied people were unable to leave.&nbsp;

"People can move around freely," he said, adding it was possible others could not enter.

Access to the north of Rakhine state is heavily restricted, making independent verification difficult.

Zaw Min Tun confirmed 48 more detainees were released Monday, which would leave around 80 still held at the school.

"They warned us there would be harsh repercussions if we travelled to other villages," said Than Han Than, 22, one of the newly-released.

Than May Khin's husband, Khin Maung Htay was one of the men shot dead last week.

"I cannot forgive his killing," the 38-year-old widow said.&nbsp;

Their son -- one of four -- left just before the army operation and did not yet know of his father's death, she added.

The killings followed the deaths in April of three other ethnic Rakhine men in army custody.

Rights groups have condemned the military's "total impunity".

Villagers in Myanmar's conflict-hit Rakhine state said Monday they are facing food shortages after being hemmed in for nearly a week by the military, which killed six people and continues to detain scores more in a crackdown against suspected rebels.

Villagers in Myanmar's conflict-hit Rakhine state said Monday they are facing food shortages after being hemmed in for nearly a week by the military, which killed six people and continues to detain scores more in a crackdown against suspected rebels. Thousands of troops have been redeployed to Rakhine state where they are using heavy artillery against the Arakan Army (AA). The insurgents are fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in violence that has forced more than 30,000 people from their homes since December. It is the latest unrest in an area riven by complex ethnic and religious divisions in the Buddhist-majority country. The same northern part of the state also witnessed the military's bloody expulsion of some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims in 2017, campaign UN investigators said amounted to genocide. Last Tuesday security forces stormed Kyauk Tan village in Rathedaung township, separating out 275 men for interrogation in the local school. Troops admitted killing six detainees two days later and injuring eight more, claiming the men tried to attack and disarm them. The village has been completely sealed off since the raid and several residents told AFP by phone Monday food supplies were dangerously low. Those without any land are "really struggling", one woman told AFP by phone, asking not to be named, adding villagers were pooling their meagre supplies. Another man confirmed the shortages under the army's "bullying" tactics and called for the international community's help. Rakhine state lawmaker Tin Maung Win told AFP he was "very worried" about the villagers' plight. He planned to visit the village Tuesday but was unsure security forces would allow him to enter after they turned him away last week. Military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun denied people were unable to leave. "People can move around freely," he said, adding it was possible others could not enter. Access to the north of Rakhine state is heavily restricted, making independent verification difficult. Zaw Min Tun confirmed 48 more detainees were released Monday, which would leave around 80 still held at the school. "They warned us there would be harsh repercussions if we travelled to other villages," said Than Han Than, 22, one of the newly-released. Than May Khin's husband, Khin Maung Htay was one of the men shot dead last week. "I cannot forgive his killing," the 38-year-old widow said. Their son -- one of four -- left just before the army operation and did not yet know of his father's death, she added. The killings followed the deaths in April of three other ethnic Rakhine men in army custody. Rights groups have condemned the military's "total impunity".

Myanmar village in army lockdown 'running out of food'

Myanmar security forces shot dead at least six people in the perturbed western state of Rakhine for their alleged links with rebel Arakan Army.

The army also detained nearly 275 people during a search operation to nab the members of the Rebel Army, reported Al Jazeera.

Soldiers opened fire at the detained villagers after the latter revolted against the army.

"Villagers were shot dead and eight others were seriously injured," said Khim Maung Lat, a member of the country`s Upper House of the Parliament.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Myanmar Red Cross in a statement said that three "severely injured patients" have been shifted to a hospital.

"The ICRC is concerned about increasing numbers of civilian casualties during the recent weeks, and urge all parties to protect the civilian population in line with International Humanitarian Law," said Stephan Sakalian, head of delegation in Myanmar for the ICRC.

The Myanmar government came under global scrutiny after about 740,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Rakhine state into Bangladesh.

United Nations, in its investigation, has noted that senior military officers have been indulged in the mass killing gang rapes and arson.

However, the military has denied all the wrongdoing.

The army and Arakan Army, a group that recruits from the mainly Buddhist ethnic Rakhine population, are engaged in a constant confrontation which is keeping entire reason brewing.&nbsp;

Myanmar security forces shot dead at least six people in the perturbed western state of Rakhine for their alleged links with rebel Arakan Army. The army also detained nearly 275 people during a search operation to nab the members of the Rebel Army, reported Al Jazeera.

Myanmar security forces shot dead at least six people in the perturbed western state of Rakhine for their alleged links with rebel Arakan Army. The army also detained nearly 275 people during a search operation to nab the members of the Rebel Army, reported Al Jazeera. Soldiers opened fire at the detained villagers after the latter revolted against the army. "Villagers were shot dead and eight others were seriously injured," said Khim Maung Lat, a member of the country`s Upper House of the Parliament. Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Myanmar Red Cross in a statement said that three "severely injured patients" have been shifted to a hospital. "The ICRC is concerned about increasing numbers of civilian casualties during the recent weeks, and urge all parties to protect the civilian population in line with International Humanitarian Law," said Stephan Sakalian, head of delegation in Myanmar for the ICRC. The Myanmar government came under global scrutiny after about 740,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Rakhine state into Bangladesh. United Nations, in its investigation, has noted that senior military officers have been indulged in the mass killing gang rapes and arson. However, the military has denied all the wrongdoing. The army and Arakan Army, a group that recruits from the mainly Buddhist ethnic Rakhine population, are engaged in a constant confrontation which is keeping entire reason brewing.

Myanmar forces kill six suspecting rebel-links

Clad in elaborate headdresses representing dragons and wizards, Myanmar's ethnic Pa'O fire huge, homemade rockets into the sky -- an annual call for plentiful rains and a chance for a windfall of cash.&nbsp;

The Pa'O are one of the largest of the country's minority groups, numbering around 1.2 million people and living mainly in Shan state's highlands.

They are overwhelmingly Buddhist but many intertwine animism with their faith, believing they descend from a she-dragon and a wizard with mystical powers, known as a "weiza".

Twelve days after Myanmar's new year celebrations, as temperatures rise to over 40 degrees, Pa'O communities travel to Nantar village for the annual rocket competition, which ends on Wednesday.&nbsp;

"Calling the rain like this every year means we get bumper rice harvests," co-organiser Rike Kham tells AFP at the Pwe Lu Phaing festival's 144th edition.

Dragons and wizards

People dress in their finest, donning dark tunics and trousers in mourning for the kingdom they lost to the Bamar (Burmese) nearly 1,000 years ago.

But their headwear make up for their sombre attire.

Many women opt for a traditional bright orange cloth, symbolising the dragon.

Others, like Nan Pyone Kha Cho, 21, choose a more modern approach, sporting turbans of scarlet, gold or silver.

A golden hairpin is the "mother dragon's fang", she explains.

Men wear rolled-up cloth of various hues on their heads in the image of the "weiza" as they parade singing and dancing into the village, holding aloft their homemade rockets.

'Safety first'

In the past, these were crafted entirely from bamboo and would carry up to 40 kilos of explosives.

Now they are made with bamboo-wrapped metal, holding five different grades of gunpowder.

For "safety reasons" the maximum length is three feet and the diameter must not exceed three inches (eight centimetres).

A monk blesses each device, praying for a safe and long flight, then one-by-one the teams are called to the 10 metre-high bamboo firing rig.

The rocket is laid in position, the trajectory carefully adjusted.

The team captain takes a drag from a cigarette then uses it to light the fuse, before clambering down the bamboo rungs as the rocket lifts off with a deafening roar.

They can land up to seven or eight kilometres away, creating craters 1.5 metres deep in the fields.

A team of "linesmen" note the landing positions so they can later be collected.

High stakes

Accidents are rare, says Rike Kham.&nbsp;

Aside from an unlucky water buffalo hit in 2016, nobody has been hurt since two people died ten years ago after "badly mixing the gunpowder".

The whole village celebrates a good flight -- they, after all, clubbed together to fund the rockets that cost around $170 each.

Judged by distance, the villages behind the top three placed rockets each take a share of the pooled entry fees.

With 75 rockets in this year's competition, the prize money amounts to some $4,000 -- enough to upgrade a road, build a bridge or connect more homes to the grid.

Girl rocket power

One group of women is challenging the traditionally testosterone-driven festivities.

They dance into the village for the second year holding high their own rocket, albeit full of donation money rather than gunpowder.

But next year they will take part with "real rockets", Mhoe Phar Ohon Ye, 67, said smiling, adding that women from other villages are following their lead.

As the sun sets and the rockets fall silent, the next generation is in training.

Groups of boys set off fireworks to squeals of delight and fire toy guns into the air in celebration.

Clad in elaborate headdresses representing dragons and wizards, Myanmar's ethnic Pa'O fire huge, homemade rockets into the sky -- an annual call for plentiful rains and a chance for a windfall of cash.

Clad in elaborate headdresses representing dragons and wizards, Myanmar's ethnic Pa'O fire huge, homemade rockets into the sky -- an annual call for plentiful rains and a chance for a windfall of cash. The Pa'O are one of the largest of the country's minority groups, numbering around 1.2 million people and living mainly in Shan state's highlands. They are overwhelmingly Buddhist but many intertwine animism with their faith, believing they descend from a she-dragon and a wizard with mystical powers, known as a "weiza". Twelve days after Myanmar's new year celebrations, as temperatures rise to over 40 degrees, Pa'O communities travel to Nantar village for the annual rocket competition, which ends on Wednesday. "Calling the rain like this every year means we get bumper rice harvests," co-organiser Rike Kham tells AFP at the Pwe Lu Phaing festival's 144th edition. Dragons and wizards People dress in their finest, donning dark tunics and trousers in mourning for the kingdom they lost to the Bamar (Burmese) nearly 1,000 years ago. But their headwear make up for their sombre attire. Many women opt for a traditional bright orange cloth, symbolising the dragon. Others, like Nan Pyone Kha Cho, 21, choose a more modern approach, sporting turbans of scarlet, gold or silver. A golden hairpin is the "mother dragon's fang", she explains. Men wear rolled-up cloth of various hues on their heads in the image of the "weiza" as they parade singing and dancing into the village, holding aloft their homemade rockets. 'Safety first' In the past, these were crafted entirely from bamboo and would carry up to 40 kilos of explosives. Now they are made with bamboo-wrapped metal, holding five different grades of gunpowder. For "safety reasons" the maximum length is three feet and the diameter must not exceed three inches (eight centimetres). A monk blesses each device, praying for a safe and long flight, then one-by-one the teams are called to the 10 metre-high bamboo firing rig. The rocket is laid in position, the trajectory carefully adjusted. The team captain takes a drag from a cigarette then uses it to light the fuse, before clambering down the bamboo rungs as the rocket lifts off with a deafening roar. They can land up to seven or eight kilometres away, creating craters 1.5 metres deep in the fields. A team of "linesmen" note the landing positions so they can later be collected. High stakes Accidents are rare, says Rike Kham. Aside from an unlucky water buffalo hit in 2016, nobody has been hurt since two people died ten years ago after "badly mixing the gunpowder". The whole village celebrates a good flight -- they, after all, clubbed together to fund the rockets that cost around $170 each. Judged by distance, the villages behind the top three placed rockets each take a share of the pooled entry fees. With 75 rockets in this year's competition, the prize money amounts to some $4,000 -- enough to upgrade a road, build a bridge or connect more homes to the grid. Girl rocket power One group of women is challenging the traditionally testosterone-driven festivities. They dance into the village for the second year holding high their own rocket, albeit full of donation money rather than gunpowder. But next year they will take part with "real rockets", Mhoe Phar Ohon Ye, 67, said smiling, adding that women from other villages are following their lead. As the sun sets and the rockets fall silent, the next generation is in training. Groups of boys set off fireworks to squeals of delight and fire toy guns into the air in celebration.

Dragons and wizards fired up at Myanmar rocket festival

Myanmar began releasing prisoners on Friday after the president announced he would pardon nearly 7,000 people in addition to thousands released earlier this month.

President Win Myint granted unconditional amnesty to 6,948 prisoners serving jail terms around the country "to bring delight to the citizens of Myanmar and taking into consideration humanitarian concerns", according to a statement.

More cases were being scrutinised for possible pardons, the statement&nbsp;said.

More than 9,000 prisoners were released on April 17, the first day of the traditional New Year, but human rights activists were disappointed that the earlier amnesty only included two people jailed on political charges.

Min Tun Soe, a spokesman for the prisons department, told Reuters that Friday's amnesty would also not include many activists.

"As far as I can see on the list, the majority are drug-related cases," Soe&nbsp;said.

Two activists in the northern state of Kachin were released on Friday, one of them, Zau Jat, told supporters and journalists outside the prison in the city of Myitkyina.

"There are many prisoners in this prison who experienced an unfair judiciary," Zau Jat said in comments broadcast live over Facebook.

A court in December convicted Zau Jat and fellow activist Lum Zawng, also released on Friday, under Myanmar's peaceful assembly law and sentenced both to six months in prison.

"Even if there was no amnesty, we would be released next month, so this is just (the authorities) trying to improve their image," said Zau Jat.

Min Tun Soe and another prison official told Reuters that Friday's release did not include prisoners held in Yangon, excluding two Reuters reporters jailed for breaking the Official Secrets Act from the amnesty.

Myanmar's Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the final appeal of the journalists, Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, and upheld their seven-year prison sentences.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a human rights group monitoring the prisons, said earlier this month there were 45 people serving prison sentences for "political activity", most of them for alleged links to armed groups.

Hundreds more are awaiting trial on political charges, including criticising Myanmar's powerful military, according to AAPP. Many are on bail but the group counts 94 people jailed awaiting trial in political cases.

Government spokesman Zaw Htay told reporters in the capital Naypyitaw that armed group members and those involved in "politically related cases" would be released in the third amnesty of more than 6,000 prisoners at an undisclosed date, according to a video published by The Speaker, a news outlet.

Myanmar began releasing prisoners on Friday after the president announced he would pardon nearly 7,000 people in addition to thousands released earlier this month.

Myanmar began releasing prisoners on Friday after the president announced he would pardon nearly 7,000 people in addition to thousands released earlier this month. President Win Myint granted unconditional amnesty to 6,948 prisoners serving jail terms around the country "to bring delight to the citizens of Myanmar and taking into consideration humanitarian concerns", according to a statement. More cases were being scrutinised for possible pardons, the statement said. More than 9,000 prisoners were released on April 17, the first day of the traditional New Year, but human rights activists were disappointed that the earlier amnesty only included two people jailed on political charges. Min Tun Soe, a spokesman for the prisons department, told Reuters that Friday's amnesty would also not include many activists. "As far as I can see on the list, the majority are drug-related cases," Soe said. Two activists in the northern state of Kachin were released on Friday, one of them, Zau Jat, told supporters and journalists outside the prison in the city of Myitkyina. "There are many prisoners in this prison who experienced an unfair judiciary," Zau Jat said in comments broadcast live over Facebook. A court in December convicted Zau Jat and fellow activist Lum Zawng, also released on Friday, under Myanmar's peaceful assembly law and sentenced both to six months in prison. "Even if there was no amnesty, we would be released next month, so this is just (the authorities) trying to improve their image," said Zau Jat. Min Tun Soe and another prison official told Reuters that Friday's release did not include prisoners held in Yangon, excluding two Reuters reporters jailed for breaking the Official Secrets Act from the amnesty. Myanmar's Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the final appeal of the journalists, Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, and upheld their seven-year prison sentences. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a human rights group monitoring the prisons, said earlier this month there were 45 people serving prison sentences for "political activity", most of them for alleged links to armed groups. Hundreds more are awaiting trial on political charges, including criticising Myanmar's powerful military, according to AAPP. Many are on bail but the group counts 94 people jailed awaiting trial in political cases. Government spokesman Zaw Htay told reporters in the capital Naypyitaw that armed group members and those involved in "politically related cases" would be released in the third amnesty of more than 6,000 prisoners at an undisclosed date, according to a video published by The Speaker, a news outlet.

Myanmar pardons nearly 7,000 prisoners in their second amnesty this month

Myanmar's top court on Tuesday rejected the appeal of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-top-court-hears-reuters-reporters-appeal-in-official-secrets-case-206109">two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years</a> in jail for breaking the Official Secrets Act, in a landmark case that has raised questions about the country's transition to democracy.

"They were sentenced for seven years and this decision stands, and the appeal is rejected," Supreme Court Justice Soe Naing told a court in the capital, Naypyitaw, without elaborating.

Reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have spent more than 15 months in detention since they were arrested in December 2017, while investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslim civilians involving Myanmar soldiers.

Law officer Ko Ko Maung, representing the government, said they had been found in possession of secret documents that could have harmed national security.

A district court judge in Yangon found the two journalists guilty under the Official Secrets Act in September 2017 and sentenced them to seven years in prison.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Myanmar's top court on Tuesday rejected the appeal of two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years in jail for breaking the Official Secrets Act, in a landmark case that has raised questions about the country's transition to democracy.

Myanmar's top court on Tuesday rejected the appeal of two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years in jail for breaking the Official Secrets Act, in a landmark case that has raised questions about the country's transition to democracy. "They were sentenced for seven years and this decision stands, and the appeal is rejected," Supreme Court Justice Soe Naing told a court in the capital, Naypyitaw, without elaborating. Reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have spent more than 15 months in detention since they were arrested in December 2017, while investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslim civilians involving Myanmar soldiers. Law officer Ko Ko Maung, representing the government, said they had been found in possession of secret documents that could have harmed national security. A district court judge in Yangon found the two journalists guilty under the Official Secrets Act in September 2017 and sentenced them to seven years in prison. (With inputs from Reuters)

Myanmar's top court rejects final appeal by jailed Reuters journalists

Rakhine rebels locked in a vicious fight with Myanmar's army will not "get peace by praying", its commander said as he vowed his forces will fight on despite being outnumbered and under aerial assault.&nbsp;

The increasingly bloody battle in western Rakhine state is between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA), which claims to be fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in one of the country's poorest states.

With the region under strict lockdown, it is difficult to get a precise death toll, though the military has confirmed over 20 of its security forces have been killed by the AA since January.&nbsp;

Speaking to reporters Wednesday from the safety of the Wa region of eastern Shan State, which borders China, AA chief Tun Myat Naing said his forces have no intention of giving up their armed struggle.

"We are not the ones to give up. We have to fight the war," said the bespectacled major-general.&nbsp;

"We will not get peace by praying."&nbsp;

The rebel leader was speaking in Panghsang, home to the United Wa State Army, a normally reclusive group who this week invited journalists and other ethnic leaders to commemorate 30 years of autonomy.&nbsp;

The China-backed Wa have a long-standing ceasefire with Myanmar, which has so far allowed them to operate from a semi-autonomous zone.

Experts allege the well-armed Wa, who have a 25,000-strong standing army, offer training and equipment to several other rebel groups as leverage against Myanmar's central state.

The presence of the AA leader in Panghsang will do little to dilute that perception -- despite vociferous denials by the Wa.

Rakhine in the west -- one of the poorest states in Myanmar -- has long been a tinderbox of complex ethnic and religious divides.&nbsp;

A brutal military campaign in 2017 forced out some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh.

Myanmar's army said the mass expulsion was justified in a campaign to stamp out Rohingya militants known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).

With many Rohingya gone, the AA has ramped up its own campaign of ambushes and assassinations.

Fighting has spread across Rakhine and into neighbouring Chin state, displacing more than 20,000 civilians of various ethnicities, while residents in the temple-studded town of Mrauk U, the ancient Rakhine capital, have reported fighter jets streaking across the skies.&nbsp;

Earlier this month a military helicopter attack killed at least six Rohingya, who the army claimed was working with the AA.&nbsp;

Tun Myat Naing rejected the accusation as "groundless."

However, he conceded that there are Rohingya "who are suffering under the repression" of the Myanmar military as well in Rakhine - a rare note of empathy from ethnic Rakhine towards their Muslim neighbours.&nbsp;

Tun Myat Naing said he also met a Chinese official in Wa, a sign the giant neighbour is closely watching events in strategically important parts of Myanmar.&nbsp;

"He asked us not to start an offensive... I asked him to negotiate for both sides," said the rebel army chief.&nbsp;

Rakhine rebels locked in a vicious fight with Myanmar's army will not "get peace by praying", its commander said as he vowed his forces will fight on despite being outnumbered and under aerial assault.

Rakhine rebels locked in a vicious fight with Myanmar's army will not "get peace by praying", its commander said as he vowed his forces will fight on despite being outnumbered and under aerial assault. The increasingly bloody battle in western Rakhine state is between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA), which claims to be fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists in one of the country's poorest states. With the region under strict lockdown, it is difficult to get a precise death toll, though the military has confirmed over 20 of its security forces have been killed by the AA since January. Speaking to reporters Wednesday from the safety of the Wa region of eastern Shan State, which borders China, AA chief Tun Myat Naing said his forces have no intention of giving up their armed struggle. "We are not the ones to give up. We have to fight the war," said the bespectacled major-general. "We will not get peace by praying." The rebel leader was speaking in Panghsang, home to the United Wa State Army, a normally reclusive group who this week invited journalists and other ethnic leaders to commemorate 30 years of autonomy. The China-backed Wa have a long-standing ceasefire with Myanmar, which has so far allowed them to operate from a semi-autonomous zone. Experts allege the well-armed Wa, who have a 25,000-strong standing army, offer training and equipment to several other rebel groups as leverage against Myanmar's central state. The presence of the AA leader in Panghsang will do little to dilute that perception -- despite vociferous denials by the Wa. Rakhine in the west -- one of the poorest states in Myanmar -- has long been a tinderbox of complex ethnic and religious divides. A brutal military campaign in 2017 forced out some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh. Myanmar's army said the mass expulsion was justified in a campaign to stamp out Rohingya militants known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). With many Rohingya gone, the AA has ramped up its own campaign of ambushes and assassinations. Fighting has spread across Rakhine and into neighbouring Chin state, displacing more than 20,000 civilians of various ethnicities, while residents in the temple-studded town of Mrauk U, the ancient Rakhine capital, have reported fighter jets streaking across the skies. Earlier this month a military helicopter attack killed at least six Rohingya, who the army claimed was working with the AA. Tun Myat Naing rejected the accusation as "groundless." However, he conceded that there are Rohingya "who are suffering under the repression" of the Myanmar military as well in Rakhine - a rare note of empathy from ethnic Rakhine towards their Muslim neighbours. Tun Myat Naing said he also met a Chinese official in Wa, a sign the giant neighbour is closely watching events in strategically important parts of Myanmar. "He asked us not to start an offensive... I asked him to negotiate for both sides," said the rebel army chief.

Defiant Rakhine rebels say 'no peace by prayer' in battle with Myanmar army

It has a standing army of 25,000, manufactures its own guns and conscripts at least one member of each household -- meet the United Wa State Army: Communist, reclusive, China-backed rebels determined to protect their supremacy over Myanmar's badland border zone.

Thousands of soldiers, including a company of women and a sniper platoon in combat webbing, marched early Wednesday alongside armoured vehicles in Panghsang, capital of the ethnic Wa, which borders China's Yunnan province.

It was a show of force marking 30 years since Communist Wa rebels negotiated a ceasefire with Myanmar leading to the establishment of special, semi-autonomous zone, marshalled by Bao Youxiang, chief of one of the world's largest non-state armies.

This week the normally inscrutable Wa extended a rare invite to foreign media to their isolated territory to show off their military prowess and deliver a defiant message of self-sufficiency within Myanmar's borders.

"The Wa people are masters of their own destiny," Bao, flanked by senior Chinese officials, declared in an address to the thousands gathered for the parade.

He vowed his 600,000 "war-tested" people will never be pawns in proxy wars and proclaimed the "builders and defenders of Wa" as "one of the best groups in human society."

Fed by a ready supply of conscripts -- some barely in their teens -- China-armed and trained, the UWSA bears comparison to Lebanese Hezbollah in size.

Also like Hezbollah they are clients of a larger state actor, who pulls strings for strategic ends.

But the UWSA also taps a deep seam of local pride and enmity towards the central state, which is dominated by the Bamar ethnic group.

Estimates vary, but experts put the UWSA strength at 25-30,000 regulars, backed up by a large, well-trained reserve.

Wa forces dwarf the collage of other ethnic rebel groups operating across Myanmar, posing a deterrent to the country's "Tatmadaw" army and gifting Beijing a useful bridgehead into its resource-rich neighbour.

"We haven't suffered fighting in decades and have developed over these 30 years," a UWSA officer told AFP, requesting anonymity.

"But we need to be ready. Our leader's motto is 'Sweating a lot leads to a little blood.' So one or two people from each household must serve in the Wa Army."

Headhunters, drugs and tin

Once a Chinese enclave, the Wa became known by British colonisers as the "wild Wa" for their fearsome reputation for headhunting.

Since becoming a special region, the zone has undergone an economic boom of sorts.

It is home to one of the world's largest tin mines and massive rubber plantations.

Regional drug cops say it plays a central role in the "Golden Triangle" narcotics trade, forged over decades of opium production.

The Wa have long been accused of running a narco-state peppered with meth labs across their self-policed lands -- claims Wa leaders vehemently deny.

"Poppy cultivation will never appear again," said Bao citing its eradication as one of his state's "proudest achievements" and vowing to combat all drug production.

But independent analysis is impossible.

Wa remains virtually locked-off, resistant to outside visitors, ringed by checkpoints and tight internal controls.

Chairman Bao

The publicity-shy septuagenarian Bao has helmed the region for decades.

An unassailable, authoritarian figurehead, he presides over a political hierarchy that shadows the structures of big neighbour China and a tightly-controlled society.

"In the mould of Xi Jinping, Bao is the head of the army, party and government and has been confirmed in those positions for life," Bangkok-based security analyst Anthony Davis told AFP.

Zhao Guo An, a senior UWSA leader, lauded the relationship with China, telling reporters it was "very old, we're brothers," adding Beijing "is very important" for his forces, but declining to give further details.

As a trading gateway to China -- the yuan is the Wa currency -- the zone provides a point of leverage for Beijing against Myanmar and any potential resistance to its grand infrastructure and pipeline plans for the country.

The Wa have attended peace talks in a country lacerated by ethic conflicts, but so far remain outside a nationwide ceasefire deal -- an agreement keenly sought by Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government.

Intense violence between Myanmar's army and Rakhine rebels on the other side of the country has undercut prospects of a binding peace deal any time soon.

"The UWSA is the largest non-state military actor in East Asia," Davis said, adding it "has unquestionably been armed by China" despite producing its own China-designed rifles.

A barrage of colourful flares ended the parade as thousands of people in ethnic clothes joined the ranks of military in the sports ground -- a show of loyalty in a highly militarised area.

"I became Wa soldier when I was about 13 years old. My younger brother is also a soldier," a 32-year-old UWSA recruit told AFP, also requesting not to be named.

"As a Wa, you have to serve the army."

It has a standing army of 25,000, manufactures its own guns and conscripts at least one member of each household -- meet the United Wa State Army: Communist, reclusive, China-backed rebels determined to protect their supremacy over Myanmar's badland border zone.

It has a standing army of 25,000, manufactures its own guns and conscripts at least one member of each household -- meet the United Wa State Army: Communist, reclusive, China-backed rebels determined to protect their supremacy over Myanmar's badland border zone. Thousands of soldiers, including a company of women and a sniper platoon in combat webbing, marched early Wednesday alongside armoured vehicles in Panghsang, capital of the ethnic Wa, which borders China's Yunnan province. It was a show of force marking 30 years since Communist Wa rebels negotiated a ceasefire with Myanmar leading to the establishment of special, semi-autonomous zone, marshalled by Bao Youxiang, chief of one of the world's largest non-state armies. This week the normally inscrutable Wa extended a rare invite to foreign media to their isolated territory to show off their military prowess and deliver a defiant message of self-sufficiency within Myanmar's borders. "The Wa people are masters of their own destiny," Bao, flanked by senior Chinese officials, declared in an address to the thousands gathered for the parade. He vowed his 600,000 "war-tested" people will never be pawns in proxy wars and proclaimed the "builders and defenders of Wa" as "one of the best groups in human society." Fed by a ready supply of conscripts -- some barely in their teens -- China-armed and trained, the UWSA bears comparison to Lebanese Hezbollah in size. Also like Hezbollah they are clients of a larger state actor, who pulls strings for strategic ends. But the UWSA also taps a deep seam of local pride and enmity towards the central state, which is dominated by the Bamar ethnic group. Estimates vary, but experts put the UWSA strength at 25-30,000 regulars, backed up by a large, well-trained reserve. Wa forces dwarf the collage of other ethnic rebel groups operating across Myanmar, posing a deterrent to the country's "Tatmadaw" army and gifting Beijing a useful bridgehead into its resource-rich neighbour. "We haven't suffered fighting in decades and have developed over these 30 years," a UWSA officer told AFP, requesting anonymity. "But we need to be ready. Our leader's motto is 'Sweating a lot leads to a little blood.' So one or two people from each household must serve in the Wa Army." Headhunters, drugs and tin Once a Chinese enclave, the Wa became known by British colonisers as the "wild Wa" for their fearsome reputation for headhunting. Since becoming a special region, the zone has undergone an economic boom of sorts. It is home to one of the world's largest tin mines and massive rubber plantations. Regional drug cops say it plays a central role in the "Golden Triangle" narcotics trade, forged over decades of opium production. The Wa have long been accused of running a narco-state peppered with meth labs across their self-policed lands -- claims Wa leaders vehemently deny. "Poppy cultivation will never appear again," said Bao citing its eradication as one of his state's "proudest achievements" and vowing to combat all drug production. But independent analysis is impossible. Wa remains virtually locked-off, resistant to outside visitors, ringed by checkpoints and tight internal controls. Chairman Bao The publicity-shy septuagenarian Bao has helmed the region for decades. An unassailable, authoritarian figurehead, he presides over a political hierarchy that shadows the structures of big neighbour China and a tightly-controlled society. "In the mould of Xi Jinping, Bao is the head of the army, party and government and has been confirmed in those positions for life," Bangkok-based security analyst Anthony Davis told AFP. Zhao Guo An, a senior UWSA leader, lauded the relationship with China, telling reporters it was "very old, we're brothers," adding Beijing "is very important" for his forces, but declining to give further details. As a trading gateway to China -- the yuan is the Wa currency -- the zone provides a point of leverage for Beijing against Myanmar and any potential resistance to its grand infrastructure and pipeline plans for the country. The Wa have attended peace talks in a country lacerated by ethic conflicts, but so far remain outside a nationwide ceasefire deal -- an agreement keenly sought by Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government. Intense violence between Myanmar's army and Rakhine rebels on the other side of the country has undercut prospects of a binding peace deal any time soon. "The UWSA is the largest non-state military actor in East Asia," Davis said, adding it "has unquestionably been armed by China" despite producing its own China-designed rifles. A barrage of colourful flares ended the parade as thousands of people in ethnic clothes joined the ranks of military in the sports ground -- a show of loyalty in a highly militarised area. "I became Wa soldier when I was about 13 years old. My younger brother is also a soldier," a 32-year-old UWSA recruit told AFP, also requesting not to be named. "As a Wa, you have to serve the army."

'Masters of our destiny': Myanmar's Wa rebels in show of force

On the first day of the traditional New Year in Myanmar, the country on Wednesday released over 9,000 prisoners from jails.

The release of the prisoners came in the wake of the President&nbsp;Win Myint's&nbsp;announcement of amnesty on day 1 of the New Year.

President Win Myint said 9,353 prisoners, including 16 foreigners, had been pardoned "as a gesture of marking the Myanmar New Year, for the peace and pleasure of the people, and taking into consideration humanitarian concerns”.

In a statement on a Facebook page, the president also added that the authorities were further scrutinising on the decision to release other prisoners.

Such releases from prisons across the country are regularly ordered to mark the holiday.

Several prisons had begun releasing inmates by early afternoon, with two political prisoners among them, said Aung Myo Kyaw from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a non-profit human rights group.

A total of 364 political prisoners are behind bars or facing trial, according to AAPP, including people accused of criticising the army and ethnic minority activists jailed after protesting against war between government forces and minority insurgents.

Two Reuters reporters jailed for breaking the Official Secrets Act were not among those being pardoned, a senior official at Insein prison, the colonial-era jail on the outskirts of the commercial capital of Yangon where they are being held, told Reuters.

(With inputs from Reuters)

On the first day of the traditional New Year in Myanmar, the country on Wednesday released over 9,000 prisoners from jails. The release of the prisoners came in the wake of the President Win Myint's announcement of amnesty on day 1 of the New Year.

On the first day of the traditional New Year in Myanmar, the country on Wednesday released over 9,000 prisoners from jails. The release of the prisoners came in the wake of the President Win Myint's announcement of amnesty on day 1 of the New Year. President Win Myint said 9,353 prisoners, including 16 foreigners, had been pardoned "as a gesture of marking the Myanmar New Year, for the peace and pleasure of the people, and taking into consideration humanitarian concerns”. In a statement on a Facebook page, the president also added that the authorities were further scrutinising on the decision to release other prisoners. Such releases from prisons across the country are regularly ordered to mark the holiday. Several prisons had begun releasing inmates by early afternoon, with two political prisoners among them, said Aung Myo Kyaw from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a non-profit human rights group. A total of 364 political prisoners are behind bars or facing trial, according to AAPP, including people accused of criticising the army and ethnic minority activists jailed after protesting against war between government forces and minority insurgents. Two Reuters reporters jailed for breaking the Official Secrets Act were not among those being pardoned, a senior official at Insein prison, the colonial-era jail on the outskirts of the commercial capital of Yangon where they are being held, told Reuters. (With inputs from Reuters)

Myanmar releases over 9,000 prisoners in New Year amnesty

Reuters won two <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/jailed-reuters-reporters-us-border-photographers-win-pulitzer-prizes-210825&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiWppj5rdThAhUB4o8KHQ5vACoQFggNMAM&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw25qGBBTBqeMKztQEEjapXS">Pulitzer Prizes </a>on Monday, one for revealing the massacre of 10 Muslim Rohingya men by Buddhist villagers and Myanmar security forces, and another for photographs of Central American migrants seeking refuge in the United States.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nroXtw7ZVlI" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The awards marked the second year in a row that Reuters has won two Pulitzers, the most prestigious prize in American journalism. Reuters has won seven since 2008.

Two of this year's honorees have been jailed for 490 days in Myanmar for their role in uncovering the killings.

"While it's gratifying to be recognized for the work, public attention should be focused more on the people about whom we report than on us: in this case, the Rohingya and the Central American migrants," Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler said.

&nbsp;

In other categories, coverage of mass shootings in the United States and investigations into US President Donald Trump featured prominently. The New York Times and the Washington Post also took two Pulitzers each.

Reuters and the Associated Press were both awarded prizes for international reporting, with the AP winning for its coverage of war atrocities in Yemen.

The Reuters award was for an investigative report that revealed the massacre of 10 Rohingya at the village of Inn Din, in the heart of the conflict zone of Rakhine state in Myanmar.

Two young Reuters reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, both Myanmar citizens, found a mass grave filled with bones sticking out of the ground. They went on to gather testimony from perpetrators, witnesses and families of victims.

They obtained three devastating photographs from villagers: two showed the 10 Rohingya men bound and kneeling; the third showed the mutilated and bullet-ridden bodies of the same 10 men in the same shallow grave.

In December 2017, before Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo could complete their story, they were arrested in what international observers have criticized as an effort by authorities to block the report.

The report, "Massacre in Myanmar," was completed by colleagues Simon Lewis and Antoni Slodkowski and published in February of last year.

In September, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were sentenced to seven years imprisonment for violating the country's Official Secrets Act.

"I'm thrilled that Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and their colleagues have been recognized for their extraordinary, courageous coverage, and our photojournalists for their moving pictures that show humanity defying huge obstacles," Adler said. "I remain deeply distressed, however, that our brave reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are still behind bars."

Border Images

In the breaking news photography category, 11 Reuters photographers contributed pictures to "On the Migrant Trail to America," a package of images showing asylum-seekers and other migrants from Central America at the US border.

One photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon showed migrants fleeing tear gas launched by US authorities into Mexico at the San Diego-Tijuana border. In the image, a mother grabs her twin daughters by the arm, one in diapers and wearing rubber sandals, the other barefoot, as a teargas canister emits its fumes.

In another image, an aerial photo, Mike Blake was the first to photograph the detention facility in Tornillo, Texas, where children walked in single files, like prisoners.

Goran Tomasevic captured an image in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, a city with one of the highest murder rates in the world, of a rooster, scratching in the dirt next to the slain body of a Barrio 18 gang member. Tomasevic was a previous finalist for his pictures of the war in Syria.

Mass shooting coverage Honored

The New York Times won a prize for explanatory reporting of Trump's finances and tax avoidance and another for editorial writing by Brent Staples.

The Washington Post's Lorenzo Tugnoli won the feature photography prize for images of the famine in Yemen and the newspaper's Carlos Lozada also won for criticism.

The Wall Street Journal won the national reporting prize for uncovering Trump's secret payoffs to two women during his campaign who claimed to have had affairs with him.

Coverage of mass shootings in the United States was also recognized four times.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel won the public service award for "exposing failings by school and law enforcement officials before and after the deadly shooting rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School," the Pulitzer board said. Seventeen people died in the massacre at the Parkland, Florida, high school on Feb. 14, 2018.

The staff of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette won the breaking news prize for its coverage of "immersive, compassionate" coverage of the massacre at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue that killed 11 people on Oct. 27, 2018.

Pulitzer administrator Dana Canedy, upon announcing the winners, also offered admiration for a non-winner: the staff of the Eagle Eye student newspaper at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for its coverage of the killings.

The Pulitzer board also awarded a special citation to the Capital Gazette of Annapolis, Maryland, for "their courageous response to the largest killing of journalists in US history in their newsroom." A gunman shot and killed five people there on June 28, 2018.

Reuters won two Pulitzer Prizes on Monday, one for revealing the massacre of 10 Muslim Rohingya men by Buddhist villagers and Myanmar security forces, and another for photographs of Central American migrants seeking refuge in the United States.

Reuters won two Pulitzer Prizes on Monday, one for revealing the massacre of 10 Muslim Rohingya men by Buddhist villagers and Myanmar security forces, and another for photographs of Central American migrants seeking refuge in the United States. The awards marked the second year in a row that Reuters has won two Pulitzers, the most prestigious prize in American journalism. Reuters has won seven since 2008. Two of this year's honorees have been jailed for 490 days in Myanmar for their role in uncovering the killings. "While it's gratifying to be recognized for the work, public attention should be focused more on the people about whom we report than on us: in this case, the Rohingya and the Central American migrants," Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler said. In other categories, coverage of mass shootings in the United States and investigations into US President Donald Trump featured prominently. The New York Times and the Washington Post also took two Pulitzers each. Reuters and the Associated Press were both awarded prizes for international reporting, with the AP winning for its coverage of war atrocities in Yemen. The Reuters award was for an investigative report that revealed the massacre of 10 Rohingya at the village of Inn Din, in the heart of the conflict zone of Rakhine state in Myanmar. Two young Reuters reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, both Myanmar citizens, found a mass grave filled with bones sticking out of the ground. They went on to gather testimony from perpetrators, witnesses and families of victims. They obtained three devastating photographs from villagers: two showed the 10 Rohingya men bound and kneeling; the third showed the mutilated and bullet-ridden bodies of the same 10 men in the same shallow grave. In December 2017, before Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo could complete their story, they were arrested in what international observers have criticized as an effort by authorities to block the report. The report, "Massacre in Myanmar," was completed by colleagues Simon Lewis and Antoni Slodkowski and published in February of last year. In September, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were sentenced to seven years imprisonment for violating the country's Official Secrets Act. "I'm thrilled that Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and their colleagues have been recognized for their extraordinary, courageous coverage, and our photojournalists for their moving pictures that show humanity defying huge obstacles," Adler said. "I remain deeply distressed, however, that our brave reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are still behind bars." Border Images In the breaking news photography category, 11 Reuters photographers contributed pictures to "On the Migrant Trail to America," a package of images showing asylum-seekers and other migrants from Central America at the US border. One photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon showed migrants fleeing tear gas launched by US authorities into Mexico at the San Diego-Tijuana border. In the image, a mother grabs her twin daughters by the arm, one in diapers and wearing rubber sandals, the other barefoot, as a teargas canister emits its fumes. In another image, an aerial photo, Mike Blake was the first to photograph the detention facility in Tornillo, Texas, where children walked in single files, like prisoners. Goran Tomasevic captured an image in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, a city with one of the highest murder rates in the world, of a rooster, scratching in the dirt next to the slain body of a Barrio 18 gang member. Tomasevic was a previous finalist for his pictures of the war in Syria. Mass shooting coverage Honored The New York Times won a prize for explanatory reporting of Trump's finances and tax avoidance and another for editorial writing by Brent Staples. The Washington Post's Lorenzo Tugnoli won the feature photography prize for images of the famine in Yemen and the newspaper's Carlos Lozada also won for criticism. The Wall Street Journal won the national reporting prize for uncovering Trump's secret payoffs to two women during his campaign who claimed to have had affairs with him. Coverage of mass shootings in the United States was also recognized four times. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel won the public service award for "exposing failings by school and law enforcement officials before and after the deadly shooting rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School," the Pulitzer board said. Seventeen people died in the massacre at the Parkland, Florida, high school on Feb. 14, 2018. The staff of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette won the breaking news prize for its coverage of "immersive, compassionate" coverage of the massacre at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue that killed 11 people on Oct. 27, 2018. Pulitzer administrator Dana Canedy, upon announcing the winners, also offered admiration for a non-winner: the staff of the Eagle Eye student newspaper at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for its coverage of the killings. The Pulitzer board also awarded a special citation to the Capital Gazette of Annapolis, Maryland, for "their courageous response to the largest killing of journalists in US history in their newsroom." A gunman shot and killed five people there on June 28, 2018.

Jailed Reuters reporters, US border photographers win Pulitzer Prizes

In a classroom on the outskirts of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-east-asia/former-blackwater-contractor-erik-prince-in-myanmar-security-venture-204928&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj_rKu18MzhAhUKsI8KHa1BAMYQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2D4rhmB7rcaAo0KEd0XldN">Myanmar</a>'s biggest city, a thin, bespectacled university student-led about a dozen peers in boisterous chants of "Censorship is a shame!" and "We don’t believe in censorship!"

It was the final rehearsal of a troupe performing "thangyat", a centuries-old custom allowing free rein to satirise rulers and society during New Year celebrations that began on Saturday.

The tradition, featuring a mix of comedy and slam poetry set to drums, has sparked controversy this year, with troupes in Yangon, the commercial capital, saying the first democratic government in 50 years forced them to submit lyrics to a sensor panel.

"We founded the thangyat in order to serve as the people’s messengers to the government," said the student, 20-year-old Thant Zin.

"Why don’t they dare to listen to the people of the country, students of the country?" added Aung Min Thu, a 23-year-old who helped organize the troupe.

The issue has ignited debate on social media and highlights Myanmar's limits on freedom of speech under the government of Nobel peace laureate <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-aung-san-suu-kyi-united-nations-in-geneva-in-next-week-198796&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi4gYLT8czhAhX-7HMBHbQADWUQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0-qvNs5pntwkNejkXCEahN">Aung San Suu Kyi</a>, a year ahead of elections set for 2020.

A spokesman for Suu Kyi's ruling party, the National League for Democracy, said the curbs on thangyat were "temporary" as Myanmar moves towards democracy.

"Currently our country hasn't achieved democracy," said Dr Myo Nyunt. "We worry that unnecessary things will happen due to the thangyat. So the authorities issued temporary restrictions."

He added, "We always prioritize and are working on freedom of speech and freedom of expression."

"CAN'T ALLOW OBSTRUCTIVE WAYS"

The military junta that ruled Myanmar for decades outlawed thangyat performances but they resumed in 2013 after a return to semi-civilian rule. Many supporters of Suu Kyi’s party pushed for the revival.

But in March, ahead of this year's celebrations, authorities in Yangon, home of the most elaborate performances, set up a panel to scrutinise the lyrics of thangyat, and performers must now seek its approval.

The panel aims at averting ethnic or religious conflict, rather than censorship, its chairman, Zaw Aye Maung, told Reuters by telephone.

"There is freedom of speech, but we can’t allow obstructive ways, can’t speak harmful words about individual people or organizations," he said.

"The main thing is not to destroy the unity of ethnic people, not to destroy the sovereignty of the country, not to destroy the union."

However, officials with loudspeakers have gone around at least two townships warning they would take action if thangyat performances targeted the government, residents told Reuters.

Thant Zin’s troupe and members of others said they had refused to submit their lyrics to the panel and planned to perform on the street anyway.

"The stages which accepted us during previous festivals apologised and rejected us," said Thant Zin.

His troupe is one of several planning lyrics that criticise the government’s failure to amend the 2008 constitution, which reserves power for the military, as well as lacklustre economic growth and controversial development projects.

"Thangyat reveals the obstacles of the people," he said.

FREE SPEECH REPRESSED

Three-and-a-half years after a landslide 2015 election win that brought Suu Kyi’s government to power, it faces international pressure for its response to a military crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority in August 2017 that drove some 730,000 into neighbouring Bangladesh.

The campaign was executed with "genocidal intent", the United Nations has said.

At home, critics say the administration has been slow to fulfil election promises to reconcile armed rebels in different regions and amend the military-drafted constitution.

Activists say authorities have failed to safeguard freedom of expression. One group, Athan, or "Voice" in Burmese, says 44 journalists and 142 activists have faced trial under the Suu Kyi government.

Among them are Reuters reporters Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, jailed in September for seven years on convictions of breaking the colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

"The government cannot fix the problems if they cannot hear the criticisms," one political activist, Kyaw Ko Ko, told Reuters by telephone.

"Especially with the 2020 election coming, they need to listen to the situation, what is happening among people."

In a classroom on the outskirts of Myanmar's biggest city, a thin, bespectacled university student-led about a dozen peers in boisterous chants of "Censorship is a shame!

In a classroom on the outskirts of Myanmar's biggest city, a thin, bespectacled university student-led about a dozen peers in boisterous chants of "Censorship is a shame!" and "We don’t believe in censorship!" It was the final rehearsal of a troupe performing "thangyat", a centuries-old custom allowing free rein to satirise rulers and society during New Year celebrations that began on Saturday. The tradition, featuring a mix of comedy and slam poetry set to drums, has sparked controversy this year, with troupes in Yangon, the commercial capital, saying the first democratic government in 50 years forced them to submit lyrics to a sensor panel. "We founded the thangyat in order to serve as the people’s messengers to the government," said the student, 20-year-old Thant Zin. "Why don’t they dare to listen to the people of the country, students of the country?" added Aung Min Thu, a 23-year-old who helped organize the troupe. The issue has ignited debate on social media and highlights Myanmar's limits on freedom of speech under the government of Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, a year ahead of elections set for 2020. A spokesman for Suu Kyi's ruling party, the National League for Democracy, said the curbs on thangyat were "temporary" as Myanmar moves towards democracy. "Currently our country hasn't achieved democracy," said Dr Myo Nyunt. "We worry that unnecessary things will happen due to the thangyat. So the authorities issued temporary restrictions." He added, "We always prioritize and are working on freedom of speech and freedom of expression." "CAN'T ALLOW OBSTRUCTIVE WAYS" The military junta that ruled Myanmar for decades outlawed thangyat performances but they resumed in 2013 after a return to semi-civilian rule. Many supporters of Suu Kyi’s party pushed for the revival. But in March, ahead of this year's celebrations, authorities in Yangon, home of the most elaborate performances, set up a panel to scrutinise the lyrics of thangyat, and performers must now seek its approval. The panel aims at averting ethnic or religious conflict, rather than censorship, its chairman, Zaw Aye Maung, told Reuters by telephone. "There is freedom of speech, but we can’t allow obstructive ways, can’t speak harmful words about individual people or organizations," he said. "The main thing is not to destroy the unity of ethnic people, not to destroy the sovereignty of the country, not to destroy the union." However, officials with loudspeakers have gone around at least two townships warning they would take action if thangyat performances targeted the government, residents told Reuters. Thant Zin’s troupe and members of others said they had refused to submit their lyrics to the panel and planned to perform on the street anyway. "The stages which accepted us during previous festivals apologised and rejected us," said Thant Zin. His troupe is one of several planning lyrics that criticise the government’s failure to amend the 2008 constitution, which reserves power for the military, as well as lacklustre economic growth and controversial development projects. "Thangyat reveals the obstacles of the people," he said. FREE SPEECH REPRESSED Three-and-a-half years after a landslide 2015 election win that brought Suu Kyi’s government to power, it faces international pressure for its response to a military crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority in August 2017 that drove some 730,000 into neighbouring Bangladesh. The campaign was executed with "genocidal intent", the United Nations has said. At home, critics say the administration has been slow to fulfil election promises to reconcile armed rebels in different regions and amend the military-drafted constitution. Activists say authorities have failed to safeguard freedom of expression. One group, Athan, or "Voice" in Burmese, says 44 journalists and 142 activists have faced trial under the Suu Kyi government. Among them are Reuters reporters Wa Lone, 33, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 29, jailed in September for seven years on convictions of breaking the colonial-era Official Secrets Act. "The government cannot fix the problems if they cannot hear the criticisms," one political activist, Kyaw Ko Ko, told Reuters by telephone. "Especially with the 2020 election coming, they need to listen to the situation, what is happening among people."

'The people's messengers': Myanmar's satirical poets target censorship

Arakan Army rebels overran a police base in Rakhine state, killing two officers and one of their wives, the Myanmar government said on Wednesday, as fresh fighting broke out in a historic Buddhist temple town popular with tourists.

The Information Ministry said around 200 insurgents stormed a police headquarters in Mrauk U before being repelled, but that they abducted four women and three children as they left.

“According to information from the Myanmar police force, the AA (committed an act of) terrorism by attacking a family dormitory and taking unrelated family members like wives and children,” the ministry said in a post on its website.

Arakan Army spokesman Khine Thu Kha said rebels had attacked a police outpost in Mrauk U - where clashes in March wounded six people - but denied they had killed or abducted any civilians.

He denied the site had any dormitory, saying rather that heavy weapons were stored there. “They were shooting from that camp and so it affected the people. So the Rakhine army cleared that. There were many casualties on the Myanmar military side.”

Rakhine came to global attention in 2017 when the Myanmar army drove about 730,000 ethnic Rohingya Muslims from the state across the border into neighbouring Bangladesh, following attacks by Rohingya insurgents on police posts.

More recently, the military has been battling another armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, which draws recruits mostly from the ethnic Rakhine population, who are mainly Buddhists, and is fighting for greater autonomy for the western state.

Government warplanes began strikes on Mrauk U late on Tuesday night, according to two residents, who said a one-year-old child was hospitalised.

“I don’t know whether they are fighting with AA or not,” a local monk, Myo Oo Khaung Sayataw, said on Wednesday as aircraft could be heard flying overhead.

“I saw them shooting from the planes. We don’t dare to go out to the town. The planes are still flying.”

A hotel owner in Mrauk U, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, said his roof had been damaged by bullets fired from the air.

“I have never experienced this before. The business is not good anymore. We cannot expect guests to come because this is happening.”

Arakan Army rebels overran a police base in Rakhine state, killing two officers and one of their wives, the Myanmar government said on Wednesday, as fresh fighting broke out in a historic Buddhist temple town popular with tourists.

Arakan Army rebels overran a police base in Rakhine state, killing two officers and one of their wives, the Myanmar government said on Wednesday, as fresh fighting broke out in a historic Buddhist temple town popular with tourists. The Information Ministry said around 200 insurgents stormed a police headquarters in Mrauk U before being repelled, but that they abducted four women and three children as they left. “According to information from the Myanmar police force, the AA (committed an act of) terrorism by attacking a family dormitory and taking unrelated family members like wives and children,” the ministry said in a post on its website. Arakan Army spokesman Khine Thu Kha said rebels had attacked a police outpost in Mrauk U - where clashes in March wounded six people - but denied they had killed or abducted any civilians. He denied the site had any dormitory, saying rather that heavy weapons were stored there. “They were shooting from that camp and so it affected the people. So the Rakhine army cleared that. There were many casualties on the Myanmar military side.” Rakhine came to global attention in 2017 when the Myanmar army drove about 730,000 ethnic Rohingya Muslims from the state across the border into neighbouring Bangladesh, following attacks by Rohingya insurgents on police posts. More recently, the military has been battling another armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, which draws recruits mostly from the ethnic Rakhine population, who are mainly Buddhists, and is fighting for greater autonomy for the western state. Government warplanes began strikes on Mrauk U late on Tuesday night, according to two residents, who said a one-year-old child was hospitalised. “I don’t know whether they are fighting with AA or not,” a local monk, Myo Oo Khaung Sayataw, said on Wednesday as aircraft could be heard flying overhead. “I saw them shooting from the planes. We don’t dare to go out to the town. The planes are still flying.” A hotel owner in Mrauk U, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, said his roof had been damaged by bullets fired from the air. “I have never experienced this before. The business is not good anymore. We cannot expect guests to come because this is happening.”

Myanmar rebels storm police base in Rakhine state amid fresh clashes in temple town

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-fears-lingering-rohingya-crisis-may-trigger-radicalism-196630">Bangladesh </a>on Tuesday said it had sought help from the United States in pressuring the government of Myanmar into offering safeguards for the return of the thousands of Rohingya refugees who have fled the country since Aug. 2017.

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen sought assistance from the US during a meeting on Monday with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington, the government of Bangladesh said in a statement released on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Momen discussed the importance of the "repatriation of the Rohingyas and creation of credible international pressure on Myanmar in that respect," the statement said.

According to the statement, Pompeo reiterated that the US "would stand beside Bangladesh (both politically and financially) in finding a permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis."

"It is the responsibility of the Myanmar government and military to create a conducive environment so that the Rohingyas feel safe to return home," he added.

Momen told Pompeo about Dhaka's plans to transfer a group of Rohingyas to the uninhabited Bhashanchar island in the Bay of Bengal, which has been prepared to host 100,000 refugees from the overcrowded camps in the Cox's Bazar district in southeastern Bangladesh.

More than 738,000 Rohingya refugees had arrived in the camps since the beginning of the crisis on Aug. 25, 2017, following a wave of violence and persecution against the minority group that has been described by the United Nations as attempted ethnic cleansing.

Most of the refugees of the majority-Muslim community live in harsh conditions in the Kutupalong camp – located close to the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar – which has become the biggest refugee camp in the world.

Although Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an agreement on Nov. 23, 2017, to begin returning Rohingyas, until now the repatriation attempts have failed due to the lack of conditions necessary for a safe and voluntary return of the refugees.

Organizations working to protect civil rights of the Rohingyas informed last week that 20 civilians were killed and 50 were injured in an airstrike carried out by the armed forces in the state of Rakhine (western Myanmar).

Bangladesh on Tuesday said it had sought help from the United States in pressuring the government of Myanmar into offering safeguards for the return of the thousands of Rohingya refugees who have fled the country since Aug.

Bangladesh on Tuesday said it had sought help from the United States in pressuring the government of Myanmar into offering safeguards for the return of the thousands of Rohingya refugees who have fled the country since Aug. 2017. Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen sought assistance from the US during a meeting on Monday with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington, the government of Bangladesh said in a statement released on Tuesday. During the meeting, Momen discussed the importance of the "repatriation of the Rohingyas and creation of credible international pressure on Myanmar in that respect," the statement said. According to the statement, Pompeo reiterated that the US "would stand beside Bangladesh (both politically and financially) in finding a permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis." "It is the responsibility of the Myanmar government and military to create a conducive environment so that the Rohingyas feel safe to return home," he added. Momen told Pompeo about Dhaka's plans to transfer a group of Rohingyas to the uninhabited Bhashanchar island in the Bay of Bengal, which has been prepared to host 100,000 refugees from the overcrowded camps in the Cox's Bazar district in southeastern Bangladesh. More than 738,000 Rohingya refugees had arrived in the camps since the beginning of the crisis on Aug. 25, 2017, following a wave of violence and persecution against the minority group that has been described by the United Nations as attempted ethnic cleansing. Most of the refugees of the majority-Muslim community live in harsh conditions in the Kutupalong camp – located close to the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar – which has become the biggest refugee camp in the world. Although Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an agreement on Nov. 23, 2017, to begin returning Rohingyas, until now the repatriation attempts have failed due to the lack of conditions necessary for a safe and voluntary return of the refugees. Organizations working to protect civil rights of the Rohingyas informed last week that 20 civilians were killed and 50 were injured in an airstrike carried out by the armed forces in the state of Rakhine (western Myanmar).

Bangladesh seeks US help for Rohingyas' return to Myanmar

Forty-one <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-stops-115-rohingya-seeking-to-reach-malaysia-208264&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiszsyzqsDhAhUU73MBHcBwCBoQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0GW3JdUELvJKudTv8DMoK6">Rohingya </a>were found on a Malaysian beach Monday, police said, the second group of the Muslim minority to arrive in the country within weeks, stoking fears of a looming exodus.

Many Rohingya have been seeking in recent weeks to leave by sea from<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/joint-india-myanmar-operation-target-rohingya-insurgent-group-and-naga-terror-group-203499&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiszsyzqsDhAhUU73MBHcBwCBoQFggOMAM&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1eyET3M-kRgCaJ2zcp_EOa"> Bangladesh</a>, where they live in squalid refugee camps after fleeing their mostly Buddhist homeland Myanmar before the monsoon season starts in earnest.

Security forces have prevented hundreds from departing for Malaysia with people smugglers on fishing boats. But last month 34 Rohingya arrived in the northern Malaysian state of Perlis, the first group believed to have landed in the country in almost year.

The latest batch, which consisted entirely of men, were found Monday on the same beach as the previous boatload, local police chief<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/dozens-of-rohingya-found-on-malaysian-beach-officials-200586&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi16NDLqsDhAhVN7HMBHaWkBJkQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1w1ZjsfcVR1rMZu8717lNP"> Noor Mushar Mohamad</a> told AFP.

"This is definitely the work of human smuggling syndicates working with local syndicates," he said.

"I fear there could be more Rohingya arrivals unless maritime enforcement agencies step up patrols urgently."

Noor Mushar said initial investigations indicated they could have travelled in a large boat before being transferred to smaller craft by local criminal gangs and ferried ashore. They have been handed over to immigration authorities, he said.

It was not clear whether they had departed from Bangladesh or Myanmar, or when they had arrived.&nbsp;

About 740,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar for Bangladesh following a brutal military clampdown in their home country in August 2017, joining hundreds of thousands already living in crowded camps.

The traditional route to Malaysia is by boat from Myanmar or Bangladesh. Refugees arrive either in Thailand and head overland to Malaysia or arrive directly in Malaysia.

But arrivals have fallen markedly since 2015 when Thailand launched a crackdown, which disrupted the lucrative trade and led to smugglers abandoning huge numbers of refugees at sea.

Relatively affluent, Muslim-majority Malaysia has long been a favourite destination for Rohingya, where they are a source of labour in low-paying industries such as agriculture and construction.

Forty-one Rohingya were found on a Malaysian beach Monday, police said, the second group of the Muslim minority to arrive in the country within weeks, stoking fears of a looming exodus.

Forty-one Rohingya were found on a Malaysian beach Monday, police said, the second group of the Muslim minority to arrive in the country within weeks, stoking fears of a looming exodus. Many Rohingya have been seeking in recent weeks to leave by sea from Bangladesh, where they live in squalid refugee camps after fleeing their mostly Buddhist homeland Myanmar before the monsoon season starts in earnest. Security forces have prevented hundreds from departing for Malaysia with people smugglers on fishing boats. But last month 34 Rohingya arrived in the northern Malaysian state of Perlis, the first group believed to have landed in the country in almost year. The latest batch, which consisted entirely of men, were found Monday on the same beach as the previous boatload, local police chief Noor Mushar Mohamad told AFP. "This is definitely the work of human smuggling syndicates working with local syndicates," he said. "I fear there could be more Rohingya arrivals unless maritime enforcement agencies step up patrols urgently." Noor Mushar said initial investigations indicated they could have travelled in a large boat before being transferred to smaller craft by local criminal gangs and ferried ashore. They have been handed over to immigration authorities, he said. It was not clear whether they had departed from Bangladesh or Myanmar, or when they had arrived. About 740,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar for Bangladesh following a brutal military clampdown in their home country in August 2017, joining hundreds of thousands already living in crowded camps. The traditional route to Malaysia is by boat from Myanmar or Bangladesh. Refugees arrive either in Thailand and head overland to Malaysia or arrive directly in Malaysia. But arrivals have fallen markedly since 2015 when Thailand launched a crackdown, which disrupted the lucrative trade and led to smugglers abandoning huge numbers of refugees at sea. Relatively affluent, Muslim-majority Malaysia has long been a favourite destination for Rohingya, where they are a source of labour in low-paying industries such as agriculture and construction.

Second group of Rohingya arrive in Malaysia within weeks

Bangladesh on Sunday deployed heavily-armed border guards to an island near its southern border with Myanmar for the first time in 20 years, officials said.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) distributed images showing dozens of troops carrying assault rifles disembarking at Saint Martin's island, a small island in the Bay of Bengal that has caused diplomatic tensions between the neighbours.

The BGB said the troop deployment was part of "regular activities" to ensure border protection and curb drug trafficking.

But the force's lieutenant colonel, Sarker Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman, told AFP it was the first time since 1997 their men had landed there.

"After more than 20 years we felt we should deploy," he said.

The deployment comes just two months after Bangladesh's foreign ministry summoned Myanmar's ambassador in Dhaka to protest the inclusion of Saint Martin inside their territory in some maps printed inside the Southeast Asian country.

He was also summoned in October last year after a Myanmar government website depicted the island as within Myanmar's territory.

Ties between the neighbours have soured since the Myanmar military launched a crackdown on the Rohingya minority in Rakhine, a troubled western state bordering Bangladesh.

The brutal operation has forced some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh since August 2017, transforming parts near the border into the world's largest refugee camp.

Muslim-majority Bangladesh has accused Myanmar of perpetrating genocide against the Rohingya, who share some cultural and linguistic similarities with Bangladeshis in the country's southeast.

Bangladesh on Sunday deployed heavily-armed border guards to an island near its southern border with Myanmar for the first time in 20 years, officials said. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) distributed images showing dozens of troops carrying assault rifles disembarking at Saint Martin's island, a small island in the Bay of Bengal that has caused diplomatic tensions between the neighbours.

Bangladesh on Sunday deployed heavily-armed border guards to an island near its southern border with Myanmar for the first time in 20 years, officials said. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) distributed images showing dozens of troops carrying assault rifles disembarking at Saint Martin's island, a small island in the Bay of Bengal that has caused diplomatic tensions between the neighbours. The BGB said the troop deployment was part of "regular activities" to ensure border protection and curb drug trafficking. But the force's lieutenant colonel, Sarker Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman, told AFP it was the first time since 1997 their men had landed there. "After more than 20 years we felt we should deploy," he said. The deployment comes just two months after Bangladesh's foreign ministry summoned Myanmar's ambassador in Dhaka to protest the inclusion of Saint Martin inside their territory in some maps printed inside the Southeast Asian country. He was also summoned in October last year after a Myanmar government website depicted the island as within Myanmar's territory. Ties between the neighbours have soured since the Myanmar military launched a crackdown on the Rohingya minority in Rakhine, a troubled western state bordering Bangladesh. The brutal operation has forced some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh since August 2017, transforming parts near the border into the world's largest refugee camp. Muslim-majority Bangladesh has accused Myanmar of perpetrating genocide against the Rohingya, who share some cultural and linguistic similarities with Bangladeshis in the country's southeast.

Bangladesh deploys border guards to island near Myanmar

Villagers and a lawmaker in Myanmar’s troubled Rakhine state said on Thursday that a military helicopter attacked a group of Rohingya Muslims gathering bamboo, killing five and wounding 13, but a military spokesman declined to comment.

Major-General Tun Tun Nyi said the army would release "true news" about the alleged incident in time.

Myanmar's western Rakhine state came to global attention in 2017, when the army drove about 730,000 ethnic Rohingya across the border into Bangladesh following attacks by Rohingya insurgents on police posts.

The United Nations has accused the army of cracking down on the Muslim minority with "genocidal intent".

More recently, the military has been fighting another armed group, the Arakan Army, which recruits mostly from the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population.

The latest incident occurred in a valley in Buthidaung township, near a village that was home to Rohingya Muslim families.

"A military airstrike killed five people, including one of our villagers, at around 4 pm yesterday," Zaw Kir Ahmed, a community leader from Kin Taung village told Reuters by telephone.

"People in the village don’t dare to go out and are frightened," he added.

Many villages around Buthidaung were razed during the 2017 campaign against Rohingya, though the village that was home to the casualties from Wednesday's attack was spared at that time.

Myanmar’s leaders have vowed to crush all the rebels fighting for autonomy in Rakhine State, an area long scarred by complex ethnic divisions, and authorities have blocked most aid agencies' access to the area, raising fears of more civilian suffering.

Stephan Sakalian, head of delegation in Myanmar at the International Committee of the Red Cross, said teams from the organization had visited Buthidaung Hospital where 13 people were being treated for wounds, some of them in "urgent need of surgery".

"ICRC and Myanmar Red Cross teams are following the situation very closely and offered our services in case of need, including medical supplies or transfer to the Sittwe hospital, as we did two weeks ago with 5 wounded civilians," he said.

Rashid Ahmed, a labourer who spoke by telephone to Reuters, said his elder brother, uncle and nephew had been shot while they were working at Sai Din valley.

"A helicopter attacked them while they were working there, cutting and collecting bamboo," he said. Two other villagers said a helicopter had attacked the group.

Some of the wounded were brought to Buthidaung town, but several died before they reached the hospital, said Maung Kyaw Zan, a lawmaker for the township, adding that five bodies had been recovered.

"When I talked to the wounded people they said the shooting came from the air, there were no clashes on the ground," the lawmaker said.

More than 17,000 people have been displaced by the violence in Rakhine since December, the US&nbsp;embassy said in a statement on Tuesday that urged authorities to allow humanitarian relief for those affected.

"The United States is deeply concerned about the harm to civilians of the ongoing conflict in Rakhine and Chin States between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military," it said.

"We call on all parties to renew their efforts to end the fighting and work toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict."

Villagers and a lawmaker in Myanmar’s troubled Rakhine state said on Thursday that a military helicopter attacked a group of Rohingya Muslims gathering bamboo, killing five and wounding 13, but a military spokesman declined to comment.

Villagers and a lawmaker in Myanmar’s troubled Rakhine state said on Thursday that a military helicopter attacked a group of Rohingya Muslims gathering bamboo, killing five and wounding 13, but a military spokesman declined to comment. Major-General Tun Tun Nyi said the army would release "true news" about the alleged incident in time. Myanmar's western Rakhine state came to global attention in 2017, when the army drove about 730,000 ethnic Rohingya across the border into Bangladesh following attacks by Rohingya insurgents on police posts. The United Nations has accused the army of cracking down on the Muslim minority with "genocidal intent". More recently, the military has been fighting another armed group, the Arakan Army, which recruits mostly from the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population. The latest incident occurred in a valley in Buthidaung township, near a village that was home to Rohingya Muslim families. "A military airstrike killed five people, including one of our villagers, at around 4 pm yesterday," Zaw Kir Ahmed, a community leader from Kin Taung village told Reuters by telephone. "People in the village don’t dare to go out and are frightened," he added. Many villages around Buthidaung were razed during the 2017 campaign against Rohingya, though the village that was home to the casualties from Wednesday's attack was spared at that time. Myanmar’s leaders have vowed to crush all the rebels fighting for autonomy in Rakhine State, an area long scarred by complex ethnic divisions, and authorities have blocked most aid agencies' access to the area, raising fears of more civilian suffering. Stephan Sakalian, head of delegation in Myanmar at the International Committee of the Red Cross, said teams from the organization had visited Buthidaung Hospital where 13 people were being treated for wounds, some of them in "urgent need of surgery". "ICRC and Myanmar Red Cross teams are following the situation very closely and offered our services in case of need, including medical supplies or transfer to the Sittwe hospital, as we did two weeks ago with 5 wounded civilians," he said. Rashid Ahmed, a labourer who spoke by telephone to Reuters, said his elder brother, uncle and nephew had been shot while they were working at Sai Din valley. "A helicopter attacked them while they were working there, cutting and collecting bamboo," he said. Two other villagers said a helicopter had attacked the group. Some of the wounded were brought to Buthidaung town, but several died before they reached the hospital, said Maung Kyaw Zan, a lawmaker for the township, adding that five bodies had been recovered. "When I talked to the wounded people they said the shooting came from the air, there were no clashes on the ground," the lawmaker said. More than 17,000 people have been displaced by the violence in Rakhine since December, the US embassy said in a statement on Tuesday that urged authorities to allow humanitarian relief for those affected. "The United States is deeply concerned about the harm to civilians of the ongoing conflict in Rakhine and Chin States between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military," it said. "We call on all parties to renew their efforts to end the fighting and work toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict."

Myanmar villagers, lawmaker say 'helicopter attack' kills five Rohingya, wounds 13

Myanmar's Supreme Court heard the appeal on Tuesday of two Reuters journalists imprisoned for breaking a colonial-era official secrets law, in a case that has raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy.

Reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have spent more than 15 months in detention since they were arrested in December 2017, while investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslim civilians involving Myanmar soldiers.

Law officer Ko Ko Maung, representing the government, said they had been found in possession of secret documents that could have harmed national security.

Outlining their grounds of appeal, the reporters' lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw, cited lack of proof of a crime and evidence that the pair were set up by police. A policeman had told a lower court last year that officers had planted secret documents on the two reporters.

A district court judge in Yangon found the two journalists guilty under the Official Secrets Act last September and sentenced them to seven years in prison. The Yangon High Court rejected an earlier appeal in January.

Both remain separated from their young daughters. The wife of 32-year-old Wa Lone gave birth to their first child last year while Wa Lone was behind bars. Kyaw Soe Oo celebrated his 29th birthday in Yangon's Insein jail this month.

The journalists were not present at Tuesday's hearing, but their families had travelled to the capital Naypyitaw, about 370 km (230 miles) north of Yangon, to attend.

The reporters' convictions were heavily criticized by press freedom advocates and Western diplomats, putting additional pressure on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel laureate who took power in 2016 amid a transition from military rule.

Myanmar's Supreme Court heard the appeal on Tuesday of two Reuters journalists imprisoned for breaking a colonial-era official secrets law, in a case that has raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy.

Myanmar's Supreme Court heard the appeal on Tuesday of two Reuters journalists imprisoned for breaking a colonial-era official secrets law, in a case that has raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy. Reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have spent more than 15 months in detention since they were arrested in December 2017, while investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslim civilians involving Myanmar soldiers. Law officer Ko Ko Maung, representing the government, said they had been found in possession of secret documents that could have harmed national security. Outlining their grounds of appeal, the reporters' lawyer, Khin Maung Zaw, cited lack of proof of a crime and evidence that the pair were set up by police. A policeman had told a lower court last year that officers had planted secret documents on the two reporters. A district court judge in Yangon found the two journalists guilty under the Official Secrets Act last September and sentenced them to seven years in prison. The Yangon High Court rejected an earlier appeal in January. Both remain separated from their young daughters. The wife of 32-year-old Wa Lone gave birth to their first child last year while Wa Lone was behind bars. Kyaw Soe Oo celebrated his 29th birthday in Yangon's Insein jail this month. The journalists were not present at Tuesday's hearing, but their families had travelled to the capital Naypyitaw, about 370 km (230 miles) north of Yangon, to attend. The reporters' convictions were heavily criticized by press freedom advocates and Western diplomats, putting additional pressure on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel laureate who took power in 2016 amid a transition from military rule.

Myanmar's top court hears Reuters reporters' appeal in official secrets case

Myanmar's Supreme Court on Tuesday was scheduled to hear the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-reuters-journalists-lose-appeal-against-7-year-sentence-189568">appeal of two Reuters journalists</a> Wa Lone, 32 and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28.

The two reporters were arrested in December 2017, while investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslim civilians involving Myanmar soldiers.

Last year in September, a judge found them guilty under the Official Secrets Act and sentenced them to seven years in prison.

They were convicted for breaking a colonial-era official secrets law, in a case that has raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy.

Myanmar's high court in Yangon rejected an earlier appeal in January.

Their convictions were heavily criticised by press freedom advocates and Western diplomats, putting additional pressure on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Myanmar's Supreme Court on Tuesday was scheduled to hear the appeal of two Reuters journalists Wa Lone, 32 and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28. The two reporters were arrested in December 2017, while investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslim civilians involving Myanmar soldiers.

Myanmar's Supreme Court on Tuesday was scheduled to hear the appeal of two Reuters journalists Wa Lone, 32 and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28. The two reporters were arrested in December 2017, while investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslim civilians involving Myanmar soldiers. Last year in September, a judge found them guilty under the Official Secrets Act and sentenced them to seven years in prison. They were convicted for breaking a colonial-era official secrets law, in a case that has raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy. Myanmar's high court in Yangon rejected an earlier appeal in January. Their convictions were heavily criticised by press freedom advocates and Western diplomats, putting additional pressure on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. (With inputs from Reuters)

Myanmar's Supreme Court to hear jailed Reuters reporters' appeal

Myanmar's Supreme Court was scheduled on Tuesday to hear the appeal of two Reuters journalists imprisoned for breaking a colonial-era official secrets law, in a case that has raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy.

Reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have spent more than 15 months in detention since they were arrested in December 2017, while investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslim civilians involving Myanmar soldiers.

A judge found the two guilty under the Official Secrets Act last September and sentenced them to seven years in prison.

Both remain separated from their young daughters. The wife of 32-year-old Wa Lone gave birth to their first child last year while Wa Lone was behind bars. Kyaw Soe Oo celebrated his 29th birthday in Yangon's Insein jail this month.

Their convictions were heavily criticised by press freedom advocates and Western diplomats, putting additional pressure on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel laureate who took power in 2016 amid a transition from military rule.

Suu Kyi said in September, the week after their conviction, that the reporters' case had nothing to do with press freedom as the men had been jailed for handling official secrets, not because they were journalists.

At the Supreme Court in the capital Naypyitaw on Tuesday, a judge will hear arguments for and against their appeal, alongside 17 other cases, according to a listing published on the court's website.

"Myanmar's Supreme Court has the opportunity to correct the serious miscarriage of justice inflicted on Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo for the last 15 months," Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler said in a statement.

"They are honest, admirable journalists who did not break the law, and they should be freed as a matter of urgency."

The appeal, submitted last month, cited lack of proof of a crime and evidence that the pair were set up by police.

During eight months of hearings, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo testified that two policemen they had not met before handed them papers rolled up in a newspaper during a meeting at a Yangon restaurant on December 12. Almost immediately afterwards, they said, they were bundled into a car by plainclothes officers.

A police captain testified that, prior to the restaurant meeting, a senior officer had ordered subordinates to plant documents on Wa Lone to "trap" the reporter.

The prosecution said the reporters were caught holding secret documents at a routine traffic stop.

The high court in Myanmar's largest city Yangon rejected an earlier appeal in January.

Before their arrest, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in western Myanmar's Rakhine State during an army crackdown that began in August 2017.

The operation sent more than 730,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh, according to United Nations estimates.

Myanmar's Supreme Court was scheduled on Tuesday to hear the appeal of two Reuters journalists imprisoned for breaking a colonial-era official secrets law, in a case that has raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy.

Myanmar's Supreme Court was scheduled on Tuesday to hear the appeal of two Reuters journalists imprisoned for breaking a colonial-era official secrets law, in a case that has raised questions about Myanmar's progress towards democracy. Reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have spent more than 15 months in detention since they were arrested in December 2017, while investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslim civilians involving Myanmar soldiers. A judge found the two guilty under the Official Secrets Act last September and sentenced them to seven years in prison. Both remain separated from their young daughters. The wife of 32-year-old Wa Lone gave birth to their first child last year while Wa Lone was behind bars. Kyaw Soe Oo celebrated his 29th birthday in Yangon's Insein jail this month. Their convictions were heavily criticised by press freedom advocates and Western diplomats, putting additional pressure on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel laureate who took power in 2016 amid a transition from military rule. Suu Kyi said in September, the week after their conviction, that the reporters' case had nothing to do with press freedom as the men had been jailed for handling official secrets, not because they were journalists. At the Supreme Court in the capital Naypyitaw on Tuesday, a judge will hear arguments for and against their appeal, alongside 17 other cases, according to a listing published on the court's website. "Myanmar's Supreme Court has the opportunity to correct the serious miscarriage of justice inflicted on Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo for the last 15 months," Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen J. Adler said in a statement. "They are honest, admirable journalists who did not break the law, and they should be freed as a matter of urgency." The appeal, submitted last month, cited lack of proof of a crime and evidence that the pair were set up by police. During eight months of hearings, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo testified that two policemen they had not met before handed them papers rolled up in a newspaper during a meeting at a Yangon restaurant on December 12. Almost immediately afterwards, they said, they were bundled into a car by plainclothes officers. A police captain testified that, prior to the restaurant meeting, a senior officer had ordered subordinates to plant documents on Wa Lone to "trap" the reporter. The prosecution said the reporters were caught holding secret documents at a routine traffic stop. The high court in Myanmar's largest city Yangon rejected an earlier appeal in January. Before their arrest, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and Buddhist civilians in western Myanmar's Rakhine State during an army crackdown that began in August 2017. The operation sent more than 730,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh, according to United Nations estimates.

Myanmar's top court to hear Reuters reporters' appeal in official secrets case

An official at the UN refugee agency UNHCR met with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-to-move-rohingya-to-island-next-month-minister-203255">Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh</a> and on Thursday said they were "grateful" to their host country but longed to return to "normalcy and dignity" to Myanmar.

During his five-day visit, Volker Turk, UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, met with many Rohingya in the Kutupalong refugee settlement - the world's largest - and discussed how they see their futures evolve.

He also met with the government officials in Bangladesh to review the challenges they are facing and discussed finding solutions to the development of conditions for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of refugees to Myanmar.

Rohingya regard themselves as native to western Myanmar's Rakhine State but Myanmar authorities and many citizens regard them as illegal immigrants from the Indian subcontinent.

Many are stateless as a 1982 law restricts citizenship for the Rohingya and other minorities not considered members of one of Myanmar's "national races".

The Myanmar government refuses even to use the word "Rohingya", as that would imply a distinct identity, instead of calling them "Bengali".

A crackdown on the Rohingya in 2017 forced more than 730,000 to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh.

Myanmar forces launched their offensive in Rakhine State in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts near the Bangladesh border.

A UN fact-finding mission last year said the military campaign was orchestrated with "genocidal intent".

Myanmar is facing growing international calls for accountability over the Rakhine campaign but continues to deny accusations of murder, rape and other abuses by its forces.

Though Myanmar says it is ready to welcome back the refugees, northern Rakhine state, from where they fled, is still riven by ethnic tensions and violence, and the UN has said conditions are not right for them to return.

Rohingya refugees say they will not return without guarantees of basic rights, including citizenship and freedom of movement.

An official at the UN refugee agency UNHCR met with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and on Thursday said they were "grateful" to their host country but longed to return to "normalcy and dignity" to Myanmar.

An official at the UN refugee agency UNHCR met with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and on Thursday said they were "grateful" to their host country but longed to return to "normalcy and dignity" to Myanmar. During his five-day visit, Volker Turk, UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, met with many Rohingya in the Kutupalong refugee settlement - the world's largest - and discussed how they see their futures evolve. He also met with the government officials in Bangladesh to review the challenges they are facing and discussed finding solutions to the development of conditions for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of refugees to Myanmar. Rohingya regard themselves as native to western Myanmar's Rakhine State but Myanmar authorities and many citizens regard them as illegal immigrants from the Indian subcontinent. Many are stateless as a 1982 law restricts citizenship for the Rohingya and other minorities not considered members of one of Myanmar's "national races". The Myanmar government refuses even to use the word "Rohingya", as that would imply a distinct identity, instead of calling them "Bengali". A crackdown on the Rohingya in 2017 forced more than 730,000 to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh. Myanmar forces launched their offensive in Rakhine State in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts near the Bangladesh border. A UN fact-finding mission last year said the military campaign was orchestrated with "genocidal intent". Myanmar is facing growing international calls for accountability over the Rakhine campaign but continues to deny accusations of murder, rape and other abuses by its forces. Though Myanmar says it is ready to welcome back the refugees, northern Rakhine state, from where they fled, is still riven by ethnic tensions and violence, and the UN has said conditions are not right for them to return. Rohingya refugees say they will not return without guarantees of basic rights, including citizenship and freedom of movement.

Grateful to host Bangladesh, but Rohingya refugees belong to Myanmar: UNHCR

Senators have called for the United States to slap sanctions on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/video-know-the-myanmar-army-chief-min-aung-hlaing-whom-un-blames-for-rohingya-genocide-161862">Myanmar's army chief</a>, saying more needed to be done to bring accountability over the campaign against the Rohingya.

In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the four senators Wednesday said Myanmar has shown "no credible signs of progress" despite widespread international condemnation of the killings and sexual violence against members of the mostly Muslim minority.

Senators including Dick Durbin, the number-two Democrat, said that sanctions against Myanmar's army chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, as well as other top officers would demonstrate "US intolerance for behaviour that contravenes fundamental human rights."&nbsp;

"The Trump administration has taken no action against these senior officials even though sanctions designations would send a strong message that the United States supports accountability for those perpetrating well-documented human rights abuses against the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities," wrote the group that also included Republican Senator Todd Young of Indiana, which has become a hub for refugees from Myanmar.

The Treasury Department in August imposed sanctions on four commanders accused of orchestrating massacres, but the senators said the move was insufficient.

They urged sanctions against Min Aung Hlaing under the Magnitsky Act, a US law named after a Russian accountant who died in prison that lays out the seizure of assets and a US travel ban for foreign officials who violate human rights.

Around 740,000 Rohingya fled into neighbouring Bangladesh in 2017 in a military campaign that the UN called ethnic cleansing.

In a rare foreign media interview last month, Min Aung Hlaing told Japan's Asahi Shimbun that there was "no certain proof" the army had persecuted the Rohingya.

The military shares power with a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, a former heroine in the West when she was under house arrest who has been widely condemned for not speaking up on behalf of the Rohingya.

Senators have called for the United States to slap sanctions on Myanmar's army chief, saying more needed to be done to bring accountability over the campaign against the Rohingya.

Senators have called for the United States to slap sanctions on Myanmar's army chief, saying more needed to be done to bring accountability over the campaign against the Rohingya. In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the four senators Wednesday said Myanmar has shown "no credible signs of progress" despite widespread international condemnation of the killings and sexual violence against members of the mostly Muslim minority. Senators including Dick Durbin, the number-two Democrat, said that sanctions against Myanmar's army chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, as well as other top officers would demonstrate "US intolerance for behaviour that contravenes fundamental human rights." "The Trump administration has taken no action against these senior officials even though sanctions designations would send a strong message that the United States supports accountability for those perpetrating well-documented human rights abuses against the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities," wrote the group that also included Republican Senator Todd Young of Indiana, which has become a hub for refugees from Myanmar. The Treasury Department in August imposed sanctions on four commanders accused of orchestrating massacres, but the senators said the move was insufficient. They urged sanctions against Min Aung Hlaing under the Magnitsky Act, a US law named after a Russian accountant who died in prison that lays out the seizure of assets and a US travel ban for foreign officials who violate human rights. Around 740,000 Rohingya fled into neighbouring Bangladesh in 2017 in a military campaign that the UN called ethnic cleansing. In a rare foreign media interview last month, Min Aung Hlaing told Japan's Asahi Shimbun that there was "no certain proof" the army had persecuted the Rohingya. The military shares power with a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, a former heroine in the West when she was under house arrest who has been widely condemned for not speaking up on behalf of the Rohingya.

Senators ask US to sanction Myanmar army chief

Fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic Rakhine insurgents has now reached the ancient temples of Mrauk U, the former capital of the Rakhine kingdom and a popular tourist site, local residents said Monday.

Rakhine state in Myanmar's west is riven with ethnic and religious divisions.

It came under the global spotlight after the bloody 2017 army crackdown that forced some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh.

But now the army is waging war against the Arakan Army (AA), an insurgent group fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, a population that also stands accused of aiding the military in their expulsion of the Rohingya.

Several thousand people have been displaced by the spreading violence which has neared the state capital Sittwe and has now engulfed the town of Mrauk U.

"We've been hearing gunshots and heavy artillery fire since about 7:30 pm," local historian Khin Than told AFP by phone on Monday evening, adding that she saw soldiers shooting from about 10 vehicles as they drove around town.

"We dare not go outside and are hiding in our homes," she said. "We do not want our ancient treasures destroyed in the fighting." Among the most vulnerable are some 600,000 Rohingya who remain in Rakhine without citizenship, restricted to either camps or their villages.

Fighting over the weekend raged around the town of Kyauktaw, wounding three Rohingya, including two teenagers.

"We are stuck in the middle," one Rohingya man told AFP, preferring not to give his name.

"Our injured villagers cannot go anywhere for treatment because of the situation. We can't do anything," he said.

The military ramped up operations against the AA after the armed rebels launched a brazen attack on police posts in early January that killed 13 officers.

The area is in strict lockdown and information is difficult to verify independently.

On Saturday, AA insurgents ambushed a cargo ship on the Kaladan river, temporarily abducting the crew and setting the vessel on fire, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar said.

The rebels enjoy widespread support from many ethnic Rakhine, who have felt marginalised for decades in one of the country's poorest states.

The group has expanded its ranks since its formation in 2009 and is now believed to have several thousand recruits.

It is feared the expected verdict on Tuesday in the trial of a popular Rakhine politician for alleged treason could be a further flashpoint in Sittwe.

Fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic Rakhine insurgents has now reached the ancient temples of Mrauk U, the former capital of the Rakhine kingdom and a popular tourist site, local residents said Monday.

Fighting between Myanmar's military and ethnic Rakhine insurgents has now reached the ancient temples of Mrauk U, the former capital of the Rakhine kingdom and a popular tourist site, local residents said Monday. Rakhine state in Myanmar's west is riven with ethnic and religious divisions. It came under the global spotlight after the bloody 2017 army crackdown that forced some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh. But now the army is waging war against the Arakan Army (AA), an insurgent group fighting for more autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, a population that also stands accused of aiding the military in their expulsion of the Rohingya. Several thousand people have been displaced by the spreading violence which has neared the state capital Sittwe and has now engulfed the town of Mrauk U. "We've been hearing gunshots and heavy artillery fire since about 7:30 pm," local historian Khin Than told AFP by phone on Monday evening, adding that she saw soldiers shooting from about 10 vehicles as they drove around town. "We dare not go outside and are hiding in our homes," she said. "We do not want our ancient treasures destroyed in the fighting." Among the most vulnerable are some 600,000 Rohingya who remain in Rakhine without citizenship, restricted to either camps or their villages. Fighting over the weekend raged around the town of Kyauktaw, wounding three Rohingya, including two teenagers. "We are stuck in the middle," one Rohingya man told AFP, preferring not to give his name. "Our injured villagers cannot go anywhere for treatment because of the situation. We can't do anything," he said. The military ramped up operations against the AA after the armed rebels launched a brazen attack on police posts in early January that killed 13 officers. The area is in strict lockdown and information is difficult to verify independently. On Saturday, AA insurgents ambushed a cargo ship on the Kaladan river, temporarily abducting the crew and setting the vessel on fire, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar said. The rebels enjoy widespread support from many ethnic Rakhine, who have felt marginalised for decades in one of the country's poorest states. The group has expanded its ranks since its formation in 2009 and is now believed to have several thousand recruits. It is feared the expected verdict on Tuesday in the trial of a popular Rakhine politician for alleged treason could be a further flashpoint in Sittwe.

Myanmar military fights rebels among ancient Rakhine temples

A Myanmar court on Tuesday sentenced a prominent ethnic Rakhine leader to 20 years in jail for treason, a verdict likely to intensify anger amid fighting between the ethnic group and the army.

Security forces tried to calm hundreds of supporters outside the court in Rakhine state capital Sittwe as Aye Maung was escorted to a waiting police van following the verdict.

Aye Maung, the former chairman of the Arakan National Party -- which is renowned for hardline views against the Rohingya Muslim minority -- was sentenced for treason and defamation over an allegedly inflammatory speech in January 2018, a day before deadly riots.

State-backed media at the time said he railed against the central government for treating the ethnic Rakhine as "slaves" and said it was the "right time" for the community to launch an armed struggle.

The following evening, Rakhine protesters briefly seized a government building and police opened fire, killing seven people.

Aye Maung and a fellow detainee -- writer Wai Hin Aung, who also gave a speech at the same rally -- were detained days later.

"Both Dr Aye Maung and writer Wai Hin Aung were sentenced to 20 years each... for the charge of high treason and two years each for defamation of the state," Wai Hin Aung's defence lawyer Aye Nu Sein told AFP.

Myanmar's Rakhine state is cut by violence and hatred.

A brutal military crackdown in 2017 forced some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh.

Yet the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population, some of whom are accused of aiding soldiers in the anti-Rohingya campaign, also feels marginalised by the state.

The lawyer said they were discussing whether to appeal.

Treason can carry the death sentence.

'Oppression and bullying'

Supporters of the pair were enraged by the perceived persecution of two prominent Rakhine figures.

"This is not fair. This is oppression and bullying of ethnic Rakhine people," one woman shouted in front of court, as the protesters spread to the centre of the town.

In recent weeks, the military has waged war on the Arakan Army (AA), an armed group claiming to represent the ethnic Rakhine.

The group launched a brazen attack on police posts in early January that killed 13 officers and killed nine more policemen earlier this month.

The violence has spread to the ancient temple city of Mrauk U, the former capital of the Rakhine kingdom and a popular tourist site -- the same town where Aye Maung gave his controversial speech last year.

Support for the AA has grown with the fighting, even though several thousand Rakhine have been forced from their homes by the violence.

A further 600,000 Rohingya remain in Rakhine without citizenship, restricted to either camps or their villages, many unable to access medical care.

Much of northern Rakhine is in lockdown and information is difficult to verify independently.

A Myanmar court on Tuesday sentenced a prominent ethnic Rakhine leader to 20 years in jail for treason, a verdict likely to intensify anger amid fighting between the ethnic group and the army.

A Myanmar court on Tuesday sentenced a prominent ethnic Rakhine leader to 20 years in jail for treason, a verdict likely to intensify anger amid fighting between the ethnic group and the army. Security forces tried to calm hundreds of supporters outside the court in Rakhine state capital Sittwe as Aye Maung was escorted to a waiting police van following the verdict. Aye Maung, the former chairman of the Arakan National Party -- which is renowned for hardline views against the Rohingya Muslim minority -- was sentenced for treason and defamation over an allegedly inflammatory speech in January 2018, a day before deadly riots. State-backed media at the time said he railed against the central government for treating the ethnic Rakhine as "slaves" and said it was the "right time" for the community to launch an armed struggle. The following evening, Rakhine protesters briefly seized a government building and police opened fire, killing seven people. Aye Maung and a fellow detainee -- writer Wai Hin Aung, who also gave a speech at the same rally -- were detained days later. "Both Dr Aye Maung and writer Wai Hin Aung were sentenced to 20 years each... for the charge of high treason and two years each for defamation of the state," Wai Hin Aung's defence lawyer Aye Nu Sein told AFP. Myanmar's Rakhine state is cut by violence and hatred. A brutal military crackdown in 2017 forced some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh. Yet the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population, some of whom are accused of aiding soldiers in the anti-Rohingya campaign, also feels marginalised by the state. The lawyer said they were discussing whether to appeal. Treason can carry the death sentence. 'Oppression and bullying' Supporters of the pair were enraged by the perceived persecution of two prominent Rakhine figures. "This is not fair. This is oppression and bullying of ethnic Rakhine people," one woman shouted in front of court, as the protesters spread to the centre of the town. In recent weeks, the military has waged war on the Arakan Army (AA), an armed group claiming to represent the ethnic Rakhine. The group launched a brazen attack on police posts in early January that killed 13 officers and killed nine more policemen earlier this month. The violence has spread to the ancient temple city of Mrauk U, the former capital of the Rakhine kingdom and a popular tourist site -- the same town where Aye Maung gave his controversial speech last year. Support for the AA has grown with the fighting, even though several thousand Rakhine have been forced from their homes by the violence. A further 600,000 Rohingya remain in Rakhine without citizenship, restricted to either camps or their villages, many unable to access medical care. Much of northern Rakhine is in lockdown and information is difficult to verify independently.

Myanmar court jails Arakan National Party's former chairman Aye Maung for 20 years for treason

Myanmar's army said on Monday it had set up a military court to investigate its conduct during a crackdown on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-to-move-rohingya-to-island-next-month-minister-203255">Rohingya Muslim minority</a> in 2017 that forced more than 730,000 to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh.

The court comprising a major-general and two colonels will investigate events in western Myanmar's Rakhine state in August 2017, the military said in a statement posted on the website of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the army commander-in-chief.

"The information is released that the investigation court was formed with the following persons to further scrutinize and confirm the respective incidents," the military said.

The court will respond to allegations made by the United Nations and rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch accusing security forces of mass killings, rape and arson.

Myanmar forces launched their offensive in Rakhine State in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts near the Bangladesh border.

A UN fact-finding mission last year said the military campaign was orchestrated with "genocidal intent" and recommended charging Min Aung Hlaing and five other generals with the "gravest crimes under international law".

Myanmar has denied the accusations of murder, rape and other abuses by its forces though Min Aung Hlaing said last month "a number of security men may have been involved".

A previous military investigation in 2017 exonerated the security forces of any crimes.

The new court is "another bad faith manoeuvre" to fend off international pressure, said Nicholas Bequelin, Southeast Asia and Pacific Director of Amnesty International.

"The military stands accused of the gravest crimes under international law and has shown no sign of reform," he said.

"The idea that the Tatmadaw could investigate itself and ensure justice and accountability is both dangerous and delusional," Bequelin added, referring to the army.

The military information unit did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Myanmar is facing growing international calls for accountability over the Rakhine campaign.

The International Criminal Court has opened a preliminary examination into the violence, while a commission of enquiry formed by Myanmar and including Filipino diplomat Rosario Manalo and Kenzo Oshima, Japan's former ambassador to the UN, is due to publish its findings this year.

The creation of the military court was based on assessments and suggestions from the military-appointed Judge Advocate-General, as well the allegations contained in human rights reports, according to the army statement.

Myanmar's army said on Monday it had set up a military court to investigate its conduct during a crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority in 2017 that forced more than 730,000 to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh.

Myanmar's army said on Monday it had set up a military court to investigate its conduct during a crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority in 2017 that forced more than 730,000 to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh. The court comprising a major-general and two colonels will investigate events in western Myanmar's Rakhine state in August 2017, the military said in a statement posted on the website of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the army commander-in-chief. "The information is released that the investigation court was formed with the following persons to further scrutinize and confirm the respective incidents," the military said. The court will respond to allegations made by the United Nations and rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch accusing security forces of mass killings, rape and arson. Myanmar forces launched their offensive in Rakhine State in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts near the Bangladesh border. A UN fact-finding mission last year said the military campaign was orchestrated with "genocidal intent" and recommended charging Min Aung Hlaing and five other generals with the "gravest crimes under international law". Myanmar has denied the accusations of murder, rape and other abuses by its forces though Min Aung Hlaing said last month "a number of security men may have been involved". A previous military investigation in 2017 exonerated the security forces of any crimes. The new court is "another bad faith manoeuvre" to fend off international pressure, said Nicholas Bequelin, Southeast Asia and Pacific Director of Amnesty International. "The military stands accused of the gravest crimes under international law and has shown no sign of reform," he said. "The idea that the Tatmadaw could investigate itself and ensure justice and accountability is both dangerous and delusional," Bequelin added, referring to the army. The military information unit did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Myanmar is facing growing international calls for accountability over the Rakhine campaign. The International Criminal Court has opened a preliminary examination into the violence, while a commission of enquiry formed by Myanmar and including Filipino diplomat Rosario Manalo and Kenzo Oshima, Japan's former ambassador to the UN, is due to publish its findings this year. The creation of the military court was based on assessments and suggestions from the military-appointed Judge Advocate-General, as well the allegations contained in human rights reports, according to the army statement.

Myanmar military court to probe Rohingya atrocity allegations

myanmar

Myanmar, News on Myanmar, stories on Myanmar, articles on Myanmar, Myanmar stories at Wion, Myanmar news, Myanmar latest news