Lawyers defending the suspected conspirators behind the murder of a prominent Muslim lawyer in Myanmar on February 1&nbsp;proclaimed their clients' innocence, or asked the court for lesser charges, as the landmark case drew to a close.

Ko Ni, a close adviser to Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was shot dead at Yangon International Airport just over two years ago. The gunman, Kyi Lin, was apprehended at the scene after being tackled by taxi drivers moments after the shooting. Kyi Lin is also accused of shooting dead one of his pursuers, driver Nay Win.

He has admitted to killing Ko Ni, but says he acted under duress. Two out of three former military officers accused by police of organizing Ko Ni's assassination have pleaded not guilty. The third has evaded capture.

Police have said the three ex-officers acted in isolation. A Reuters report in December uncovered close and enduring links between the security establishment and one of the former military officers on trial, Captain Zeyar Phyo, accused of bankrolling the plot. Zeyar Phyo's lawyer has rejected allegations that her client remained connected to the military.

The brazen murder of 63-year-old Ko Ni, who worked to reform the military-drafted constitution that entrenches its political power, sent shockwaves through the ruling National League for Democracy party and the Muslim community. The judge said the verdict would be announced on Feb. 15.

Lawyers defending the suspected conspirators behind the murder of a prominent Muslim lawyer in Myanmar on February 1 proclaimed their clients' innocence, or asked the court for lesser charges, as the landmark case drew to a close.

Lawyers defending the suspected conspirators behind the murder of a prominent Muslim lawyer in Myanmar on February 1 proclaimed their clients' innocence, or asked the court for lesser charges, as the landmark case drew to a close. Ko Ni, a close adviser to Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was shot dead at Yangon International Airport just over two years ago. The gunman, Kyi Lin, was apprehended at the scene after being tackled by taxi drivers moments after the shooting. Kyi Lin is also accused of shooting dead one of his pursuers, driver Nay Win. He has admitted to killing Ko Ni, but says he acted under duress. Two out of three former military officers accused by police of organizing Ko Ni's assassination have pleaded not guilty. The third has evaded capture. Police have said the three ex-officers acted in isolation. A Reuters report in December uncovered close and enduring links between the security establishment and one of the former military officers on trial, Captain Zeyar Phyo, accused of bankrolling the plot. Zeyar Phyo's lawyer has rejected allegations that her client remained connected to the military. The brazen murder of 63-year-old Ko Ni, who worked to reform the military-drafted constitution that entrenches its political power, sent shockwaves through the ruling National League for Democracy party and the Muslim community. The judge said the verdict would be announced on Feb. 15.

In Myanmar, final arguments made in Muslim lawyer's murder case

A Myanmar policeman who told a court last year how officers planted secret documents on <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/jailed-reuters-reporters-to-launch-last-appeal-to-myanmar-court-194252">two Reuters reporters</a> in order to "entrap" them was released from prison on Friday, after being sentenced to a year in jail for violating police discipline.

In widely covered testimony at the trial of journalists Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing gave details of the hours leading up to the Dec. 12, 2017 arrest of the Reuters reporters and said police had arranged a "set up".

Shortly after that court appearance in April, Moe Yan Naing was sentenced to prison for violating the Police Disciplinary Act by having previously spoken to Wa Lone. His family was also evicted from their police housing in the capital Naypyitaw.

Moe Yan Naing criticized the law under which he was punished.

"This police disciplinary law is one of the laws we must amend while we are marching on the path towards democracy," he told reporters outside Insein prison, on the outskirts of the commercial capital Yangon, after his release.

"This law can cause police much suffering because it is outdated," he said.

Police spokesman Colonel Myo Thu Soe told Reuters at the time of the sentencing Moe Yan Naing had been punished "according to the police disciplinary act" and that his "case has been processed by a police court", without elaborating.

Police also said at the time the eviction order was not related to Moe Yan Naing's testimony at the trial of the Reuters journalists.

Asked how he felt about the people who ordered his arrest, Moe Yan Naing said he would console himself through religion.

"I am a Buddhist, I can find peace with that through our Buddhist way," he said, and that he felt "sorry" for the two reporters still behind bars.

A police spokesman could not be reached for comment.

Moe Yan Naing was released after serving around nine months of his one-year sentence. It is customary for prisoners in Myanmar to have their jail time reduced for good behaviour.

In September, the Yangon court found Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo guilty of breaking the colonial-era Official Secrets Act and sentenced them to seven years in jail.

The reporters had been working at the time of their arrest on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in a village in western Myanmar's Rakhine state. The killings happened during an army crackdown that sent some 730,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh.

Moe Yan Naing testified in court that a senior officer had ordered a subordinate to meet Wa Lone at a restaurant in Yangon and plant "secret documents" on him.

An appellate court rejected appeals by Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo last month, saying the defence had not provided sufficient evidence to show they were innocent.

A Myanmar policeman who told a court last year how officers planted secret documents on two Reuters reporters in order to "entrap" them was released from prison on Friday, after being sentenced to a year in jail for violating police discipline.

A Myanmar policeman who told a court last year how officers planted secret documents on two Reuters reporters in order to "entrap" them was released from prison on Friday, after being sentenced to a year in jail for violating police discipline. In widely covered testimony at the trial of journalists Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing gave details of the hours leading up to the Dec. 12, 2017 arrest of the Reuters reporters and said police had arranged a "set up". Shortly after that court appearance in April, Moe Yan Naing was sentenced to prison for violating the Police Disciplinary Act by having previously spoken to Wa Lone. His family was also evicted from their police housing in the capital Naypyitaw. Moe Yan Naing criticized the law under which he was punished. "This police disciplinary law is one of the laws we must amend while we are marching on the path towards democracy," he told reporters outside Insein prison, on the outskirts of the commercial capital Yangon, after his release. "This law can cause police much suffering because it is outdated," he said. Police spokesman Colonel Myo Thu Soe told Reuters at the time of the sentencing Moe Yan Naing had been punished "according to the police disciplinary act" and that his "case has been processed by a police court", without elaborating. Police also said at the time the eviction order was not related to Moe Yan Naing's testimony at the trial of the Reuters journalists. Asked how he felt about the people who ordered his arrest, Moe Yan Naing said he would console himself through religion. "I am a Buddhist, I can find peace with that through our Buddhist way," he said, and that he felt "sorry" for the two reporters still behind bars. A police spokesman could not be reached for comment. Moe Yan Naing was released after serving around nine months of his one-year sentence. It is customary for prisoners in Myanmar to have their jail time reduced for good behaviour. In September, the Yangon court found Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo guilty of breaking the colonial-era Official Secrets Act and sentenced them to seven years in jail. The reporters had been working at the time of their arrest on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in a village in western Myanmar's Rakhine state. The killings happened during an army crackdown that sent some 730,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh. Moe Yan Naing testified in court that a senior officer had ordered a subordinate to meet Wa Lone at a restaurant in Yangon and plant "secret documents" on him. An appellate court rejected appeals by Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo last month, saying the defence had not provided sufficient evidence to show they were innocent.

Myanmar policeman who detailed Reuters reporters' entrapment freed from jail

Myanmar's government under Nobel laureate <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/uk-calls-on-myanmars-suu-kyi-to-take-personal-interest-in-case-of-jailed-reuters-reporters-189584">Aung San Suu Kyi </a>has used repressive laws to prosecute peaceful critics, dashing hopes that its first democratic leader in decades would safeguard free speech, Human Rights Watch said on Friday.

Freedom of expression has been deteriorating since her administration came to power in 2016, with prosecutions creating a "climate of fear" among journalists, the rights group said in its report, "Dashed Hopes: The Criminalization of Peaceful Expression in Myanmar".

"Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy promised a new Myanmar but the government still prosecutes peaceful speech and protests and has failed to revise old oppressive laws," Linda Lakhdhir, Asia legal adviser at Human Rights Watch and the report's author, said in a statement.

A government spokesman could not be reached for comment.

The military governments that ruled Myanmar for decades placed severe restrictions on free speech. Reforms undertaken by the quasi-civilian administration that came to power in 2010, including the abolition of censorship, had "positive implications for speech and assembly", HRW said.

However, the Suu Kyi-led government had made "only marginal changes" to oppressive legislation and continued to use "overly broad, vague, and abusive laws" to prosecute peaceful speech and assembly, it said.

Myanmar free speech group Athan, whose report was quoted by HRW, said some 140 cases had been filed since 2016 under the Telecommunications Act, at least half of which involved prosecution for peaceful speech.

Parliament made some amendments to section 66(d) of the act, which punishes anyone who "defames" someone using a telecommunications network with up to two years in prison but rejected calls to repeal the provision.

Reporters were especially vulnerable to prosecution and attacks, HRW said, with threats coming from authorities as well as nationalists and militant supporters of the government or army.

"The result has been a climate of fear among local journalists," the HRW report said.

Laws criminalising defamation, the Official Secrets Act, the Unlawful Associations Act, the 1934 Aircraft Act, and section 131 of the Myanmar Penal Code have all been used against journalists in recent years.

Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were sentenced to seven years in prison in September 2018 under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act. They had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in Rakhine state.

"Aung San Suu Kyi's government has had a real opportunity to abolish the tools of oppression used by the military juntas, but has instead used them against peaceful critics and protesters,” Lakhdhir said.

"It's not too late to reverse course and take steps to fully protect speech and assembly in Myanmar," she said.

Myanmar's government under Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has used repressive laws to prosecute peaceful critics, dashing hopes that its first democratic leader in decades would safeguard free speech, Human Rights Watch said on Friday.

Myanmar's government under Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has used repressive laws to prosecute peaceful critics, dashing hopes that its first democratic leader in decades would safeguard free speech, Human Rights Watch said on Friday. Freedom of expression has been deteriorating since her administration came to power in 2016, with prosecutions creating a "climate of fear" among journalists, the rights group said in its report, "Dashed Hopes: The Criminalization of Peaceful Expression in Myanmar". "Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy promised a new Myanmar but the government still prosecutes peaceful speech and protests and has failed to revise old oppressive laws," Linda Lakhdhir, Asia legal adviser at Human Rights Watch and the report's author, said in a statement. A government spokesman could not be reached for comment. The military governments that ruled Myanmar for decades placed severe restrictions on free speech. Reforms undertaken by the quasi-civilian administration that came to power in 2010, including the abolition of censorship, had "positive implications for speech and assembly", HRW said. However, the Suu Kyi-led government had made "only marginal changes" to oppressive legislation and continued to use "overly broad, vague, and abusive laws" to prosecute peaceful speech and assembly, it said. Myanmar free speech group Athan, whose report was quoted by HRW, said some 140 cases had been filed since 2016 under the Telecommunications Act, at least half of which involved prosecution for peaceful speech. Parliament made some amendments to section 66(d) of the act, which punishes anyone who "defames" someone using a telecommunications network with up to two years in prison but rejected calls to repeal the provision. Reporters were especially vulnerable to prosecution and attacks, HRW said, with threats coming from authorities as well as nationalists and militant supporters of the government or army. "The result has been a climate of fear among local journalists," the HRW report said. Laws criminalising defamation, the Official Secrets Act, the Unlawful Associations Act, the 1934 Aircraft Act, and section 131 of the Myanmar Penal Code have all been used against journalists in recent years. Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were sentenced to seven years in prison in September 2018 under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act. They had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in Rakhine state. "Aung San Suu Kyi's government has had a real opportunity to abolish the tools of oppression used by the military juntas, but has instead used them against peaceful critics and protesters,” Lakhdhir said. "It's not too late to reverse course and take steps to fully protect speech and assembly in Myanmar," she said.

Human Rights watch says Myanmar government using ‘abusive laws’ to punish critics

Myanmar's ruling party clashed with military lawmakers on Tuesday as it proposed steps towards changing the constitution, its biggest challenge in nearly three years to the army's power over politics as enshrined in the charter.

Military members of parliament, clad in green uniforms, rose to their feet and stood in silence as parliament voted to approve the first stage of a proposal to form a committee on amending the constitution.

The proposal could foment tension between the army and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/suu-kyi-to-investors-myanmar-is-open-for-business-193442">Aung San Suu Kyi's</a> National League for Democracy (NLD), who have been at loggerheads over the charter since the party's historic landslide election win in 2015.

The surprise bid to reform the constitution comes as both civilian and military leaders face growing international pressure over an army crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in 2017 that sent about 730,000 people fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh.

Constitutional reform was a central pillar of the NLD’s platform ahead of the 2015 general election, but little progress has been made as leaders have proved reluctant to confront the military.

With another election looming in 2020, analysts see Tuesday’s move as an effort to shore up support for Suu Kyi’s party and deliver on election pledges.

"It is the election promise,” Ye Htut, an NLD member of parliament told Reuters ahead of the vote.

In recent weeks Suu Kyi has also toured ethnic minority areas, where support for her party is weakest, and on Monday touted Myanmar’s potential to global investors.

“As the 2020 elections are starting to influence political calculations in Myanmar, it is not surprising that the NLD wants to show progress on one of its key manifesto pledges,” said Yangon-based political analyst Richard Horsey.

“But it is also aware that this is a sensitive issue for the military. Establishing a committee is a much-relied-on way to signal intent without immediately forcing the issue,” he said.

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi’s party commands a large majority in the two houses of parliament.

But the 2008 constitution, drafted during military rule, guarantees the army a quarter of seats and change to the charter needs a vote of more than 75 per cent of members, giving the army an effective veto.

The constitution also blocks Suu Kyi from becoming president, with a prohibition on presidential candidates with foreign spouses or children. Suu Kyi had two sons with her late British academic husband Michael Aris.

For nearly three years, she has ruled from "above the president" by creating a new position of state counsellor. The move to create that position sparked a similar protest by military MPs.

The charter also gives the military control of ministries responsible for security, including defence and home affairs.

The NLD has not said what provisions of the constitution it might seek to reform. In the past, some members of the party have called for change to Article 436, which gives the military the effective veto over constitutional reform.

SILENT PROTEST

NLD lawmaker Aung Kyi Nyunt, submitting an "emergency proposal" to discuss a committee that could propose amendments, said the constitution was "not in line with the democratic system” and the "desires of the people" should not be ignored.

After the speaker agreed to put the proposal to a vote, green-clad military lawmakers rose to their feet and stood for several minutes in silence.

“This is me, as speaker, telling you to sit down,” the speaker, T Khun Myat, said.

The NLD won the vote 394-17. Discussions on the committee are expected to continue next month.

Brigadier-General Maung Maung, a senior military official, said the NLD had not acted “in line with the law”.

“We don’t say not to amend,” he told reporters.

"They can amend but they must do it according to procedure ... What kind of law will that committee analyse? How broad is the authority of the committee?”

Suu Kyi has long spoken of the goal of reforming the constitution as part of a democratic transition after 50 years of strict military rule.

"The completion of our democratic transition must necessarily involve the completion of a truly democratic constitution," she said during a forum in Singapore in August.

But the military has for decades seen itself as the only institution capable of preventing the disintegration of the ethnically diverse country, and has stressed the importance of its constitutional oversight of the political system.

An adviser to Suu Kyi who openly called for reforms to reduce the military’s role, Ko Ni, was shot dead in broad daylight at the Yangon International Airport exactly two years ago, on January 29, 2017.

While no evidence has emerged that his call for constitutional reform led directly to his murder, or that active military officials ordered the killing, his death cast a pall over reform efforts.

Myanmar's ruling party clashed with military lawmakers on Tuesday as it proposed steps towards changing the constitution, its biggest challenge in nearly three years to the army's power over politics as enshrined in the charter.

Myanmar's ruling party clashed with military lawmakers on Tuesday as it proposed steps towards changing the constitution, its biggest challenge in nearly three years to the army's power over politics as enshrined in the charter. Military members of parliament, clad in green uniforms, rose to their feet and stood in silence as parliament voted to approve the first stage of a proposal to form a committee on amending the constitution. The proposal could foment tension between the army and Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), who have been at loggerheads over the charter since the party's historic landslide election win in 2015. The surprise bid to reform the constitution comes as both civilian and military leaders face growing international pressure over an army crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in 2017 that sent about 730,000 people fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh. Constitutional reform was a central pillar of the NLD’s platform ahead of the 2015 general election, but little progress has been made as leaders have proved reluctant to confront the military. With another election looming in 2020, analysts see Tuesday’s move as an effort to shore up support for Suu Kyi’s party and deliver on election pledges. "It is the election promise,” Ye Htut, an NLD member of parliament told Reuters ahead of the vote. In recent weeks Suu Kyi has also toured ethnic minority areas, where support for her party is weakest, and on Monday touted Myanmar’s potential to global investors. “As the 2020 elections are starting to influence political calculations in Myanmar, it is not surprising that the NLD wants to show progress on one of its key manifesto pledges,” said Yangon-based political analyst Richard Horsey. “But it is also aware that this is a sensitive issue for the military. Establishing a committee is a much-relied-on way to signal intent without immediately forcing the issue,” he said. Nobel laureate Suu Kyi’s party commands a large majority in the two houses of parliament. But the 2008 constitution, drafted during military rule, guarantees the army a quarter of seats and change to the charter needs a vote of more than 75 per cent of members, giving the army an effective veto. The constitution also blocks Suu Kyi from becoming president, with a prohibition on presidential candidates with foreign spouses or children. Suu Kyi had two sons with her late British academic husband Michael Aris. For nearly three years, she has ruled from "above the president" by creating a new position of state counsellor. The move to create that position sparked a similar protest by military MPs. The charter also gives the military control of ministries responsible for security, including defence and home affairs. The NLD has not said what provisions of the constitution it might seek to reform. In the past, some members of the party have called for change to Article 436, which gives the military the effective veto over constitutional reform. SILENT PROTEST NLD lawmaker Aung Kyi Nyunt, submitting an "emergency proposal" to discuss a committee that could propose amendments, said the constitution was "not in line with the democratic system” and the "desires of the people" should not be ignored. After the speaker agreed to put the proposal to a vote, green-clad military lawmakers rose to their feet and stood for several minutes in silence. “This is me, as speaker, telling you to sit down,” the speaker, T Khun Myat, said. The NLD won the vote 394-17. Discussions on the committee are expected to continue next month. Brigadier-General Maung Maung, a senior military official, said the NLD had not acted “in line with the law”. “We don’t say not to amend,” he told reporters. "They can amend but they must do it according to procedure ... What kind of law will that committee analyse? How broad is the authority of the committee?” Suu Kyi has long spoken of the goal of reforming the constitution as part of a democratic transition after 50 years of strict military rule. "The completion of our democratic transition must necessarily involve the completion of a truly democratic constitution," she said during a forum in Singapore in August. But the military has for decades seen itself as the only institution capable of preventing the disintegration of the ethnically diverse country, and has stressed the importance of its constitutional oversight of the political system. An adviser to Suu Kyi who openly called for reforms to reduce the military’s role, Ko Ni, was shot dead in broad daylight at the Yangon International Airport exactly two years ago, on January 29, 2017. While no evidence has emerged that his call for constitutional reform led directly to his murder, or that active military officials ordered the killing, his death cast a pall over reform efforts.

Myanmar Suu Kyi's party clashes with military over proposal to change army-drafted charter

The head of the UN children’s fund urged Myanmar on Monday to implement the recommendations of a panel on the Rohingya crisis led by former UN head Kofi Annan, saying it had yet to create conditions right for the return of refugees from Bangladesh.

Speaking at a forum in the capital, Naypyitaw, UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said children from the Rohingya Muslim minority, a persecuted and mostly stateless community from Buddhist-majority Myanmar were living “a precarious and an almost hopeless existence” in camps in neighbouring Bangladesh.

About 730,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state, in western Myanmar, since a military crackdown in 2017 after Rohingya insurgents attacked security posts, UN agencies estimate. Tens of thousands remain behind in Rakhine, where they are subjected to restrictions on movement and have limited access to healthcare and education.

Fore said Myanmar’s “commitment” to enacting the recommendations of Annan’s committee – which include ensuring freedom of movement and access to education – would help mend the lives of suffering children.

“We urge the government to seize this moment and translate this potential into reality for all children,” she said on the first visit by a UNICEF head in decades. “Taking these steps will also go a long way towards creating the right conditions for the return of refugees from Bangladesh.”

The Annan commission was created by Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2016 to find long-term solutions to deep-seated ethnic and religious divisions in Rakhine.

But implementation of its recommendations has been beset by crises and setbacks.

A day after the panel issued its report in August 2017, Rohingya insurgents launched attacks on security forces, provoking a military crackdown the UN investigators described as "ethnic cleansing" with "genocidal intent". Myanmar denies the charge.

In mid-2018, a Myanmar minister told Western diplomats that eight of Annan's recommendations — including one that asks authorities to take steps to amend the 1982 citizenship law that had rendered the Rohingya stateless — were problematic and could not be immediately fulfilled.

The commission's recommendations included points urging the government to "immediately expand primary education to the communities in northern Rakhine State, and intensify efforts to ensure that teachers assigned to Muslim villages resume their work, including by providing adequate security when necessary".

It also called on authorities to "ensure that all children in the state have access to education in Myanmar language" and that the tertiary education access is expanded.

In August, UNICEF warned of what it described as a "lost generation" of Rohingya children, with half a million in refugee camps in Bangladesh facing dangers including disease and floods and those still in Myanmar lacking access to proper education.

“We urge that the necessary steps are taken to enable their safe, voluntary and dignified return back to their homes where their rights are respected and they can once again live peaceably with their neighbours,” said Fore.

The head of the UN children’s fund urged Myanmar on Monday to implement the recommendations of a panel on the Rohingya crisis led by former UN head Kofi Annan, saying it had yet to create conditions right for the return of refugees from Bangladesh.

The head of the UN children’s fund urged Myanmar on Monday to implement the recommendations of a panel on the Rohingya crisis led by former UN head Kofi Annan, saying it had yet to create conditions right for the return of refugees from Bangladesh. Speaking at a forum in the capital, Naypyitaw, UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said children from the Rohingya Muslim minority, a persecuted and mostly stateless community from Buddhist-majority Myanmar were living “a precarious and an almost hopeless existence” in camps in neighbouring Bangladesh. About 730,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state, in western Myanmar, since a military crackdown in 2017 after Rohingya insurgents attacked security posts, UN agencies estimate. Tens of thousands remain behind in Rakhine, where they are subjected to restrictions on movement and have limited access to healthcare and education. Fore said Myanmar’s “commitment” to enacting the recommendations of Annan’s committee – which include ensuring freedom of movement and access to education – would help mend the lives of suffering children. “We urge the government to seize this moment and translate this potential into reality for all children,” she said on the first visit by a UNICEF head in decades. “Taking these steps will also go a long way towards creating the right conditions for the return of refugees from Bangladesh.” The Annan commission was created by Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2016 to find long-term solutions to deep-seated ethnic and religious divisions in Rakhine. But implementation of its recommendations has been beset by crises and setbacks. A day after the panel issued its report in August 2017, Rohingya insurgents launched attacks on security forces, provoking a military crackdown the UN investigators described as "ethnic cleansing" with "genocidal intent". Myanmar denies the charge. In mid-2018, a Myanmar minister told Western diplomats that eight of Annan's recommendations — including one that asks authorities to take steps to amend the 1982 citizenship law that had rendered the Rohingya stateless — were problematic and could not be immediately fulfilled. The commission's recommendations included points urging the government to "immediately expand primary education to the communities in northern Rakhine State, and intensify efforts to ensure that teachers assigned to Muslim villages resume their work, including by providing adequate security when necessary". It also called on authorities to "ensure that all children in the state have access to education in Myanmar language" and that the tertiary education access is expanded. In August, UNICEF warned of what it described as a "lost generation" of Rohingya children, with half a million in refugee camps in Bangladesh facing dangers including disease and floods and those still in Myanmar lacking access to proper education. “We urge that the necessary steps are taken to enable their safe, voluntary and dignified return back to their homes where their rights are respected and they can once again live peaceably with their neighbours,” said Fore.

UNICEF chief urges Myanmar to enact Kofi Annan's recommendations on Rohingya crisis

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday urged global investors to put their money into Myanmar, seeking to offset the negative impact of the Rohingya crisis and slow pace of economic reforms.

Suu Kyi touted Myanmar's economic potential, its attractive geographical location, expanding domestic markets and young population. She also listed some of the reforms undertaken by her government since coming to power in 2016.

"I stand here to reaffirm our commitment to continue our reform and to build an investment-friendly environment," Suu Kyi said in the capital Naypyitaw, launching the first official investment conference hosted by her administration.

"Please do come to Myanmar, soak in an atmosphere brimming with opportunities and witness our new-found economic vibrancy with your own eyes," she told a crowd of business people, diplomats and journalists gathered at a conference hall.

While there were relatively few details on planned reforms, the conference itself could signal a shift in the government's approach to the business community.

Until now, investors have complained the government has focused largely on ending the country's myriad armed conflicts, neglecting economic reforms and their needs.

Suu Kyi did not mention in her speech the Rohingya crisis and the chilling impact it has had on investment. Many businesses worry that some of the Western sanctions that stifled the economy under army rule could be reinstated.

About 730,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from western Rakhine State into Bangladesh since a military crackdown in 2017 after Rohingya insurgents attacked security posts.

A UN-mandated fact-finding mission said that Myanmar's military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent" and called for top generals to be prosecuted. Myanmar rejected the findings.

The International Monetary Fund said last year its data indicated that some foreign investors were delaying final approval of projects until there was clarity about how the situation may unfold.

The European Union is considering trade sanctions on Myanmar over the crisis, potentially stripping the country of tariff-free access to the world's largest trading bloc. The measures could include Myanmar's lucrative textile industry and potentially put thousands of jobs at risk.

Separately this month, the EU imposed tariffs on rice from Myanmar and Cambodia to curb a surge in imports.

Suu Kyi did not mention the EU measures in her speech.

The World Bank said last month it expected Myanmar's gross domestic product to fall to 6.2 per cent in 2018-19 fiscal year from 6.8 per cent the year before. It saw "elevated downside risks from intensifying impacts of the Rakhine crisis," among other factors contributing to slowing growth.

Investors have credited the government's appointment of a new finance minister, Soe Win, who has a background in international finance.

The government has also continued to reform the legal framework for investing and establishing companies, liberalizing some of the junta-era restrictions on investment, and has created a bank of key projects it wants to implement.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday urged global investors to put their money into Myanmar, seeking to offset the negative impact of the Rohingya crisis and slow pace of economic reforms.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday urged global investors to put their money into Myanmar, seeking to offset the negative impact of the Rohingya crisis and slow pace of economic reforms. Suu Kyi touted Myanmar's economic potential, its attractive geographical location, expanding domestic markets and young population. She also listed some of the reforms undertaken by her government since coming to power in 2016. "I stand here to reaffirm our commitment to continue our reform and to build an investment-friendly environment," Suu Kyi said in the capital Naypyitaw, launching the first official investment conference hosted by her administration. "Please do come to Myanmar, soak in an atmosphere brimming with opportunities and witness our new-found economic vibrancy with your own eyes," she told a crowd of business people, diplomats and journalists gathered at a conference hall. While there were relatively few details on planned reforms, the conference itself could signal a shift in the government's approach to the business community. Until now, investors have complained the government has focused largely on ending the country's myriad armed conflicts, neglecting economic reforms and their needs. Suu Kyi did not mention in her speech the Rohingya crisis and the chilling impact it has had on investment. Many businesses worry that some of the Western sanctions that stifled the economy under army rule could be reinstated. About 730,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from western Rakhine State into Bangladesh since a military crackdown in 2017 after Rohingya insurgents attacked security posts. A UN-mandated fact-finding mission said that Myanmar's military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent" and called for top generals to be prosecuted. Myanmar rejected the findings. The International Monetary Fund said last year its data indicated that some foreign investors were delaying final approval of projects until there was clarity about how the situation may unfold. The European Union is considering trade sanctions on Myanmar over the crisis, potentially stripping the country of tariff-free access to the world's largest trading bloc. The measures could include Myanmar's lucrative textile industry and potentially put thousands of jobs at risk. Separately this month, the EU imposed tariffs on rice from Myanmar and Cambodia to curb a surge in imports. Suu Kyi did not mention the EU measures in her speech. The World Bank said last month it expected Myanmar's gross domestic product to fall to 6.2 per cent in 2018-19 fiscal year from 6.8 per cent the year before. It saw "elevated downside risks from intensifying impacts of the Rakhine crisis," among other factors contributing to slowing growth. Investors have credited the government's appointment of a new finance minister, Soe Win, who has a background in international finance. The government has also continued to reform the legal framework for investing and establishing companies, liberalizing some of the junta-era restrictions on investment, and has created a bank of key projects it wants to implement.

Suu Kyi to investors: Myanmar is open for business

A member of Thailand's most popular all-girl band has apologised for wearing a shirt with a Nazi flag featuring a swastika after her TV appearance drew "shock and dismay" from the Israeli embassy Saturday.

Images of Hitler, swastikas and other Nazi regalia are fairly commonplace on T-shirts and memorabilia in Thailand, a phenomenon blamed on a lack of awareness about world history.

The latest faux pas was committed by Pichayapa "Namsai" Natha, one of the singers of BNK48, when she wore the red-and-black top complete with a swastika during the group's televised rehearsal on Friday.

The deputy chief of mission of the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok took to Twitter to express "shock and dismay" at the outfit, noting that Sunday is International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

"Presenting Nazi symbols by the band's singer hurt the feelings of millions around the world, whose relatives were murdered by the Nazis," said Smadar Shapira.

Following the uproar, Namsai apologised onstage during a concert on Saturday night.

"I want this to be an example for everyone, please forgive me," the 19-year-old singer said, bursting into tears.

In an extended apology posted on her official Facebook page, she later wrote: "Please give me advice so that I can grow up to be a good adult in the future".

"I cannot fix the mistake but I promise I will not let it happen again," she wrote in Thai.

On Sunday afternoon, the singer and the manager of BNK48, both dressed in sombre grey and white clothing, met with Israeli ambassador Meir Shlomo to apologise for the incident.

Diplomat Shapira tweeted photographs of the meeting, adding that the group "discussed the importance of... awareness to the Holocaust and Antisemitism".&nbsp;

The band agreed to participate in an educational workshop on the Holocaust, she said, adding that the ambassador was "pleased" and understands that Namsai's act came from a "lack of knowledge and lack of awareness".

Georg Schmidt, Germany's ambassador to Thailand, also extended an invitation to the group "to discuss the terror of the Nazi Dictatorship with us," he tweeted Sunday. &nbsp;

Nazi imagery&nbsp;

Fans of BNK48, a domestic offshoot of Japanese girl group AKB48, came to Namsai's defence.

"I'm over 40 and I don't know anything about this topic. When I saw the shirt, I didn't think it would be a problem," said fan Prasit Rudeekriengkrai.

Others blamed Thailand's education system, which does not focus much on world history.

"What do you expect? When we were in school, they teach only about Thailand and Myanmar wars," Samruay Kraspra said.

Thailand has gotten in trouble in the past for its flippant use of Hitler and Nazi-related imagery.

In 2013, Bangkok's prestigious Chulalongkorn University was forced to apologise after its students created a mural depicting Hitler during graduation celebrations.&nbsp;

A Catholic school was also left red-faced in 2011 after students dressed up in a Nazi uniform for a sports day parade.

A member of Thailand's most popular all-girl band has apologised for wearing a shirt with a Nazi flag featuring a swastika after her TV appearance drew "shock and dismay" from the Israeli embassy Saturday.

A member of Thailand's most popular all-girl band has apologised for wearing a shirt with a Nazi flag featuring a swastika after her TV appearance drew "shock and dismay" from the Israeli embassy Saturday. Images of Hitler, swastikas and other Nazi regalia are fairly commonplace on T-shirts and memorabilia in Thailand, a phenomenon blamed on a lack of awareness about world history. The latest faux pas was committed by Pichayapa "Namsai" Natha, one of the singers of BNK48, when she wore the red-and-black top complete with a swastika during the group's televised rehearsal on Friday. The deputy chief of mission of the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok took to Twitter to express "shock and dismay" at the outfit, noting that Sunday is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. "Presenting Nazi symbols by the band's singer hurt the feelings of millions around the world, whose relatives were murdered by the Nazis," said Smadar Shapira. Following the uproar, Namsai apologised onstage during a concert on Saturday night. "I want this to be an example for everyone, please forgive me," the 19-year-old singer said, bursting into tears. In an extended apology posted on her official Facebook page, she later wrote: "Please give me advice so that I can grow up to be a good adult in the future". "I cannot fix the mistake but I promise I will not let it happen again," she wrote in Thai. On Sunday afternoon, the singer and the manager of BNK48, both dressed in sombre grey and white clothing, met with Israeli ambassador Meir Shlomo to apologise for the incident. Diplomat Shapira tweeted photographs of the meeting, adding that the group "discussed the importance of... awareness to the Holocaust and Antisemitism". The band agreed to participate in an educational workshop on the Holocaust, she said, adding that the ambassador was "pleased" and understands that Namsai's act came from a "lack of knowledge and lack of awareness". Georg Schmidt, Germany's ambassador to Thailand, also extended an invitation to the group "to discuss the terror of the Nazi Dictatorship with us," he tweeted Sunday. Nazi imagery Fans of BNK48, a domestic offshoot of Japanese girl group AKB48, came to Namsai's defence. "I'm over 40 and I don't know anything about this topic. When I saw the shirt, I didn't think it would be a problem," said fan Prasit Rudeekriengkrai. Others blamed Thailand's education system, which does not focus much on world history. "What do you expect? When we were in school, they teach only about Thailand and Myanmar wars," Samruay Kraspra said. Thailand has gotten in trouble in the past for its flippant use of Hitler and Nazi-related imagery. In 2013, Bangkok's prestigious Chulalongkorn University was forced to apologise after its students created a mural depicting Hitler during graduation celebrations. A Catholic school was also left red-faced in 2011 after students dressed up in a Nazi uniform for a sports day parade.

Thai pop idol condemned for Nazi swastika T-shirt

Myanmar's army said Friday it killed 13 ethnic Rakhine fighters in counterstrikes after the well-armed group carried out deadly attacks on police posts earlier this month.

Rakhine state has seen new levels of violence in recent weeks between the Arakan Army (AA) -- insurgents fighting for greater autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists -- and security forces.

Many of the battles are taking place in the same region from which more than 720,000 Rohingya Muslims fled to Bangladesh after August 2017 when the army launched a crackdown the UN deemed ethnic cleansing.

The AA are a more formidable force than the fighters claiming to represent the Rohingya and have inflicted historically higher death tolls on the military.

On January 4, also Myanmar's independence day, the AA launched pre-dawn raids that killed 13 police officers and wounded nine before the army stepped in, setting off violence that has displaced thousands.

But the army hit back, killing the same number of AA rebels in total in operations from January 5-16.

"We got 13 dead bodies of enemies and seized three weapons," Major General Tun Tun Nyi said in a rare press conference in the capital Naypyidaw.

"Some officers and soldiers from our side were killed," he added, without releasing the figures.

Myanmar's military almost never provides statistics on casualties suffered in fighting against the country's myriad ethnic armed groups.

The army called a temporary ceasefire against different insurgents in northern Myanmar last month but Rakhine state was excluded from the move because of the AA and the Rohingya militant group, which is called the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).

The troubled state is a complex patchwork of Rakhine, Rohingya, and other ethnic minorities that intercommunal violence has largely driven apart.

Most of the Rohingya in the northern part of the state have been pushed into Bangladesh, where they refuse to return to Myanmar without guarantees of safety and citizenship.

The United Nations has called for Myanmar's top generals to be investigated for genocide as a result of the operations but they reject the accusation.

The fighting with AA rebels complicates an already fraught repatriation process for the Rohingya.

Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun blamed the AA insurgents for the police post attacks earlier this month and accused them of "stabbing from the back".&nbsp;

Myanmar's army said Friday it killed 13 ethnic Rakhine fighters in counterstrikes after the well-armed group carried out deadly attacks on police posts earlier this month.

Myanmar's army said Friday it killed 13 ethnic Rakhine fighters in counterstrikes after the well-armed group carried out deadly attacks on police posts earlier this month. Rakhine state has seen new levels of violence in recent weeks between the Arakan Army (AA) -- insurgents fighting for greater autonomy for ethnic Rakhine Buddhists -- and security forces. Many of the battles are taking place in the same region from which more than 720,000 Rohingya Muslims fled to Bangladesh after August 2017 when the army launched a crackdown the UN deemed ethnic cleansing. The AA are a more formidable force than the fighters claiming to represent the Rohingya and have inflicted historically higher death tolls on the military. On January 4, also Myanmar's independence day, the AA launched pre-dawn raids that killed 13 police officers and wounded nine before the army stepped in, setting off violence that has displaced thousands. But the army hit back, killing the same number of AA rebels in total in operations from January 5-16. "We got 13 dead bodies of enemies and seized three weapons," Major General Tun Tun Nyi said in a rare press conference in the capital Naypyidaw. "Some officers and soldiers from our side were killed," he added, without releasing the figures. Myanmar's military almost never provides statistics on casualties suffered in fighting against the country's myriad ethnic armed groups. The army called a temporary ceasefire against different insurgents in northern Myanmar last month but Rakhine state was excluded from the move because of the AA and the Rohingya militant group, which is called the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). The troubled state is a complex patchwork of Rakhine, Rohingya, and other ethnic minorities that intercommunal violence has largely driven apart. Most of the Rohingya in the northern part of the state have been pushed into Bangladesh, where they refuse to return to Myanmar without guarantees of safety and citizenship. The United Nations has called for Myanmar's top generals to be investigated for genocide as a result of the operations but they reject the accusation. The fighting with AA rebels complicates an already fraught repatriation process for the Rohingya. Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun blamed the AA insurgents for the police post attacks earlier this month and accused them of "stabbing from the back".

Myanmar army 'kills 13' in counterattacks on Rakhine rebels

Thailand's highest court on Tuesday ordered compensation be paid to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/extortion-and-abuse-myanmar-workers-arrive-debt-laden-thailand-169336">14 migrant workers from Myanmar</a> whose accusations against a chicken farm of abuses sparked a landmark legal case for migrant labourers.

The workers in 2016 officially complained to Thailand's National Human Rights Commission about forced overtime, being paid less than the minimum wage, confiscation of passports, and limited freedom of movement.

But employer Thammakaset farm, which had supplied meat to Thai food conglomerate Betagro, denied the charges and launched a defamation lawsuit, saying the workers voluntarily worked nights and chose to sleep next to the chicken warehouse.

Betagro, which sells to companies around the globe, later said it had cut ties with the farm.

After a three-year legal battle, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court verdict from 2016 which found in favour of the workers and ruled they must be paid 1.7 million baht ($53,000) in compensation.

"There is no significant legal argument from the company's side," the court said in its order, dismissing the appeal.

A lawyer for the workers said they welcomed the verdict in a country that has been at the centre of a slew of slavery and human trafficking cases, including in its seafood sector.

"Hopefully, they will receive the compensation quickly and put this behind them," said Koreeyor Manuchae at NSP Legal Office.

Last July, a Bangkok court dismissed charges against the workers in the criminal defamation case which accused them of damaging the reputation of Thammakaset farm.&nbsp;

Labour rights activist Sutharee Wannasiri said Tuesday's verdict vindicated the workers.

"It's a very rare victory for labour rights and migrant workers in Thailand, and it will help bolster the rights of migrant workers in the country," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"The compensation is not a large amount, but it is symbolic, and shows there is a mechanism for securing remedies and accountability when businesses have violated rights."

Campaigners have urged better protection for migrant labourers and activists from civil and criminal lawsuits for exposing abusive working conditions.

In the face of mounting global scrutiny of supply chains, Thailand has strengthened laws to crack down on labour exploitation, but activists said it was still widespread.

Thailand's highest court on Tuesday ordered compensation be paid to 14 migrant workers from Myanmar whose accusations against a chicken farm of abuses sparked a landmark legal case for migrant labourers.

Thailand's highest court on Tuesday ordered compensation be paid to 14 migrant workers from Myanmar whose accusations against a chicken farm of abuses sparked a landmark legal case for migrant labourers. The workers in 2016 officially complained to Thailand's National Human Rights Commission about forced overtime, being paid less than the minimum wage, confiscation of passports, and limited freedom of movement. But employer Thammakaset farm, which had supplied meat to Thai food conglomerate Betagro, denied the charges and launched a defamation lawsuit, saying the workers voluntarily worked nights and chose to sleep next to the chicken warehouse. Betagro, which sells to companies around the globe, later said it had cut ties with the farm. After a three-year legal battle, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court verdict from 2016 which found in favour of the workers and ruled they must be paid 1.7 million baht ($53,000) in compensation. "There is no significant legal argument from the company's side," the court said in its order, dismissing the appeal. A lawyer for the workers said they welcomed the verdict in a country that has been at the centre of a slew of slavery and human trafficking cases, including in its seafood sector. "Hopefully, they will receive the compensation quickly and put this behind them," said Koreeyor Manuchae at NSP Legal Office. Last July, a Bangkok court dismissed charges against the workers in the criminal defamation case which accused them of damaging the reputation of Thammakaset farm. Labour rights activist Sutharee Wannasiri said Tuesday's verdict vindicated the workers. "It's a very rare victory for labour rights and migrant workers in Thailand, and it will help bolster the rights of migrant workers in the country," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "The compensation is not a large amount, but it is symbolic, and shows there is a mechanism for securing remedies and accountability when businesses have violated rights." Campaigners have urged better protection for migrant labourers and activists from civil and criminal lawsuits for exposing abusive working conditions. In the face of mounting global scrutiny of supply chains, Thailand has strengthened laws to crack down on labour exploitation, but activists said it was still widespread.

Thailand top court orders compensation for Myanmar workers in landmark case

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/new-myanmar-unrest-panics-rohingya-in-border-limbo-189193">Myanmar</a>'s government says it has ordered the military to "crush" rebels in the western state of Rakhine, following raids by insurgents that killed 13 police officers earlier this month.

The United Nations says fighting between the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/the-rohingya-crisis-what-to-watch-for-in-2019-187973">Myanmar military and Arakan Army</a>, which recruits from among the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group, has forced about 5,000 people from their homes in the state in the past month.

The latest violence underscores the complexity of the ethnic divisions that have long scarred Rakhine. In 2017 attacks on security posts in the north of the state by insurgents from the Muslim Rohingya minority provoked a military crackdown that sent more than 730,000 fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to UN agencies, and sparked the biggest crisis of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi`s young administration.

Aid workers say military aircraft and trucks have been seen arriving in Rakhine since early January - raising fears conflict could intensify once again in the state.

The group`s rise threatens to further undermine Suu Kyi`s hopes of securing peace across Myanmar, but who are the fighters of the Arakan Army, and what do they want?

JADE MINES TO SNIPER RIFLES&nbsp;

The Arakan Army says it formed nearly a decade ago to fight for self-determination for Rakhine, which it says has been exploited by a remote central government.

Many early recruits were ethnic Rakhine Buddhists who had travelled to northern Myanmar to make their fortune toiling in the jade mines there.

They gathered and trained in territory along Myanmar`s border with China that is held by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of the largest ethnic armed groups still fighting the Myanmar military. Arakan Army fighters have fought the military alongside the KIA as part of a "northern alliance" in northern Shan state since late 2016.

Arakan Army forces have also moved into the rugged western borderlands with India and Bangladesh, where they are believed to number about 3,000. 
In parallel, the group has launched a propaganda push aimed at inspiring an uprising across Rakhine in 2020.

Slick online videos show young men and women insurgents marching, wrestling and firing modern assault weapons and sniper rifles. They often feature the group`s charismatic chief, Twan Mrat Naing, who wears thick-rimmed glasses and a military beret.&nbsp;

ETHNIC GRIEVANCES

The Arakan Army in its propaganda largely steers clear of the communal conflict between Buddhists and Muslims that has riven Rakhine in recent years.&nbsp;

Instead, the group has found fertile ground appealing to a sense of economic and historical injustice directed at the Myanmar state and its Bamar ethnic majority.

Though rich in oil and other natural resources and a focus of China`s Belt and Road Initiative investment drive, Rakhine remains one of Myanmar`s poorest states.

Only 17 per cent of households in the state have access to safe drinking water year-round, far below the proportion elsewhere in Myanmar, according to a 2017 World Bank survey. Nearly 300,000 households there do not have a toilet, it found.

The coastal area now known as Rakhine was historically an independent kingdom, Arakan, until a Burmese invasion in the 18th century. A demonstration in January last year to mark the anniversary of the Arakan kingdom`s overthrow ended in bloodshed when police opened fire on protesters.&nbsp;

The figurehead of the state`s most popular political party, the Arakan National Party (ANP) was arrested soon after with another activist and charged with high treason. They remain on trial. Many ethnic Rakhines resent that Suu Kyi`s National League for Democracy installed its own chief minister in the state after taking power in 2016, despite the ANP winning most seats in the state at elections in 2015.

INSURGENT INFILTRATION

After only sporadic encounters with the military in recent years, the Arakan Army has reported at least two dozen clashes with security forces in the last few months. It says it is responding to military aggression in Rakhine that has also targeted civilians.

"Rakhine state must have its own army," Arakan Army chief Twan Mrat Naing told local news site the Irrawaddy this week. "Having an armed group means the survival of the Rakhine ethnicity."

The government describes the group as a terrorist organisation and says it could destabilise the state for years to come.

Analysts say the Arakan Army, which has trained with Kachin rebels, poses a potentially greater military threat than the ill-equipped Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army that precipitated the 2017 crisis.

Arakan Army (AA) fighters appear to be "well-trained and generally extremely well-equipped", said Anthony Davis, a security analyst with Jane`s at IHS-Markit, describing the recent violence as a "watershed" for the conflict.&nbsp;

"What we`ve seen is the AA shifting from a preparatory phase of political and military infiltration into northern Rakhine state that began in 2015," said Davis.

"They`ve now taken it to a much higher level, operating at platoon and even company strength across almost all the townships in the north of the state, and that`s new."

Myanmar's government says it has ordered the military to "crush" rebels in the western state of Rakhine, following raids by insurgents that killed 13 police officers earlier this month.

Myanmar's government says it has ordered the military to "crush" rebels in the western state of Rakhine, following raids by insurgents that killed 13 police officers earlier this month. The United Nations says fighting between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army, which recruits from among the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group, has forced about 5,000 people from their homes in the state in the past month. The latest violence underscores the complexity of the ethnic divisions that have long scarred Rakhine. In 2017 attacks on security posts in the north of the state by insurgents from the Muslim Rohingya minority provoked a military crackdown that sent more than 730,000 fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to UN agencies, and sparked the biggest crisis of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi`s young administration. Aid workers say military aircraft and trucks have been seen arriving in Rakhine since early January - raising fears conflict could intensify once again in the state. The group`s rise threatens to further undermine Suu Kyi`s hopes of securing peace across Myanmar, but who are the fighters of the Arakan Army, and what do they want? JADE MINES TO SNIPER RIFLES The Arakan Army says it formed nearly a decade ago to fight for self-determination for Rakhine, which it says has been exploited by a remote central government. Many early recruits were ethnic Rakhine Buddhists who had travelled to northern Myanmar to make their fortune toiling in the jade mines there. They gathered and trained in territory along Myanmar`s border with China that is held by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of the largest ethnic armed groups still fighting the Myanmar military. Arakan Army fighters have fought the military alongside the KIA as part of a "northern alliance" in northern Shan state since late 2016. Arakan Army forces have also moved into the rugged western borderlands with India and Bangladesh, where they are believed to number about 3,000. In parallel, the group has launched a propaganda push aimed at inspiring an uprising across Rakhine in 2020. Slick online videos show young men and women insurgents marching, wrestling and firing modern assault weapons and sniper rifles. They often feature the group`s charismatic chief, Twan Mrat Naing, who wears thick-rimmed glasses and a military beret. ETHNIC GRIEVANCES The Arakan Army in its propaganda largely steers clear of the communal conflict between Buddhists and Muslims that has riven Rakhine in recent years. Instead, the group has found fertile ground appealing to a sense of economic and historical injustice directed at the Myanmar state and its Bamar ethnic majority. Though rich in oil and other natural resources and a focus of China`s Belt and Road Initiative investment drive, Rakhine remains one of Myanmar`s poorest states. Only 17 per cent of households in the state have access to safe drinking water year-round, far below the proportion elsewhere in Myanmar, according to a 2017 World Bank survey. Nearly 300,000 households there do not have a toilet, it found. The coastal area now known as Rakhine was historically an independent kingdom, Arakan, until a Burmese invasion in the 18th century. A demonstration in January last year to mark the anniversary of the Arakan kingdom`s overthrow ended in bloodshed when police opened fire on protesters. The figurehead of the state`s most popular political party, the Arakan National Party (ANP) was arrested soon after with another activist and charged with high treason. They remain on trial. Many ethnic Rakhines resent that Suu Kyi`s National League for Democracy installed its own chief minister in the state after taking power in 2016, despite the ANP winning most seats in the state at elections in 2015. INSURGENT INFILTRATION After only sporadic encounters with the military in recent years, the Arakan Army has reported at least two dozen clashes with security forces in the last few months. It says it is responding to military aggression in Rakhine that has also targeted civilians. "Rakhine state must have its own army," Arakan Army chief Twan Mrat Naing told local news site the Irrawaddy this week. "Having an armed group means the survival of the Rakhine ethnicity." The government describes the group as a terrorist organisation and says it could destabilise the state for years to come. Analysts say the Arakan Army, which has trained with Kachin rebels, poses a potentially greater military threat than the ill-equipped Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army that precipitated the 2017 crisis. Arakan Army (AA) fighters appear to be "well-trained and generally extremely well-equipped", said Anthony Davis, a security analyst with Jane`s at IHS-Markit, describing the recent violence as a "watershed" for the conflict. "What we`ve seen is the AA shifting from a preparatory phase of political and military infiltration into northern Rakhine state that began in 2015," said Davis. "They`ve now taken it to a much higher level, operating at platoon and even company strength across almost all the townships in the north of the state, and that`s new."

Explainer: The insurgents plunging Myanmar's Rakhine back into chaos

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/un-appeals-to-myanmar-for-peaceful-solution-amid-troop-build-up-in-rakhine-state-189298">Myanmar has postponed a planned visit </a>by the UN refugee chief to Rakhine state following renewed fighting between security forces and insurgents, a spokesman said Monday.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi was due to visit last week but Myanmar authorities scrapped the trip to Rakhine, where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims were driven out in a military crackdown that started in 2017.

The troubled western state has seen fighting flare again in recent weeks, this time between security forces and the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic Rakhine armed group calling for more autonomy for the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/new-myanmar-unrest-panics-rohingya-in-border-limbo-189193">state's Rakhine Buddhist population</a>.

Thirteen police officers were killed by AA militants in January 4 attacks on police posts near the Bangladeshi border.

"Based on assessment of Myanmar authorities of the security situation in Rakhine, the visit has been postponed," said UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic.

Britain is expected to raise the issue at the UN Security Council later this week, according to diplomats.

The decision to delay Grandi's trip and uncertainty surrounding a separate planned visit by the UN envoy Christine Schraner Burgener to Myanmar is fueling concerns that authorities are backtracking on their commitments to address the Rohingya refugee crisis.

"They have done nothing at all and didn't particularly want that to be exposed," said a Security Council diplomat of the decision to postpone Grandi's visit.

Myanmar's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to requests for information.

Britain in December circulated a draft Security Council resolution on Myanmar that would have set a deadline for authorities to roll out a strategy for addressing the Rohingya crisis.

China, backed by Russia, however, raised strong objections and refused to take part in negotiations, suggesting it was ready to use its veto at the council to block the measure.

Myanmar's violent military campaign in 2017 forced more than 720,000 Rohingya across the border to Bangladesh, with refugees bringing accounts of murder, rape, and arson.

Britain, France, the United States, and UN chief Antonio Guterres have described the campaign as ethnic cleansing while UN investigators have called for top generals to be investigated for genocide.

Rohingya in Buddhist-majority Myanmar have suffered decades of persecution and are denied citizenship rights.

Myanmar has denied that it has singled out the Rohingya and described its army operations as a campaign to root out terrorists.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi was due to visit last week but Myanmar authorities scrapped the trip to Rakhine.

Myanmar has postponed a planned visit by the UN refugee chief to Rakhine state following renewed fighting between security forces and insurgents, a spokesman said Monday. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi was due to visit last week but Myanmar authorities scrapped the trip to Rakhine, where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims were driven out in a military crackdown that started in 2017. The troubled western state has seen fighting flare again in recent weeks, this time between security forces and the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic Rakhine armed group calling for more autonomy for the state's Rakhine Buddhist population. Thirteen police officers were killed by AA militants in January 4 attacks on police posts near the Bangladeshi border. "Based on assessment of Myanmar authorities of the security situation in Rakhine, the visit has been postponed," said UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic. Britain is expected to raise the issue at the UN Security Council later this week, according to diplomats. The decision to delay Grandi's trip and uncertainty surrounding a separate planned visit by the UN envoy Christine Schraner Burgener to Myanmar is fueling concerns that authorities are backtracking on their commitments to address the Rohingya refugee crisis. "They have done nothing at all and didn't particularly want that to be exposed," said a Security Council diplomat of the decision to postpone Grandi's visit. Myanmar's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to requests for information. Britain in December circulated a draft Security Council resolution on Myanmar that would have set a deadline for authorities to roll out a strategy for addressing the Rohingya crisis. China, backed by Russia, however, raised strong objections and refused to take part in negotiations, suggesting it was ready to use its veto at the council to block the measure. Myanmar's violent military campaign in 2017 forced more than 720,000 Rohingya across the border to Bangladesh, with refugees bringing accounts of murder, rape, and arson. Britain, France, the United States, and UN chief Antonio Guterres have described the campaign as ethnic cleansing while UN investigators have called for top generals to be investigated for genocide. Rohingya in Buddhist-majority Myanmar have suffered decades of persecution and are denied citizenship rights. Myanmar has denied that it has singled out the Rohingya and described its army operations as a campaign to root out terrorists.

Myanmar delays United Nation refugee chief Filippo Grandi's visit

Britain on Friday called on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi to look at whether due process was followed in the case of two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years in jail in Myanmar.

A Myanmar court earlier on Friday <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-reuters-journalists-lose-appeal-against-7-year-sentence-189568">rejected the appeal of the two reporters</a> sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of breaking the country`s Official Secrets Act, saying the defence had not provided sufficient evidence to show they were innocent.

"We are very worried about due process in this case," British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told BBC radio when asked about the case.

"We urge Aung San Suu Kyi to look at whether that due process happened and to recognise that, as someone who fought for democracy in Burma, she should be taking a personal interest in the future of these two brave journalists."

Britain on Friday called on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi to look at whether due process was followed in the case of two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years in jail in Myanmar.

Britain on Friday called on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi to look at whether due process was followed in the case of two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years in jail in Myanmar. A Myanmar court earlier on Friday rejected the appeal of the two reporters sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of breaking the country`s Official Secrets Act, saying the defence had not provided sufficient evidence to show they were innocent. "We are very worried about due process in this case," British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told BBC radio when asked about the case. "We urge Aung San Suu Kyi to look at whether that due process happened and to recognise that, as someone who fought for democracy in Burma, she should be taking a personal interest in the future of these two brave journalists."

UK calls on Myanmar's Suu Kyi to take personal interest in case of jailed Reuters reporters

A Myanmar judge dismissed an appeal Friday by two <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/reuters-editor-in-chief-calls-for-journalists-release-on-year-anniversary-of-arrests-183358">Reuters journalists</a> jailed for seven years while investigating atrocities committed against the Rohingya, dashing slim hopes that the pair could be freed early.

Reporters Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in Yangon in December 2017 and later jailed for violating the state secrets act, a charge Reuters said was trumped up to muzzle their reporting.

Prosecutors say the two had classified information regarding security operations in Rakhine state, from where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims fled during an army-led crackdown the United Nations has dubbed "ethnic cleansing".

Aung Naing, a judge at the Yangon Regional High Court, said Friday the original verdict was "not wrong according to the law" and was a "reasonable decision".

"The court decides to dismiss the appeal," he said.

Lawyers can now appeal to the Supreme Court in Myanmar, a process that could take an estimated six months.

The reporters' wives cried after the decision which condemns the pair to continue their stay at Yangon's notorious Insein prison, where they have been held for the last 13 months.

The two men -- who were not present for the decision -- have insisted they were victims of a police set-up, pointing to testimony from a serving officer who said a superior ordered others to entrap them.

At the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/timeline-reuters-journalists-detained-in-myanmar-161794"> time of the arrest </a>they were probing a massacre of 10 Rohingya.

The original trial was widely regarded as a sham and seen as punishment for their investigation, sparking outrage around the world including from US Vice President Mike Pence.

Outside the country, the two men have been hailed as media freedom heroes and jointly named Time Magazine's Person of the Year 2018, alongside other persecuted and slain journalists.

But they have gained little sympathy within Myanmar.

The violent military campaign in 2017 forced more than 720,000 Rohingya across the border to Bangladesh, with refugees bringing accounts of murder, rape and arson.

UN investigators have called for top generals to be investigated for genocide and singled out civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi for criticism for failing to stop the crackdown.

The image of the formerly renowned champion of human rights has been further damaged by the Reuters trial, and she has yet to speak up in their defence.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Reacting to the verdict outside the court the European Union ambassador to Myanmar Kristian Schmidt said he looked to the president of Myanmar to "correct" the injustice with a possible pardon.&nbsp;

A Myanmar judge dismissed an appeal Friday by two Reuters journalists jailed for seven years while investigating atrocities committed against the Rohingya, dashing slim hopes that the pair could be freed early.

A Myanmar judge dismissed an appeal Friday by two Reuters journalists jailed for seven years while investigating atrocities committed against the Rohingya, dashing slim hopes that the pair could be freed early. Reporters Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in Yangon in December 2017 and later jailed for violating the state secrets act, a charge Reuters said was trumped up to muzzle their reporting. Prosecutors say the two had classified information regarding security operations in Rakhine state, from where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims fled during an army-led crackdown the United Nations has dubbed "ethnic cleansing". Aung Naing, a judge at the Yangon Regional High Court, said Friday the original verdict was "not wrong according to the law" and was a "reasonable decision". "The court decides to dismiss the appeal," he said. Lawyers can now appeal to the Supreme Court in Myanmar, a process that could take an estimated six months. The reporters' wives cried after the decision which condemns the pair to continue their stay at Yangon's notorious Insein prison, where they have been held for the last 13 months. The two men -- who were not present for the decision -- have insisted they were victims of a police set-up, pointing to testimony from a serving officer who said a superior ordered others to entrap them. At the time of the arrest they were probing a massacre of 10 Rohingya. The original trial was widely regarded as a sham and seen as punishment for their investigation, sparking outrage around the world including from US Vice President Mike Pence. Outside the country, the two men have been hailed as media freedom heroes and jointly named Time Magazine's Person of the Year 2018, alongside other persecuted and slain journalists. But they have gained little sympathy within Myanmar. The violent military campaign in 2017 forced more than 720,000 Rohingya across the border to Bangladesh, with refugees bringing accounts of murder, rape and arson. UN investigators have called for top generals to be investigated for genocide and singled out civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi for criticism for failing to stop the crackdown. The image of the formerly renowned champion of human rights has been further damaged by the Reuters trial, and she has yet to speak up in their defence. Reacting to the verdict outside the court the European Union ambassador to Myanmar Kristian Schmidt said he looked to the president of Myanmar to "correct" the injustice with a possible pardon.

Myanmar Reuters journalists lose appeal against 7-year sentence

Panic is gripping thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees living in no man's land on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, with daily clashes between <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-civilian-military-leaders-meet-vow-to-crush-rakhine-rebels-188927">Myanmar security forces and ethnic Rakhine insurgents.</a>

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar since a military crackdown started in 2017 - most to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-army-to-launch-crackdown-on-rakhine-rebels-government-188868">sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh </a>— but many have been living in limbo on the border, unwilling to enter the camps or return home.

They are now caught on the sidelines of fighting between Myanmar troops and the Arakan Army, a militant group seeking more autonomy for western Rakhine state's Buddhist-majority population.

"Heavy fighting is going on between the government troops and Arakan Army inside Myanmar," Rohingya leader Dil Mohammad told AFP.

"The situation is very tense," he said, adding the security build-up and daily gunfire had created "panic".

Myanmar troops last week set up security camps and bunkers along the border after fighting saw 13 police killed.

Some of the fortifications are directly adjacent to a border fence running alongside a stream and overlook shacks erected by an estimated 4,500 displaced Muslims living in the narrow strip of land.

Refugee community leader Nur Alam said gunfire could frequently be heard after dark on the other side of the border. "Every night it is close by. The Myanmar border guard have set up 10 new posts near our camp. It's very intimidating," he told AFP.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the United Nations said it was "deeply concerned" about the situation in the area.

A Bangladesh official said they were aware of the border tensions. "We will talk to the relevant authorities to discuss what to do," local administrator Kamal Hossain said.

Rohingya in Buddhist-majority Myanmar have suffered decades of persecution. Impoverished western Rakhine state, in particular, is scarred by deep ethnic and religious hatred.

Refugees pouring into Bangladesh have detailed mass killings, arson, and rape at the hands of Myanmar troops and Buddhist mobs.

Myanmar has denied any wrongdoing, saying it was defending itself against Rohingya militants who attacked police posts.

The United Nations has called for a genocide investigation into the crackdown.&nbsp;

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar since a military crackdown started in 2017 - most to sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh — but many have been living in limbo on the border.

Panic is gripping thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees living in no man's land on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, with daily clashes between Myanmar security forces and ethnic Rakhine insurgents. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar since a military crackdown started in 2017 - most to sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh — but many have been living in limbo on the border, unwilling to enter the camps or return home. They are now caught on the sidelines of fighting between Myanmar troops and the Arakan Army, a militant group seeking more autonomy for western Rakhine state's Buddhist-majority population. "Heavy fighting is going on between the government troops and Arakan Army inside Myanmar," Rohingya leader Dil Mohammad told AFP. "The situation is very tense," he said, adding the security build-up and daily gunfire had created "panic". Myanmar troops last week set up security camps and bunkers along the border after fighting saw 13 police killed. Some of the fortifications are directly adjacent to a border fence running alongside a stream and overlook shacks erected by an estimated 4,500 displaced Muslims living in the narrow strip of land. Refugee community leader Nur Alam said gunfire could frequently be heard after dark on the other side of the border. "Every night it is close by. The Myanmar border guard have set up 10 new posts near our camp. It's very intimidating," he told AFP. In a statement issued Wednesday, the United Nations said it was "deeply concerned" about the situation in the area. A Bangladesh official said they were aware of the border tensions. "We will talk to the relevant authorities to discuss what to do," local administrator Kamal Hossain said. Rohingya in Buddhist-majority Myanmar have suffered decades of persecution. Impoverished western Rakhine state, in particular, is scarred by deep ethnic and religious hatred. Refugees pouring into Bangladesh have detailed mass killings, arson, and rape at the hands of Myanmar troops and Buddhist mobs. Myanmar has denied any wrongdoing, saying it was defending itself against Rohingya militants who attacked police posts. The United Nations has called for a genocide investigation into the crackdown.

New Myanmar unrest panics Rohingya in border limbo

From Sittwe in the east in Myanmar to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-afghanistan-and-iran-meet-for-chabahar-agreement-186253">Chabahar in the west in Iran</a>, New Delhi is taking over operations of key ports that will give a fillip to its influence in the region.&nbsp;

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, minister of state for shipping, road transport and chemical &amp; fertilizer Mansukh L Mandaviya informed that the "infrastructure at Sittwe Port in Myanmar, constructed with India’s assistance, is ready for operation."&nbsp;

The construction of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/eus-envoy-welcomes-indias-move-to-develop-chabahar-expresses-worry-on-data-localisation-178611">Sittwe Port is part of the Kaladan</a> multi-modal transit transport project and its objective is to create a multi-modal sea, river and road transport corridor for shipment of cargo from the eastern ports of India to Myanmar through Sittwe port as well as to north-eastern part of India via Myanmar.&nbsp;

The approved construction cost of Sittwe Port and Inland Water Terminals at Sittwe and Paletwa is Rs. 517.29 crore.&nbsp;

India and Myanmar signed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 22nd October, 2018 for operationalisation of the port at Sittwe and Inland Water Transport (IWT) Terminals at Sittwe and Paletwa. Once fully operational, the project would encourage investment and trade and also open up alternate routes for connectivity to India’s north-east region.&nbsp;

India is keen to engage with ASEAN and has invited all ten heads of states for its Republic day this year. Under its Act East policy, India will also be building a road from north-east to connect with other ASEAN countries.&nbsp;

The development comes even as India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port, Chabahar in Iran during the Chabahar Trilateral Agreement meeting that was held on December 24th, 2018.&nbsp;

The heads of Indian, Iranian and Afghanistan delegation jointly inaugurated the office of the Indian SPV - India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ) at Chabahar. The physical take-over of the terminal area, cargo handling equipment and Office building was completed by December, 29th last year.

Commercial operations began at IPGCFZ with the arrival of a vessel. A Cyprus registered bulk carrier had arrived at Chabahar with 72458 MT of corn cargo. The vessel MV MACHERAS berthed at the terminal a few days back on December 30th.&nbsp;

According to the ministry of shipping, "this step marks the beginning of a long journey. India has written history with its engagement in Chabahar and is now leading the regional cooperation and joint efforts to support landlocked Afghanistan."

Interestingly, this is the first time India will be operating a port outside its territories. India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003 but a major push was received in the second half of 2014, resulting in the signing of an &nbsp;MOU between the two countries for the development of Chabahar Port in May 2015.&nbsp;

This MOU translated into a formal 10-year contract for equipping and operating the Chabahar Port, which was executed on May 23rd, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tehran.

The US has already provided a wavier to India on the port from the Iranian sanctions.

The state department had told WION last year that,"after extensive consideration, the secretary has provided an exception from the imposition of certain sanctions under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (IFCA) with respect to the development of Chabahar Port and the construction of an associated railway and for the shipment of non-sanctionable goods through the Port for Afghanistan’s use, as well as Afghanistan’s continued imports of Iranian petroleum products.‎"

From Sittwe in the east in Myanmar to Chabahar in the west in Iran, New Delhi is taking over operations of key ports that will give a fillip to its influence in the region.

From Sittwe in the east in Myanmar to Chabahar in the west in Iran, New Delhi is taking over operations of key ports that will give a fillip to its influence in the region. In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, minister of state for shipping, road transport and chemical & fertilizer Mansukh L Mandaviya informed that the "infrastructure at Sittwe Port in Myanmar, constructed with India’s assistance, is ready for operation." The construction of Sittwe Port is part of the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project and its objective is to create a multi-modal sea, river and road transport corridor for shipment of cargo from the eastern ports of India to Myanmar through Sittwe port as well as to north-eastern part of India via Myanmar. The approved construction cost of Sittwe Port and Inland Water Terminals at Sittwe and Paletwa is Rs. 517.29 crore. India and Myanmar signed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 22nd October, 2018 for operationalisation of the port at Sittwe and Inland Water Transport (IWT) Terminals at Sittwe and Paletwa. Once fully operational, the project would encourage investment and trade and also open up alternate routes for connectivity to India’s north-east region. India is keen to engage with ASEAN and has invited all ten heads of states for its Republic day this year. Under its Act East policy, India will also be building a road from north-east to connect with other ASEAN countries. The development comes even as India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port, Chabahar in Iran during the Chabahar Trilateral Agreement meeting that was held on December 24th, 2018. The heads of Indian, Iranian and Afghanistan delegation jointly inaugurated the office of the Indian SPV - India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ) at Chabahar. The physical take-over of the terminal area, cargo handling equipment and Office building was completed by December, 29th last year. Commercial operations began at IPGCFZ with the arrival of a vessel. A Cyprus registered bulk carrier had arrived at Chabahar with 72458 MT of corn cargo. The vessel MV MACHERAS berthed at the terminal a few days back on December 30th. According to the ministry of shipping, "this step marks the beginning of a long journey. India has written history with its engagement in Chabahar and is now leading the regional cooperation and joint efforts to support landlocked Afghanistan." Interestingly, this is the first time India will be operating a port outside its territories. India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003 but a major push was received in the second half of 2014, resulting in the signing of an MOU between the two countries for the development of Chabahar Port in May 2015. This MOU translated into a formal 10-year contract for equipping and operating the Chabahar Port, which was executed on May 23rd, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tehran. The US has already provided a wavier to India on the port from the Iranian sanctions. The state department had told WION last year that,"after extensive consideration, the secretary has provided an exception from the imposition of certain sanctions under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (IFCA) with respect to the development of Chabahar Port and the construction of an associated railway and for the shipment of non-sanctionable goods through the Port for Afghanistan’s use, as well as Afghanistan’s continued imports of Iranian petroleum products.‎"

Sittwe Port in Myanmar constructed with India’s assistance ready for operation: Government to Rajya Sabha

China should rein in the methamphetamine-producing militias under its influence in eastern Myanmar and stem the flow of precursor chemicals fuelling the multi-billion-dollar drug trade, a report Tuesday said.

Myanmar's Shan state is now thought to be one of the largest producers - if not the largest producer - of meth in the world, feeding a growing market that stretches as far as Japan and Australia.

The country's restive eastern borderlands have hosted a flourishing narcotics trade for decades as the key producer in the lawless Golden Triangle, which also comprises areas of China, Laos, and Thailand.

The south-east Asian nation also remains the second biggest source country for opium and heroin after Afghanistan.

But many drugs networks have in recent years switched to synthetic methamphetamine pills - known regionally as "yaba", Thai for "crazy medicine" - and crystal meth or "ice", a much more potent and addictive version that is smoked or injected.

Various militias provide a safe haven for the booming industry, while precursor chemicals flow over the border from China, conflict specialist NGO International Crisis Group (ICG) said in a report.

Drug production and profits are now so vast that they "dwarf" the formal sector in Shan State and are at the "centre of its political economy", the report added.

The NGO urged China to "crack down" on the illegal trade of precursors across its southwestern border, where it said traffickers have been given free reign.

China should also "use its influence over the Wa and Mongla armed groups controlling enclaves on the Chinese border to end their involvement in the drug trade", the report said, referring to two of Myanmar's most powerful warlord-run ethnic groups, widely seen as the region's key narcotics producers.

Several billion dollars are estimated to be made each year in Myanmar for crystal meth, the ICG said, with Japan and Australia offering the highest street prices in the world.

A tonne has a wholesale value in Australia of at least $ 180 million and street prices several times higher.

Crystal meth is worth more than heroin gram-for-gram, the report said. The narcotic is also exported to China, South Korea, and New Zealand - often in branded tea packets - as the trade becomes "increasingly professionalised" and "dominated by transnational criminal syndicates operating at huge scale".

China's success in clamping down on its own illegal meth labs has pushed the drug networks over the border, with Australian biker gangs providing regional smuggling networks, the report said.

Meanwhile, regional prices for yaba have collapsed to the lowest prices in decades as producers dump huge quantities of Southeast Asia's favourite high on the market.&nbsp;

The southeast Asian nation also remains the second biggest source country for opium and heroin after Afghanistan.

China should rein in the methamphetamine-producing militias under its influence in eastern Myanmar and stem the flow of precursor chemicals fuelling the multi-billion-dollar drug trade, a report Tuesday said. Myanmar's Shan state is now thought to be one of the largest producers - if not the largest producer - of meth in the world, feeding a growing market that stretches as far as Japan and Australia. The country's restive eastern borderlands have hosted a flourishing narcotics trade for decades as the key producer in the lawless Golden Triangle, which also comprises areas of China, Laos, and Thailand. The south-east Asian nation also remains the second biggest source country for opium and heroin after Afghanistan. But many drugs networks have in recent years switched to synthetic methamphetamine pills - known regionally as "yaba", Thai for "crazy medicine" - and crystal meth or "ice", a much more potent and addictive version that is smoked or injected. Various militias provide a safe haven for the booming industry, while precursor chemicals flow over the border from China, conflict specialist NGO International Crisis Group (ICG) said in a report. Drug production and profits are now so vast that they "dwarf" the formal sector in Shan State and are at the "centre of its political economy", the report added. The NGO urged China to "crack down" on the illegal trade of precursors across its southwestern border, where it said traffickers have been given free reign. China should also "use its influence over the Wa and Mongla armed groups controlling enclaves on the Chinese border to end their involvement in the drug trade", the report said, referring to two of Myanmar's most powerful warlord-run ethnic groups, widely seen as the region's key narcotics producers. Several billion dollars are estimated to be made each year in Myanmar for crystal meth, the ICG said, with Japan and Australia offering the highest street prices in the world. A tonne has a wholesale value in Australia of at least $ 180 million and street prices several times higher. Crystal meth is worth more than heroin gram-for-gram, the report said. The narcotic is also exported to China, South Korea, and New Zealand - often in branded tea packets - as the trade becomes "increasingly professionalised" and "dominated by transnational criminal syndicates operating at huge scale". China's success in clamping down on its own illegal meth labs has pushed the drug networks over the border, with Australian biker gangs providing regional smuggling networks, the report said. Meanwhile, regional prices for yaba have collapsed to the lowest prices in decades as producers dump huge quantities of Southeast Asia's favourite high on the market.

China must act to stem Myanmar's meth trade: Report

Myanmar has called on its military to "launch operations" against ethnic <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/rakhine-rebels-kill-13-in-independence-day-attack-on-myanmar-police-posts-188495">Rakhine rebels </a>behind a deadly attack on four police stations last week, a government spokesman said Monday, as a surge of violence forces thousands more from their homes.

The country's troubled western Rakhine state has seen a series of clashes in recent weeks between security forces and the Arakan Army (AA), an armed group calling for more autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population.

The area is one of the poorest in Myanmar and is scarred by deep ethnic and religious hatred.

A brutal army campaign in 2017 forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh, operations justified by the army as a way to stamp out Rohingya militants.

The latest violence by ethnic Rakhine<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rebels-breach-myanmar-ceasefire-in-army-attack-military-187036"> rebels</a> culminated on Friday -- Myanmar's Independence Day -- in brazen pre-dawn raids on four police posts in Buthidaung township near the Bangladesh border.&nbsp;

Authorities said that the attack by hundreds of militants left 13 police officers dead and nine wounded before the army, known locally as the Tatmadaw, were able to provide back-up.&nbsp;

The AA said that three of its fighters had been killed, accusing the military of using the police stations as a base from which to fire heavy artillery.

"The president's office has already instructed the Tatmadaw to launch operations to crack down on the insurgents," government spokesman Zaw Htay told reporters in the capital Naypyidaw.

Civilians flee&nbsp;

Some 4,500 people have been displaced by the recent weeks of violence, the UN's humanitarian agency said on Monday.

Over the weekend, people streamed to nearby monasteries and other makeshift camps to escape the crossfire, carrying infants and bags of belongings.

The increase in fighting comes just two weeks after the military declared a four-month ceasefire with a number of armed groups in Kachin and Shan states on the other side of the country.

But Rakhine was a notable exception, and army operations against the AA have continued.

Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi stated that the peace process would be her top priority after her party swept to power in landmark 2015 elections.

There are around two dozen conflicts festering around the country's restive borderlands, some of which date back 70 years to when the nation declared independence from colonial power Britain.

Independent analyst David Mathieson told AFP the reasons behind the recent uptick in violence were still largely opaque.

But he said the fighting could mean that greater numbers of AA fighters have "infiltrated the borderlands and are extending their reach" in what he described as "classic guerrilla strategy".

The AA has expanded its ranks since its formation in 2009 and is now believed to have several thousand recruits.

Zaw Htay, the government spokesman, called on ethnic Rakhine people not to back the rebels.

"Consider Rakhine's future deeply. Think carefully about the future you want to see before giving them your support," he said.

Myanmar has called on its military to "launch operations" against ethnic Rakhine rebels behind a deadly attack on four police stations last week, a government spokesman said Monday, as a surge of violence forces thousands more from their homes.

Myanmar has called on its military to "launch operations" against ethnic Rakhine rebels behind a deadly attack on four police stations last week, a government spokesman said Monday, as a surge of violence forces thousands more from their homes. The country's troubled western Rakhine state has seen a series of clashes in recent weeks between security forces and the Arakan Army (AA), an armed group calling for more autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population. The area is one of the poorest in Myanmar and is scarred by deep ethnic and religious hatred. A brutal army campaign in 2017 forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh, operations justified by the army as a way to stamp out Rohingya militants. The latest violence by ethnic Rakhine rebels culminated on Friday -- Myanmar's Independence Day -- in brazen pre-dawn raids on four police posts in Buthidaung township near the Bangladesh border. Authorities said that the attack by hundreds of militants left 13 police officers dead and nine wounded before the army, known locally as the Tatmadaw, were able to provide back-up. The AA said that three of its fighters had been killed, accusing the military of using the police stations as a base from which to fire heavy artillery. "The president's office has already instructed the Tatmadaw to launch operations to crack down on the insurgents," government spokesman Zaw Htay told reporters in the capital Naypyidaw. Civilians flee Some 4,500 people have been displaced by the recent weeks of violence, the UN's humanitarian agency said on Monday. Over the weekend, people streamed to nearby monasteries and other makeshift camps to escape the crossfire, carrying infants and bags of belongings. The increase in fighting comes just two weeks after the military declared a four-month ceasefire with a number of armed groups in Kachin and Shan states on the other side of the country. But Rakhine was a notable exception, and army operations against the AA have continued. Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi stated that the peace process would be her top priority after her party swept to power in landmark 2015 elections. There are around two dozen conflicts festering around the country's restive borderlands, some of which date back 70 years to when the nation declared independence from colonial power Britain. Independent analyst David Mathieson told AFP the reasons behind the recent uptick in violence were still largely opaque. But he said the fighting could mean that greater numbers of AA fighters have "infiltrated the borderlands and are extending their reach" in what he described as "classic guerrilla strategy". The AA has expanded its ranks since its formation in 2009 and is now believed to have several thousand recruits. Zaw Htay, the government spokesman, called on ethnic Rakhine people not to back the rebels. "Consider Rakhine's future deeply. Think carefully about the future you want to see before giving them your support," he said.

Myanmar army to launch 'crackdown' on Rakhine rebels: Government

Rakhine insurgents killed 13 policemen and injured nine in attacks on four police posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state on Friday as the country marked Independence Day, the official news agency said.

Fighting resurged in Rakhine state in early December between government forces and the rebel Arakan Army, which wants greater autonomy for Rakhine, where the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group makes up the majority. The Arakan Army does not cite religion as a factor in its insurgency.

It was also in the restive western state that a military-led crackdown in 2017, following attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents, prompted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee westwards to neighbouring Bangladesh.

The separate conflict between the military and Arakan Army rebels forced 2,500 civilians from their homes by the end of last year, according to the United Nations.

The Arakan Army says it has been fighting for nearly a decade for self-determination in "the land of Arakan," another name for Rakhine. An independent kingdom ruled in the coastal area until the 18th century.

The Arakan Army is one of multiple armed groups fighting in the name of ethnic minorities in the rugged borderlands of Myanmar, a country once known as Burma where around 90 per cent of people are Buddhists.

The official Myanmar News Agency said four police posts in the Buthidaung area in northern Rakhine came under attack from hundreds of Arakan Army fighters after daybreak on Friday.

Thirteen policemen were killed and nine injured as police were forced to abandon two of the posts, it said, adding that the military was now conducting a "clearance" of the area.

Myanmar military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said the insurgents had hit police outposts near the border with Bangladesh.

"These police posts are there to protect the national races in the area so (Arakan Army rebels) shouldn't attack them," Zaw Min Tun said, referring to mostly Buddhist ethnic groups in the area who are, unlike Rohingya Muslims, considered Myanmar citizens.

Arakan Army spokesman Khine Thu Kha confirmed the assault and said rebels later retrieved the corpses of seven "enemies".

He said later that rebels had freed at least 12 members of the security forces it detained in the fighting.

The attacks, he added, came in response to a Myanmar military offensive against the Arakan Army in recent weeks that had also targeted civilians. The military has denied targeting civilians.

The Myanmar military last month announced a four-month halt to fighting in the north and northeast of the country to kick-start peace talks with armed groups seeking autonomy, but that announcement excluded Rakhine state.

The Myanmar police force said on Saturday it had opened cases against those involved in Friday's attack under Myanmar’s Counter-Terrorism Law and a weapons law.

"This is a carefully planned premeditated attack to harm the lives and property of the people and to further aggravate the instability in the Rakhine State," the English-language Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Saturday.

Friday's violence erupted shortly after the national flag was raised across the southeast Asian country to mark 71 years since independence from Britain, but the Arakan Army spokesman denied any connection between the attacks and the anniversary.

"We are not independent yet. Today is not our Independence Day," Khine Thu Kha said.

Last August, a U.N. report accused the Myanmar military of mass killings and rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent" in 2017 in an operation that drove more than 700,000 of them to flee to Bangladesh, according to U.N. agencies.

Myanmar has denied the charges, saying its military launched a counter-insurgency operation after attacks on security posts by Muslim militants.

Rakhine insurgents killed 13 policemen and injured nine in attacks on four police posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state on Friday as the country marked Independence Day, the official news agency said.

Rakhine insurgents killed 13 policemen and injured nine in attacks on four police posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state on Friday as the country marked Independence Day, the official news agency said. Fighting resurged in Rakhine state in early December between government forces and the rebel Arakan Army, which wants greater autonomy for Rakhine, where the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group makes up the majority. The Arakan Army does not cite religion as a factor in its insurgency. It was also in the restive western state that a military-led crackdown in 2017, following attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents, prompted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee westwards to neighbouring Bangladesh. The separate conflict between the military and Arakan Army rebels forced 2,500 civilians from their homes by the end of last year, according to the United Nations. The Arakan Army says it has been fighting for nearly a decade for self-determination in "the land of Arakan," another name for Rakhine. An independent kingdom ruled in the coastal area until the 18th century. The Arakan Army is one of multiple armed groups fighting in the name of ethnic minorities in the rugged borderlands of Myanmar, a country once known as Burma where around 90 per cent of people are Buddhists. The official Myanmar News Agency said four police posts in the Buthidaung area in northern Rakhine came under attack from hundreds of Arakan Army fighters after daybreak on Friday. Thirteen policemen were killed and nine injured as police were forced to abandon two of the posts, it said, adding that the military was now conducting a "clearance" of the area. Myanmar military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said the insurgents had hit police outposts near the border with Bangladesh. "These police posts are there to protect the national races in the area so (Arakan Army rebels) shouldn't attack them," Zaw Min Tun said, referring to mostly Buddhist ethnic groups in the area who are, unlike Rohingya Muslims, considered Myanmar citizens. Arakan Army spokesman Khine Thu Kha confirmed the assault and said rebels later retrieved the corpses of seven "enemies". He said later that rebels had freed at least 12 members of the security forces it detained in the fighting. The attacks, he added, came in response to a Myanmar military offensive against the Arakan Army in recent weeks that had also targeted civilians. The military has denied targeting civilians. The Myanmar military last month announced a four-month halt to fighting in the north and northeast of the country to kick-start peace talks with armed groups seeking autonomy, but that announcement excluded Rakhine state. The Myanmar police force said on Saturday it had opened cases against those involved in Friday's attack under Myanmar’s Counter-Terrorism Law and a weapons law. "This is a carefully planned premeditated attack to harm the lives and property of the people and to further aggravate the instability in the Rakhine State," the English-language Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Saturday. Friday's violence erupted shortly after the national flag was raised across the southeast Asian country to mark 71 years since independence from Britain, but the Arakan Army spokesman denied any connection between the attacks and the anniversary. "We are not independent yet. Today is not our Independence Day," Khine Thu Kha said. Last August, a U.N. report accused the Myanmar military of mass killings and rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent" in 2017 in an operation that drove more than 700,000 of them to flee to Bangladesh, according to U.N. agencies. Myanmar has denied the charges, saying its military launched a counter-insurgency operation after attacks on security posts by Muslim militants.

Rakhine rebels kill 13 in Independence Day attack on Myanmar police posts

Bangladesh police on Saturday found the bullet-ridden bodies of two alleged Rohingya drug dealers in a southeastern coastal town notorious for its connection with the Myanmar meth trade.

Teknaf town police chief Prodip Kumar Das said the bodies were found lying next to a highway beside the sea and some 10,000 meth pills were recovered from their possession.

"Both of these refugees were... notorious drug dealers in the region. We're suspecting they were killed in a gang fight over sharing profits," he said.

The police said they were investigating the deaths but did not provide further information on the two men.

Over 720,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state since August 2017 and joined some 300,000 refugees already living in squalid camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district.

Bangladeshi authorities say local kingpins use the refugees -- trapped in poverty and unlikely to return home any time soon -- to transport "yaba" pills which are made in Myanmar meth labs.&nbsp;

Yaba is a methamphetamine-based, caffeine-cut stimulant that translates as "crazy medicine".

The coastal town on the Naf river that divides the two neighbours is a key entry point through which yaba enters the South Asian nation's multi-million dollar drug market.

In May Bangladesh launched a violent anti-drug crackdown which saw the deaths of at least 250 drug dealers, including 26 in Teknaf in the last three months.

Experts have compared the campaign with the Filipino anti-drug war of Rodrigo Duterte, in which police say they have killed nearly 5,000 alleged users and pushers -- although rights groups say the toll is at least triple that.

Bangladesh police on Saturday found the bullet-ridden bodies of two alleged Rohingya drug dealers in a southeastern coastal town notorious for its connection with the Myanmar meth trade.

Bangladesh police on Saturday found the bullet-ridden bodies of two alleged Rohingya drug dealers in a southeastern coastal town notorious for its connection with the Myanmar meth trade. Teknaf town police chief Prodip Kumar Das said the bodies were found lying next to a highway beside the sea and some 10,000 meth pills were recovered from their possession. "Both of these refugees were... notorious drug dealers in the region. We're suspecting they were killed in a gang fight over sharing profits," he said. The police said they were investigating the deaths but did not provide further information on the two men. Over 720,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state since August 2017 and joined some 300,000 refugees already living in squalid camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district. Bangladeshi authorities say local kingpins use the refugees -- trapped in poverty and unlikely to return home any time soon -- to transport "yaba" pills which are made in Myanmar meth labs. Yaba is a methamphetamine-based, caffeine-cut stimulant that translates as "crazy medicine". The coastal town on the Naf river that divides the two neighbours is a key entry point through which yaba enters the South Asian nation's multi-million dollar drug market. In May Bangladesh launched a violent anti-drug crackdown which saw the deaths of at least 250 drug dealers, including 26 in Teknaf in the last three months. Experts have compared the campaign with the Filipino anti-drug war of Rodrigo Duterte, in which police say they have killed nearly 5,000 alleged users and pushers -- although rights groups say the toll is at least triple that.

Two alleged Rohingya drug dealers found dead in Bangladesh

The UN refugee agency has expressed regret over India's decision to repatriate a group of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rohingya-repatriation-relocation-plans-to-be-pushed-back-to-2019-bangladesh-official-178126">Rohingya to Myanmar</a>, saying it has sought clarification from India on the circumstances under which the asylum seekers were sent back, voicing concern over the unconducive conditions for such returns.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Friday that it "regrets <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-to-deport-second-rohingya-group-to-myanmar-on-thursday-188020">India's decision to repatriate</a> a family of Rohingya asylum seekers to Myanmar, the second such return in three months," Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Farhan Haq told reporters at the daily press briefing.

The UN refugee agency said a family of Rohingya asylum-seekers from Rakhine State, registered with UNHCR in India, was sent back to Myanmar on Thursday after being detained in Assam, where they had been serving a prison term since 2013 for illegal entry into India.

The agency said despite repeated requests, it did not receive a response from the authorities in India regarding requests for access to individuals in detention to ascertain their circumstances and to assess the voluntariness of their decision to return.&nbsp;

Noting that this was the second such incident since October 2018, when India returned seven Rohingya men to Rakhine State in Myanmar, the agency said conditions are not conducive for return of Rohingya to Myanmar.

"UNHCR continues to request access and seek clarification on the circumstances under which the return has taken place,"&nbsp;the agency added.

There are an estimated 18,000 Rohingya refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR in India, living across different locations.

Responding to a question on the Rohingya being returned to Myanmar, Haq said the UN wants to ensure that whenever any family is returned, the nature of the return was voluntary. "And UNHCR was not able to assess the voluntary nature of that return, and so they are very concerned about this," he said.

When asked if the Secretary-General intends to talk directly to India over the issue since the UN refugee agency has "failed", Haq replied "I wouldn't say that UNHCR has failed. What I would say is that there's movements on the ground about which they are concerned, but they are in charge of this particular file, and we'll see how it goes with their efforts."&nbsp;

Assam Additional Director General of Police (Border) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta has said in Guwahati that the five members of the Rohingya family were handed over to the Myanmarese authorities along the International Border in Manipur.&nbsp;

"They were apprehended about five years ago without any travel document and were booked for violating the Foreigners Act,"&nbsp;Mahanta has said.&nbsp;

The UN refugee agency has expressed regret over India's decision to repatriate a group of Rohingya to Myanmar, saying it has sought clarification from India on the circumstances under which the asylum seekers were sent back, voicing concern over the unconducive conditions for such returns.

The UN refugee agency has expressed regret over India's decision to repatriate a group of Rohingya to Myanmar, saying it has sought clarification from India on the circumstances under which the asylum seekers were sent back, voicing concern over the unconducive conditions for such returns. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Friday that it "regrets India's decision to repatriate a family of Rohingya asylum seekers to Myanmar, the second such return in three months," Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Farhan Haq told reporters at the daily press briefing. The UN refugee agency said a family of Rohingya asylum-seekers from Rakhine State, registered with UNHCR in India, was sent back to Myanmar on Thursday after being detained in Assam, where they had been serving a prison term since 2013 for illegal entry into India. The agency said despite repeated requests, it did not receive a response from the authorities in India regarding requests for access to individuals in detention to ascertain their circumstances and to assess the voluntariness of their decision to return. Noting that this was the second such incident since October 2018, when India returned seven Rohingya men to Rakhine State in Myanmar, the agency said conditions are not conducive for return of Rohingya to Myanmar. "UNHCR continues to request access and seek clarification on the circumstances under which the return has taken place," the agency added. There are an estimated 18,000 Rohingya refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR in India, living across different locations. Responding to a question on the Rohingya being returned to Myanmar, Haq said the UN wants to ensure that whenever any family is returned, the nature of the return was voluntary. "And UNHCR was not able to assess the voluntary nature of that return, and so they are very concerned about this," he said. When asked if the Secretary-General intends to talk directly to India over the issue since the UN refugee agency has "failed", Haq replied "I wouldn't say that UNHCR has failed. What I would say is that there's movements on the ground about which they are concerned, but they are in charge of this particular file, and we'll see how it goes with their efforts." Assam Additional Director General of Police (Border) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta has said in Guwahati that the five members of the Rohingya family were handed over to the Myanmarese authorities along the International Border in Manipur. "They were apprehended about five years ago without any travel document and were booked for violating the Foreigners Act," Mahanta has said.

UNHCR seeks clarification from India over repatriation of Rohingya to Myanmar

Ethnic Rakhine rebels carried out pre-dawn attacks on four police stations near the Bangladesh border in a strike confirmed Friday by both the rebel group and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/un-calls-genocide-investigation-in-rakhine-myanmar-161902">Myanmar's army</a>, with the militants claiming to have killed seven and taken 14 "prisoners of war" as operations ramped up.

Myanmar's western state of Rakhine has seen a <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mass-grave-of-28-hindus-found-in-rakhine-myanmar-army-20582&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjP9IvvptTfAhUHY48KHZr3AmUQFggaMAc&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1Le8WFIlNMnQP73dGmD_CB">surge in violence</a> in recent weeks between rebels from the Arakan Army (AA) and security forces, displacing thousands.

It has added a new dimension to the violence in an area already scored by deep ethnic and religious enmity, which saw hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims forced over the border by a bloody army crackdown in 2017.

The AA is calling for greater autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population in what is one of the country's poorest states.

Friday morning's attacks took place in Buthidaung township in the north of<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/life-stopped-in-tracks-in-myanmars-rakhine-state-red-cross-26683"> Rakhine state</a>, army spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told AFP.

"We can confirm that the attack on the four police stations was by the AA," he said, adding that the army immediately sent a support team and that fighting continued into the afternoon.

The AA told AFP that it had carried out the raids, blaming the military for using the police stations as a base from which to fire heavy artillery. 
"The army brought the police into the war two weeks ago," AA spokesman Khine Thukha said by phone, adding that the group had been under fire the whole day from army helicopters.

"Seven enemy combatants were killed. When we seized the posts, they surrendered and we took 14 prisoners of war," he said, adding that two AA fighters had also been killed in the clashes.

The military was unable to give any information about casualty numbers.&nbsp;

The UN's humanitarian agency said Thursday it was concerned for the estimated 2,500 people currently displaced, many of whom are sheltering in local monasteries.

The AA was sidelined by an unexpected temporary ceasefire declared unilaterally by Myanmar's military two weeks ago.

The army vowed to stop fighting for four months against a number of armed groups in Kachin and Shan states on the other side of the country.

Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi made the peace process a priority when her party swept to power in landmark 2015 elections.

Some two dozen conflicts continue to fester around the country's border areas, many dating back to independence 70 years ago. 
The AA has said the army is using the truce elsewhere to focus efforts on Rakhine.

But observers say no major troop redeployments have yet taken place.

The escalation of violence comes amid a series of unclaimed attacks and murders in recent weeks in northern Rakhine.

Unknown assailants murdered a policeman, while two ethnic Rakhine were found with their throats slit, prompting the army to launch localised "clearance operations".

Ethnic Rakhine rebels carried out pre-dawn attacks on four police stations near the Bangladesh border in a strike confirmed Friday by both the rebel group and Myanmar's army, with the militants claiming to have killed seven and taken 14 "prisoners of war" as operations ramped up.

Ethnic Rakhine rebels carried out pre-dawn attacks on four police stations near the Bangladesh border in a strike confirmed Friday by both the rebel group and Myanmar's army, with the militants claiming to have killed seven and taken 14 "prisoners of war" as operations ramped up. Myanmar's western state of Rakhine has seen a surge in violence in recent weeks between rebels from the Arakan Army (AA) and security forces, displacing thousands. It has added a new dimension to the violence in an area already scored by deep ethnic and religious enmity, which saw hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims forced over the border by a bloody army crackdown in 2017. The AA is calling for greater autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population in what is one of the country's poorest states. Friday morning's attacks took place in Buthidaung township in the north of Rakhine state, army spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told AFP. "We can confirm that the attack on the four police stations was by the AA," he said, adding that the army immediately sent a support team and that fighting continued into the afternoon. The AA told AFP that it had carried out the raids, blaming the military for using the police stations as a base from which to fire heavy artillery. "The army brought the police into the war two weeks ago," AA spokesman Khine Thukha said by phone, adding that the group had been under fire the whole day from army helicopters. "Seven enemy combatants were killed. When we seized the posts, they surrendered and we took 14 prisoners of war," he said, adding that two AA fighters had also been killed in the clashes. The military was unable to give any information about casualty numbers. The UN's humanitarian agency said Thursday it was concerned for the estimated 2,500 people currently displaced, many of whom are sheltering in local monasteries. The AA was sidelined by an unexpected temporary ceasefire declared unilaterally by Myanmar's military two weeks ago. The army vowed to stop fighting for four months against a number of armed groups in Kachin and Shan states on the other side of the country. Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi made the peace process a priority when her party swept to power in landmark 2015 elections. Some two dozen conflicts continue to fester around the country's border areas, many dating back to independence 70 years ago. The AA has said the army is using the truce elsewhere to focus efforts on Rakhine. But observers say no major troop redeployments have yet taken place. The escalation of violence comes amid a series of unclaimed attacks and murders in recent weeks in northern Rakhine. Unknown assailants murdered a policeman, while two ethnic Rakhine were found with their throats slit, prompting the army to launch localised "clearance operations".

Myanmar's Rakhine rebels attack police posts in pre-dawn raids

By Daniel Sullivan

The year 2018 was a dire and desperate year for the Rohingya minority from western Myanmar. Two-thirds of the population that had been living in western Rakhine State before the end of 2017 remain displaced in crowded camps in Bangladesh. The several hundred thousand who remain in Myanmar face serious restrictions, and what the chair of an independent, international fact-finding mission describes as an “ongoing genocide.”

What will the year 2019 have in store for the Rohingyas? Here are key developments to keep an eye on and some thoughts on what must be done to improve the outlook.

Rohingya returning home

Repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar is both the most necessary solution to the&nbsp;crisis and the most controversial. It is not a question of whether Rohingyas should be able to return to their homes; it is a question of when and under what conditions. To be clear, those conditions do not currently exist. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed. Rohingyas in Myanmar continue to face restrictions and abuse. And there is little sign of accountability or a path to citizenship as demanded by Rohingyas who have been forced to flee. In fact, more than 15,000 Rohingyas have continued to flee conditions in Myanmar for Bangladesh in 2018.

More than 40 humanitarian organisations working on the ground in Bangladesh have warned that returning the Rohingyas to their homes now would be dangerous and premature. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has been clear that current conditions in Myanmar are not conducive “to the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of refugees.”

Still, the governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh have pushed for returns to move forward. A bilateral deal to start returns by November 15, 2018, fell apart only because Bangladesh was unable to find Rohingyas willing to return voluntarily. Pressure for returns will continue through 2019, but the reality is that more than likely, most Rohingya will not and should not return by the end of 2019. Whether returns can take place in line with international standards — that is safe, voluntary and dignified — will depend mostly on what the government of Myanmar does or does not do.

Reforms in Myanmar

The government of Myanmar has it within its power to create the conditions conducive to safe returns of Rohingyas to Myanmar. It also has a blueprint for how to do so. The Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, led by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, released a final report in August 2017 that was endorsed by the government of Myanmar. The report included recommendations for freedom of movement, recognition of basic rights and a path to citizenship for Rohingyas in Myanmar.

By taking these steps, opening access to humanitarians and independent media and human rights monitors, and working with UNHCR, it may be possible to begin thinking about returns in 2019. But the window for doing so is quickly closing as the next election in Myanmar draws near in 2020. Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, already reluctant to reform and address the Rohingya crisis, will be even more so as the military’s party seeks to capitalize on anti-Rohingya sentiment. As this dynamic plays out, it will be even more important that pressure for change comes from outside — the sooner the better.

Accountability for genocide

The push for accountability for the crimes committed by Myanmar’s security forces against the Rohingya gained momentum in the last month of 2018. The US Holocaust Memorial Museum and the law firm that carried out a US State Department survey of the Rohingyas independently concluded that there was strong evidence that crimes against humanity and genocide were committed. The State Department has not yet made a determination, but the US House of Representatives voted 394 to 1 to declare the crimes as genocide.

In August 2018, an international fact-finding mission, authorised by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), concluded that Myanmar’s top military generals, including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, must be investigated for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The UNHRC then mandated the creation of an independent mechanism to collect evidence of abuses for future prosecution. Now it is vital that this mechanism receive the funding necessary to carry out its mandate.

The International Criminal Court has also begun an investigation into the crimes committed against the Rohingya. And international human rights groups continue to push for a mechanism for carrying out prosecutions. What forms of accountability are ultimately achieved will remain to be seen, but efforts will not go away in 2019.

It is also possible that the US State Department will be pushed to finally make a determination that crimes against humanity, if not genocide, have taken place. This would prompt further targeted sanctions. The United States has already placed sanctions on a handful of Myanmar military and border guard officials and the two army battalions that led the attacks on Rohingya civilians. But these sanctions need to extend to the highest levels, including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Monsoon and cyclones

One of the greatest fears faced by Rohingyas in Bangladesh through much of 2018 was the risk of a direct cyclone hit on the Rohingya camps. The worst was avoided in 2018, but flooding and high winds destroyed shelters, injured dozens and displaced thousands. With hundreds of thousands of Rohingya remaining in fragile shelters in crowded camps, that fear will be renewed with the 2019 monsoon and cyclone seasons. Beyond a direct hit, heavy rains will threaten landslides and flooding, not to mention the risks of the rapid spread of water-borne diseases.

The humanitarian community and government of Bangladesh made great efforts to move the most vulnerable Rohingyas to new areas in 2018. But, as highlighted by Refugees International, coordination and preparedness were limited by restrictions on the side of the government of Bangladesh and inefficiencies on the side of UN agencies. The Bangladeshi government continues to restrict the types of materials available to build more durable shelters. It also continues to push plans to move at least 100,000 Rohingyas to Bhashan Char, an island in the historic path of cyclones and prone to flooding through much of the year.

Due to government restrictions, UN agencies have also struggled with a complex, hybrid coordination structure, rather than the usual refugee response. Efforts are underway to assess the response and incorporate lessons learned for the UN response. The outcome of the recent general election in Bangladesh may create further space to address these issues. What is certain is that the 2019 monsoon and cyclone seasons will arrive and the extent to which space has opened and lessons been learned will be tested.

Another boat crisis?

Finally, 2019 will likely see an increase in Rohingya fleeing conditions both in Myanmar and Bangladesh by boat for other countries like Malaysia and Thailand. With increased maritime monitoring and a break up of trafficking networks, we are unlikely to see something on the scale of the May 2015 crisis, in which thousands of Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees and migrants were abandoned at sea. But the same questions of whether countries in the region will accept any abandoned boats or push them back to sea as they did in 2015 will have to be tackled. Already several boats have taken the journey.

Beyond boats, trafficking networks will prey on women in the Rohingya camps. The longer they remain in the camps in Bangladesh, the more vulnerable they will be to such networks. This underscores the regional aspect of the Rohingya crisis. How well Myanmar’s neighbours in Southeast Asia work together to tackle trafficking and pressure Myanmar to improve conditions for Rohingya will greatly influence how the Rohingya crisis plays out in 2019.

The Rohingya will continue to face dire conditions in 2019. But there are ways that their plight can begin to be addressed. Above all, a positive path forward will depend on the ability of international actors to pressure and encourage Myanmar to create the conditions conducive to returns for the Rohingya.

In the meantime, the government of Bangladesh and UN agencies must continue to work together to improve the conditions for nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees living in the country. The year 2019 will not likely be the year that the Rohingya crisis is resolved, but with the right steps there is hope that, a year from now, we can say that the Rohingya have a better outlook for 2020.

[Daniel P. Sullivan is the Senior Advocate for Human Rights at Refugees International (RI)]

(This article was originally published on Fair Observer. Read the <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/asia_pacific/rohingya-crisis-refugees-genocide-myanmar-bangladesh-asia-world-news-today-21390/">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By Daniel Sullivan The year 2018 was a dire and desperate year for the Rohingya minority from western Myanmar. Two-thirds of the population that had been living in western Rakhine State before the end of 2017 remain displaced in crowded camps in Bangladesh.

By Daniel Sullivan The year 2018 was a dire and desperate year for the Rohingya minority from western Myanmar. Two-thirds of the population that had been living in western Rakhine State before the end of 2017 remain displaced in crowded camps in Bangladesh. The several hundred thousand who remain in Myanmar face serious restrictions, and what the chair of an independent, international fact-finding mission describes as an “ongoing genocide.” What will the year 2019 have in store for the Rohingyas? Here are key developments to keep an eye on and some thoughts on what must be done to improve the outlook. Rohingya returning home Repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar is both the most necessary solution to the crisis and the most controversial. It is not a question of whether Rohingyas should be able to return to their homes; it is a question of when and under what conditions. To be clear, those conditions do not currently exist. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed. Rohingyas in Myanmar continue to face restrictions and abuse. And there is little sign of accountability or a path to citizenship as demanded by Rohingyas who have been forced to flee. In fact, more than 15,000 Rohingyas have continued to flee conditions in Myanmar for Bangladesh in 2018. More than 40 humanitarian organisations working on the ground in Bangladesh have warned that returning the Rohingyas to their homes now would be dangerous and premature. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has been clear that current conditions in Myanmar are not conducive “to the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of refugees.” Still, the governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh have pushed for returns to move forward. A bilateral deal to start returns by November 15, 2018, fell apart only because Bangladesh was unable to find Rohingyas willing to return voluntarily. Pressure for returns will continue through 2019, but the reality is that more than likely, most Rohingya will not and should not return by the end of 2019. Whether returns can take place in line with international standards — that is safe, voluntary and dignified — will depend mostly on what the government of Myanmar does or does not do. Reforms in Myanmar The government of Myanmar has it within its power to create the conditions conducive to safe returns of Rohingyas to Myanmar. It also has a blueprint for how to do so. The Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, led by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, released a final report in August 2017 that was endorsed by the government of Myanmar. The report included recommendations for freedom of movement, recognition of basic rights and a path to citizenship for Rohingyas in Myanmar. By taking these steps, opening access to humanitarians and independent media and human rights monitors, and working with UNHCR, it may be possible to begin thinking about returns in 2019. But the window for doing so is quickly closing as the next election in Myanmar draws near in 2020. Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, already reluctant to reform and address the Rohingya crisis, will be even more so as the military’s party seeks to capitalize on anti-Rohingya sentiment. As this dynamic plays out, it will be even more important that pressure for change comes from outside — the sooner the better. Accountability for genocide The push for accountability for the crimes committed by Myanmar’s security forces against the Rohingya gained momentum in the last month of 2018. The US Holocaust Memorial Museum and the law firm that carried out a US State Department survey of the Rohingyas independently concluded that there was strong evidence that crimes against humanity and genocide were committed. The State Department has not yet made a determination, but the US House of Representatives voted 394 to 1 to declare the crimes as genocide. In August 2018, an international fact-finding mission, authorised by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), concluded that Myanmar’s top military generals, including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, must be investigated for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The UNHRC then mandated the creation of an independent mechanism to collect evidence of abuses for future prosecution. Now it is vital that this mechanism receive the funding necessary to carry out its mandate. The International Criminal Court has also begun an investigation into the crimes committed against the Rohingya. And international human rights groups continue to push for a mechanism for carrying out prosecutions. What forms of accountability are ultimately achieved will remain to be seen, but efforts will not go away in 2019. It is also possible that the US State Department will be pushed to finally make a determination that crimes against humanity, if not genocide, have taken place. This would prompt further targeted sanctions. The United States has already placed sanctions on a handful of Myanmar military and border guard officials and the two army battalions that led the attacks on Rohingya civilians. But these sanctions need to extend to the highest levels, including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Monsoon and cyclones One of the greatest fears faced by Rohingyas in Bangladesh through much of 2018 was the risk of a direct cyclone hit on the Rohingya camps. The worst was avoided in 2018, but flooding and high winds destroyed shelters, injured dozens and displaced thousands. With hundreds of thousands of Rohingya remaining in fragile shelters in crowded camps, that fear will be renewed with the 2019 monsoon and cyclone seasons. Beyond a direct hit, heavy rains will threaten landslides and flooding, not to mention the risks of the rapid spread of water-borne diseases. The humanitarian community and government of Bangladesh made great efforts to move the most vulnerable Rohingyas to new areas in 2018. But, as highlighted by Refugees International, coordination and preparedness were limited by restrictions on the side of the government of Bangladesh and inefficiencies on the side of UN agencies. The Bangladeshi government continues to restrict the types of materials available to build more durable shelters. It also continues to push plans to move at least 100,000 Rohingyas to Bhashan Char, an island in the historic path of cyclones and prone to flooding through much of the year. Due to government restrictions, UN agencies have also struggled with a complex, hybrid coordination structure, rather than the usual refugee response. Efforts are underway to assess the response and incorporate lessons learned for the UN response. The outcome of the recent general election in Bangladesh may create further space to address these issues. What is certain is that the 2019 monsoon and cyclone seasons will arrive and the extent to which space has opened and lessons been learned will be tested. Another boat crisis? Finally, 2019 will likely see an increase in Rohingya fleeing conditions both in Myanmar and Bangladesh by boat for other countries like Malaysia and Thailand. With increased maritime monitoring and a break up of trafficking networks, we are unlikely to see something on the scale of the May 2015 crisis, in which thousands of Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees and migrants were abandoned at sea. But the same questions of whether countries in the region will accept any abandoned boats or push them back to sea as they did in 2015 will have to be tackled. Already several boats have taken the journey. Beyond boats, trafficking networks will prey on women in the Rohingya camps. The longer they remain in the camps in Bangladesh, the more vulnerable they will be to such networks. This underscores the regional aspect of the Rohingya crisis. How well Myanmar’s neighbours in Southeast Asia work together to tackle trafficking and pressure Myanmar to improve conditions for Rohingya will greatly influence how the Rohingya crisis plays out in 2019. The Rohingya will continue to face dire conditions in 2019. But there are ways that their plight can begin to be addressed. Above all, a positive path forward will depend on the ability of international actors to pressure and encourage Myanmar to create the conditions conducive to returns for the Rohingya. In the meantime, the government of Bangladesh and UN agencies must continue to work together to improve the conditions for nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees living in the country. The year 2019 will not likely be the year that the Rohingya crisis is resolved, but with the right steps there is hope that, a year from now, we can say that the Rohingya have a better outlook for 2020. [Daniel P. Sullivan is the Senior Advocate for Human Rights at Refugees International (RI)] (This article was originally published on Fair Observer. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The Rohingya crisis: What to watch for in 2019

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-policeman-found-killed-in-northern-rakhine-state-185930">A Myanmar</a> court heard arguments on Monday&nbsp;in the appeal of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/reuters-reporters-imprisonment-when-myanmars-progress-towards-democracy-was-put-to-question-185665">two Reuters reporters sentenced</a> to seven years in jail on charges of breaking the Official Secrets Act.

Lawyers lodged an appeal on Monday to free two Reuters journalists jailed for their reporting on Myanmar's Rohingya crisis, decrying the sentence as a "mistake" that has already resulted in the pair being locked up for a year.

Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in December 2017 and later sent to prison for what prosecutors said was a breach of official secrets law for the possession of classified material on security operations.

Reuters disputed the charge and said the two were set up by police after probing the massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown.

Lawyers for the reporters filed an appeal against the conviction in early November, citing evidence of a police set-up and lack of proof of a crime.

Lawyers for the reporters and the prosecution presented arguments for more than an hour on Monday before the hearing was adjourned. The court did not give a date for a decision.

Appeal lawyer L. Khun Ring Pan, asked the judge, Aung Naing, to overturn the lower court's decision and release the reporters.

Their conviction in September sparked widespread global condemnation, including from US Vice President Mike Pence, who asked civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to intervene.

"This seven-year jail sentence is a mistake," the journalists' lawyer L.Khun Ring Pan told the bench, in a hearing attended by embassy officials and free media advocates as well as the wives of the jailed journalists.

"They were trying to find out who was involved with the (Inn Din) case. That's why they tried to meet the police... they did not ask for anything secret."

Before their arrest, the reporters 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 last year.

The operation sent more than 730,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh, according to UN estimates.

A Myanmar court heard arguments on Monday in the appeal of two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of breaking the Official Secrets Act.

A Myanmar court heard arguments on Monday in the appeal of two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of breaking the Official Secrets Act. Lawyers lodged an appeal on Monday to free two Reuters journalists jailed for their reporting on Myanmar's Rohingya crisis, decrying the sentence as a "mistake" that has already resulted in the pair being locked up for a year. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in December 2017 and later sent to prison for what prosecutors said was a breach of official secrets law for the possession of classified material on security operations. Reuters disputed the charge and said the two were set up by police after probing the massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown. Lawyers for the reporters filed an appeal against the conviction in early November, citing evidence of a police set-up and lack of proof of a crime. Lawyers for the reporters and the prosecution presented arguments for more than an hour on Monday before the hearing was adjourned. The court did not give a date for a decision. Appeal lawyer L. Khun Ring Pan, asked the judge, Aung Naing, to overturn the lower court's decision and release the reporters. Their conviction in September sparked widespread global condemnation, including from US Vice President Mike Pence, who asked civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to intervene. "This seven-year jail sentence is a mistake," the journalists' lawyer L.Khun Ring Pan told the bench, in a hearing attended by embassy officials and free media advocates as well as the wives of the jailed journalists. "They were trying to find out who was involved with the (Inn Din) case. That's why they tried to meet the police... they did not ask for anything secret." Before their arrest, the reporters 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 last year. The operation sent more than 730,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh, according to UN estimates.

Myanmar court hears arguments of jailed Reuters reporters

The bullet-riddled body of a Myanmar policeman was found in northern Rakhine state, government media said Sunday, as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/reuters-reporters-imprisonment-when-myanmars-progress-towards-democracy-was-put-to-question-185665">tensions rise </a>in the hotspot where the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-army-pauses-operations-in-north-in-rare-conciliatory-action-185678">Rohingya crisis </a>erupted last year.

The western territory is a tinderbox of ethnic and religious divisions and security forces have clashed with both Rohingya insurgents and much better armed Rakhine fighters from the mostly Buddhist Arakan Army.

Private Aung Kyaw Thet went missing in action after an<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-house-of-representatives-describes-crime-against-rohingya-in-myanmar-as-genocide-183895"> ambush last week</a> by unknown assailants in Maungdaw township near the border with Bangladesh.

His body was found two days ago with "gunshot wounds in his face, arm and leg near a hill inside the other country," according to government-backed Global New Light of Myanmar.

The ambush happened the same day that two ethnic Rakhine Buddhist men disappeared while fishing in the same township and were later found with their throats slit, prompting the army to launch local "clearance operations" and raising fears of renewed large-scale violence.

Sunday's report in Global New Light did not identify the alleged perpetrators of the shooting but said authorities found foxholes near the scene, bullet casings and biscuits manufactured in Bangladesh.

More than 720,000 Rohingya fled northern Rakhine to Bangladesh after Myanmar launched a crackdown on the Muslim minority in August 2017.

UN investigators want senior Myanmar generals to be prosecuted for genocide but the army says it was responding to attacks on border guard posts by Rohingya insurgents that killed around a dozen security forces.

The army this week called a rare ceasefire against ethnic armed groups in the northeast of the country but Rakhine state was not included.

Analysts say the military left Rakhine out because it does not want the Arakan Army to gain a foothold in the state as well as lingering concern over the less powerful Rohingya militants, who call themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army.

The bullet-riddled body of a Myanmar policeman was found in northern Rakhine state, government media said Sunday, as tensions rise in the hotspot where the Rohingya crisis erupted last year.

The bullet-riddled body of a Myanmar policeman was found in northern Rakhine state, government media said Sunday, as tensions rise in the hotspot where the Rohingya crisis erupted last year. The western territory is a tinderbox of ethnic and religious divisions and security forces have clashed with both Rohingya insurgents and much better armed Rakhine fighters from the mostly Buddhist Arakan Army. Private Aung Kyaw Thet went missing in action after an ambush last week by unknown assailants in Maungdaw township near the border with Bangladesh. His body was found two days ago with "gunshot wounds in his face, arm and leg near a hill inside the other country," according to government-backed Global New Light of Myanmar. The ambush happened the same day that two ethnic Rakhine Buddhist men disappeared while fishing in the same township and were later found with their throats slit, prompting the army to launch local "clearance operations" and raising fears of renewed large-scale violence. Sunday's report in Global New Light did not identify the alleged perpetrators of the shooting but said authorities found foxholes near the scene, bullet casings and biscuits manufactured in Bangladesh. More than 720,000 Rohingya fled northern Rakhine to Bangladesh after Myanmar launched a crackdown on the Muslim minority in August 2017. UN investigators want senior Myanmar generals to be prosecuted for genocide but the army says it was responding to attacks on border guard posts by Rohingya insurgents that killed around a dozen security forces. The army this week called a rare ceasefire against ethnic armed groups in the northeast of the country but Rakhine state was not included. Analysts say the military left Rakhine out because it does not want the Arakan Army to gain a foothold in the state as well as lingering concern over the less powerful Rohingya militants, who call themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army.

Myanmar: Missing policeman found killed in northern Rakhine state

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-troops-withdrawal-will-not-have-security-impact-on-afghanistan-presidential-spokesman-185677">US troops withdrawal 'will not have security impact' on Afghanistan: Presidential spokesman</a>

In the first official response, Afghanistan has stated that the withdrawal of US troops from the war-torn country will not affect its security, presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri was quoted by news agency AFP on Friday.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/markets-end-in-red-as-sensex-plunges-nearly-700-points-185672">Sensex plunges nearly 700 points amid fears of US government shutdown</a>

Benchmark equity indices witnessed heavy selloff Friday after investors booked profits in realty, banking, IT and auto bluechips amid weak signals from global markets.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/uae-to-deposit-3-billion-in-pakistan-central-bank-185664">UAE to deposit $3 billion in Pakistan central bank</a>

The United Arab Emirates will deposit $3 billion in the central bank of Pakistan to help "enhance liquidity" as the country struggles with a balance of payments crisis, state media said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/order-to-monitor-computers-exists-since-2009-arun-jaitley-185675">Order to monitor computers exists since 2009: Arun Jaitley</a>

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday Jaitley on Friday responded to Congress leader Anand Sharma's remark over Home Affairs Ministry's move to allow ten agencies to monitor any computer.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-army-pauses-operations-in-north-in-rare-conciliatory-action-185678">Myanmar army pauses operations in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-army-pauses-operations-in-north-in-rare-conciliatory-action-185678">north</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-army-pauses-operations-in-north-in-rare-conciliatory-action-185678"> in rare conciliatory action</a>

The Myanmar military on Friday announced a more than four-month cessation of its activities in northern areas where it is fighting ethnic minority insurgents, in what appeared to be a rare conciliatory move aimed at kick-starting peace talks.

US troops withdrawal 'will not have security impact' on Afghanistan: Presidential spokesman In the first official response, Afghanistan has stated that the withdrawal of US troops from the war-torn country will not affect its security, presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri was quoted by news agency AFP on Friday.

US troops withdrawal 'will not have security impact' on Afghanistan: Presidential spokesman In the first official response, Afghanistan has stated that the withdrawal of US troops from the war-torn country will not affect its security, presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri was quoted by news agency AFP on Friday. Sensex plunges nearly 700 points amid fears of US government shutdown Benchmark equity indices witnessed heavy selloff Friday after investors booked profits in realty, banking, IT and auto bluechips amid weak signals from global markets. UAE to deposit $3 billion in Pakistan central bank The United Arab Emirates will deposit $3 billion in the central bank of Pakistan to help "enhance liquidity" as the country struggles with a balance of payments crisis, state media said. Order to monitor computers exists since 2009: Arun Jaitley Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday Jaitley on Friday responded to Congress leader Anand Sharma's remark over Home Affairs Ministry's move to allow ten agencies to monitor any computer. Myanmar army pauses operations in north in rare conciliatory action The Myanmar military on Friday announced a more than four-month cessation of its activities in northern areas where it is fighting ethnic minority insurgents, in what appeared to be a rare conciliatory move aimed at kick-starting peace talks.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-senators-call-on-pompeo-to-label-myanmar-killings-genocide-185476">Myanmar</a> military on Friday announced a more than four-month cessation of its activities in northern areas where it is fighting ethnic minority insurgents, in what appeared to be a rare conciliatory move aimed at kick-starting peace talks.

The army would "stop military operations in respective military regions" in the north and east of the country until April 30, 2019, the office of the military's commander in chief said in a statement.

The cessation would allow military negotiators to conduct talks with insurgent groups that have refused to sign up to a nationwide ceasefire agreement, with the aim of completing a peace process by 2020, it said.

Government spokesman Zaw Htay said the military had informed the civilian administration led by Nobel laureate <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/aung-san-suu-kyi-calls-for-peace-in-speech-no-mention-of-rohingya-crisis-180684">Aung San Suu Kyi </a>ahead of the announcement, and that the two sides were "cooperating" on the peace process.

"We hope there will be good results," Zaw Htay told a news conference in the capital, Naypyitaw.

Suu Kyi prioritised ending the conflicts on coming to power in 2016, but talks have failed to make significant gains.

The Myanmar military has been engaged in multiple conflicts for decades with groups who say they represent the interests of ethnic minorities that want more autonomy in their regions.

The military said its commands in the northern Kachin State and Shan State to the northeast would be affected by the cessation, after a coalition of groups fighting there asked for a pause in the conflict this month.

More than 100,000 people have been displaced by clashes between the army and insurgents since a ceasefire with the Kachin Independence Army broke down in 2011.

Maung Maung Soe, a political analyst based in Yangon, said it was the first time in at least three decades that the military had unilaterally announced stop infighting.

"Peace for the whole country will depend on further discussions with each group," he said, noting that there would be concern that the announcement does not cover the troubled western state of Rakhine.

The Friday announcement did not make specific reference to Rakhine, where the military has battled both Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim insurgents in recent years.

The military launched a crackdown in response to attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) in August 2017, which claims to represent the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority. Myanmar considers the group "terrorists" and they are not included in any negotiations.

UN-mandated investigators said the military committed killings, gang rape and arson in a campaign carried out with "genocidal intent" that pushed more than 730,000 Rohingya across Myanmar's border to Bangladesh.

Myanmar denied that saying it conducted a legitimate counter-terrorist campaign.

In recent weeks, fighting has flared up between the army and a Rakhine Buddhist group, the Arakan Army, in mountainous parts of the western state.

The UN&nbsp;Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs received reports that more than 700 people had been displaced by that fighting since December 8, said Pierre Peron, a spokesman for the agency.

The Myanmar military on Friday announced a more than four-month cessation of its activities in northern areas where it is fighting ethnic minority insurgents, in what appeared to be a rare conciliatory move aimed at kick-starting peace talks.

The Myanmar military on Friday announced a more than four-month cessation of its activities in northern areas where it is fighting ethnic minority insurgents, in what appeared to be a rare conciliatory move aimed at kick-starting peace talks. The army would "stop military operations in respective military regions" in the north and east of the country until April 30, 2019, the office of the military's commander in chief said in a statement. The cessation would allow military negotiators to conduct talks with insurgent groups that have refused to sign up to a nationwide ceasefire agreement, with the aim of completing a peace process by 2020, it said. Government spokesman Zaw Htay said the military had informed the civilian administration led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi ahead of the announcement, and that the two sides were "cooperating" on the peace process. "We hope there will be good results," Zaw Htay told a news conference in the capital, Naypyitaw. Suu Kyi prioritised ending the conflicts on coming to power in 2016, but talks have failed to make significant gains. The Myanmar military has been engaged in multiple conflicts for decades with groups who say they represent the interests of ethnic minorities that want more autonomy in their regions. The military said its commands in the northern Kachin State and Shan State to the northeast would be affected by the cessation, after a coalition of groups fighting there asked for a pause in the conflict this month. More than 100,000 people have been displaced by clashes between the army and insurgents since a ceasefire with the Kachin Independence Army broke down in 2011. Maung Maung Soe, a political analyst based in Yangon, said it was the first time in at least three decades that the military had unilaterally announced stop infighting. "Peace for the whole country will depend on further discussions with each group," he said, noting that there would be concern that the announcement does not cover the troubled western state of Rakhine. The Friday announcement did not make specific reference to Rakhine, where the military has battled both Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim insurgents in recent years. The military launched a crackdown in response to attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) in August 2017, which claims to represent the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority. Myanmar considers the group "terrorists" and they are not included in any negotiations. UN-mandated investigators said the military committed killings, gang rape and arson in a campaign carried out with "genocidal intent" that pushed more than 730,000 Rohingya across Myanmar's border to Bangladesh. Myanmar denied that saying it conducted a legitimate counter-terrorist campaign. In recent weeks, fighting has flared up between the army and a Rakhine Buddhist group, the Arakan Army, in mountainous parts of the western state. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs received reports that more than 700 people had been displaced by that fighting since December 8, said Pierre Peron, a spokesman for the agency.

Myanmar army pauses operations in north in rare conciliatory action

Facebook has removed hundreds of pages and accounts in Myanmar with hidden links to the military, the platform said Wednesday, as the company scrambles to respond to criticism over failures to control hate speech and misinformation.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-discovers-bug-that-may-have-affected-up-to-68-million-users-184116">social media giant</a> -- Myanmar's most popular and influential site -- has been lambasted for years for its ineffective response to malicious posts, particularly against the country's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-accuses-myanmar-military-planned-and-coordinated-rohingya-atrocities-167495">Rohingya Muslims</a>.

The problem reached new levels of urgency last year as Myanmar's military drove more than 720,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh, while dehumanising material about the stateless group spread on the site.

Facebook said Wednesday some 425 pages, 17 groups, 135 accounts and 15 Instagram accounts had been removed, which were posing as independent news, entertainment, beauty and lifestyle pages but in reality had links to the military or to pages previously removed.

This is Facebook's third sweeping takedown of pages and accounts for what it calls " coordinated inauthentic behaviour" in Myanmar following deletions in October and August.

Hardline nationalist monks and even the army's top generals, accused by UN investigators of genocide, are among the users Facebook blacklisted this year.

Facebook said in a newsroom post that it does not want people or organisations "creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they are, or what they're doing," adding that one page had 2.5 million followers.

Some of the deleted pages were called "Down for Anything", "Let's Laugh Casually", and "We Love Myanmar".

Facebook has been trying to repair its battered reputation, improving the speed with which hate speech is taken down and vowing to beef up its Myanmar-language reviewers on staff to 100 by the end of 2018.

But critics say this is not enough to oversee some 20 million Facebook accounts in the country, many in a patchwork of regional languages.

An independent report commissioned by Facebook concluded last month that the state was ultimately responsible for rights abuses, but the company should have done more to prevent the platform from being used to foment division and incite offline violence.

It also warned that Myanmar's 2020 election will likely be a flashpoint for abuse and misinformation.

Most people in Myanmar only came online in the last few years, when smartphone usage soared as the country opened up to the outside world after decades of isolated military rule.

Civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's government -- which is in an uneasy power-sharing agreement with the military -- has come under fire for not doing more to stand up for the Rohingya.

Facebook has removed hundreds of pages and accounts in Myanmar with hidden links to the military, the platform said Wednesday, as the company scrambles to respond to criticism over failures to control hate speech and misinformation.

Facebook has removed hundreds of pages and accounts in Myanmar with hidden links to the military, the platform said Wednesday, as the company scrambles to respond to criticism over failures to control hate speech and misinformation. The social media giant -- Myanmar's most popular and influential site -- has been lambasted for years for its ineffective response to malicious posts, particularly against the country's Rohingya Muslims. The problem reached new levels of urgency last year as Myanmar's military drove more than 720,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh, while dehumanising material about the stateless group spread on the site. Facebook said Wednesday some 425 pages, 17 groups, 135 accounts and 15 Instagram accounts had been removed, which were posing as independent news, entertainment, beauty and lifestyle pages but in reality had links to the military or to pages previously removed. This is Facebook's third sweeping takedown of pages and accounts for what it calls " coordinated inauthentic behaviour" in Myanmar following deletions in October and August. Hardline nationalist monks and even the army's top generals, accused by UN investigators of genocide, are among the users Facebook blacklisted this year. Facebook said in a newsroom post that it does not want people or organisations "creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they are, or what they're doing," adding that one page had 2.5 million followers. Some of the deleted pages were called "Down for Anything", "Let's Laugh Casually", and "We Love Myanmar". Facebook has been trying to repair its battered reputation, improving the speed with which hate speech is taken down and vowing to beef up its Myanmar-language reviewers on staff to 100 by the end of 2018. But critics say this is not enough to oversee some 20 million Facebook accounts in the country, many in a patchwork of regional languages. An independent report commissioned by Facebook concluded last month that the state was ultimately responsible for rights abuses, but the company should have done more to prevent the platform from being used to foment division and incite offline violence. It also warned that Myanmar's 2020 election will likely be a flashpoint for abuse and misinformation. Most people in Myanmar only came online in the last few years, when smartphone usage soared as the country opened up to the outside world after decades of isolated military rule. Civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's government -- which is in an uneasy power-sharing agreement with the military -- has come under fire for not doing more to stand up for the Rohingya.

Facebook removes hundreds of Myanmar military-linked pages from platform

The UN Security Council is considering action to push <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-government-rejects-un-probe-on-rohingya-mass-killings--162208">Myanmar to work with the United Nations</a> to address the Rohingya refugee crisis, although China and Russia have so far boycotted talks on a British-drafted resolution, diplomats said on Monday.

The draft resolution aims to put a timeline on Myanmar allowing the return of more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees from neighbouring Bangladesh and addressing accountability, said diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Rohingya have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state since August last year when attacks on security posts by Rohingya insurgents triggered a military crackdown that the United Nations, the United States, Britain and others described as ethnic cleansing.

Myanmar denies the accusations of ethnic cleansing.

The draft resolution would warn that the 15-member Security Council could consider further steps, including sanctions, if there was not enough progress made by Myanmar, diplomats said. It would also ask UN officials to report back regularly to the council.

It was unclear if or when the draft resolution could be put to a vote. A resolution needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, Britain or France to pass.

"I think it's inappropriate, untimely and useless," Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told Reuters on Monday.

China's UN Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu declined to comment. Myanmar's UN Ambassador Hau Do Suan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The draft was circulated to council members late last month and diplomats said that there had been several rounds of discussions. Russia and China attended an initial meeting, but have not taken part in any further talks, diplomats said.

The text would push Myanmar to implement a memorandum of understanding with the UN development and refugee agencies that Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's government signed in June, as well recommendations made by the Rakhine Advisory Commission that was led by former UN chief Kofi Annan.

The draft resolution does not include referral of the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court, diplomats said.

UN Security Council envoys travelled to Bangladesh and Myanmar in late April.

In October, China, backed by Russia, failed to stop a Security Council briefing by the chair of a U.N. inquiry that accused Myanmar's military of genocide against Rohingya Muslims.

Myanmar has rejected the findings of the UN report.

The UN Security Council is considering action to push Myanmar to work with the United Nations to address the Rohingya refugee crisis, although China and Russia have so far boycotted talks on a British-drafted resolution, diplomats said on Monday.

The UN Security Council is considering action to push Myanmar to work with the United Nations to address the Rohingya refugee crisis, although China and Russia have so far boycotted talks on a British-drafted resolution, diplomats said on Monday. The draft resolution aims to put a timeline on Myanmar allowing the return of more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees from neighbouring Bangladesh and addressing accountability, said diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Rohingya have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state since August last year when attacks on security posts by Rohingya insurgents triggered a military crackdown that the United Nations, the United States, Britain and others described as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar denies the accusations of ethnic cleansing. The draft resolution would warn that the 15-member Security Council could consider further steps, including sanctions, if there was not enough progress made by Myanmar, diplomats said. It would also ask UN officials to report back regularly to the council. It was unclear if or when the draft resolution could be put to a vote. A resolution needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, Britain or France to pass. "I think it's inappropriate, untimely and useless," Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told Reuters on Monday. China's UN Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu declined to comment. Myanmar's UN Ambassador Hau Do Suan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The draft was circulated to council members late last month and diplomats said that there had been several rounds of discussions. Russia and China attended an initial meeting, but have not taken part in any further talks, diplomats said. The text would push Myanmar to implement a memorandum of understanding with the UN development and refugee agencies that Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's government signed in June, as well recommendations made by the Rakhine Advisory Commission that was led by former UN chief Kofi Annan. The draft resolution does not include referral of the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court, diplomats said. UN Security Council envoys travelled to Bangladesh and Myanmar in late April. In October, China, backed by Russia, failed to stop a Security Council briefing by the chair of a U.N. inquiry that accused Myanmar's military of genocide against Rohingya Muslims. Myanmar has rejected the findings of the UN report.

UN Security Council mulls Myanmar action; Russia, China boycott talks

&nbsp;

Ear cleaners, roadside plumbers and typewriters for hire: just a sample of the antiquated jobs found on the pavements of Yangon's Pansodan Street, where old-world businesses still find customers.

For years, tourists have been fascinated by odd trades in Yangon, from cycle trishaws swerving through traffic to roadside clerks going clickety-clack on typewriters.

Some professions have become victims of the political and economic reforms that started in earnest in 2011.

Iced water sellers melted away as improved power supplies made fridges viable; bus conductors lost out in the revamp of the city's transportation network; and landline phone stalls are a relic in the mobile era.

But Pansodan, the beating heart of Myanmar's biggest city, remains home to obscure professions and evokes nostalgia among those who have plied their trade for decades along the potholed pavements below ageing colonial architecture.

"This is the street for the books, for the writers, for the poets. Everyone comes, everyone learns here," Aung Soe Min, a long-time gallery owner on Pansodan, tells AFP.

"Everything you need to know, you can come to Pansodan."&nbsp;

Built by the British and once called Phayre Street, the downtown artery runs south from the train station to the river, where traders arrive by morning ferry.

Monsoons, manicures

Yangon's growth -- statistics show the population has nearly doubled since 1983 to reach 7.3 million -- has left city services struggling to catch up.

The annual monsoon season clogs decades-old plumbing networks and that is when Min Aung is busiest.

Sitting among plungers, pipes and a spare toilet lid serving as an advertisement for his services, the 58-year-old is a veteran of Yangon's small army of streetside plumbers who still find work in the rapidly modernising commercial capital.

"As long as there are toilets, there is work for us," Min Aung tells AFP, puffing a cheroot as morning traffic whooshes by.

Close by is Khin Ohn Myint, 47, who provides quick manicures, fixes ingrown toenails and syringes ears to remove wax build-up.

"I didn't have money to invest in other businesses, so I did this for a living," she says, smiling.

Earning around $10 a day, she has put her children through university so they can pursue other careers.

She says she enjoys helping relieve people's suffering and has even had to remove the occasional cockroach from a customer's ear.

"Pansodan is a historic street for us," she says as she digs out a piece of dirt from under a customer's toenail.

'Pansodan University'

The street is also famous for its pavement booksellers whose offerings include everything from 19th-century literary classics to tomes on Myanmar's real estate laws and taboo subjects like the Rohingya crisis.

Its reputation as a place to read and access ideas gave it the nickname Pansodan University.

Tin Than has sold books here since 1980, but most of his competitors have shut shop.

"Now I only have around two or three customers each month," he says.

The prime location has given him a front-row seat to historic events such as the 2007 "Saffron Revolution" when Buddhist monks staged a rare protest against the junta.

"When others started packing their books and closing their shops, I also had to close and run away. The riots happened right before my eyes."

Aung Min was trained to use a typewriter in the military.&nbsp;

But he retired in 1980 and the 72-year-old has been working on Pansodan ever since.

"Computers were not so popular in the old days, so people had to rely on typewriters," he said.

Based outside the High Court, Aung Min specialises in legal documents, from marriage certificates to notarised letters.&nbsp;

Although living costs have increased in the intervening years, he struggles to make more than 5,000 kyat ($3) a day -- a sign that Myanmar's transition is passing some people by.

He intends to keep working until he is 80 at least.

"There were two or three typewriters on this street; we had our own customers," he said.

"I am the only typewriter left here nowadays."

Ear cleaners, roadside plumbers and typewriters for hire: just a sample of the antiquated jobs found on the pavements of Yangon's Pansodan Street, where old-world businesses still find customers.

Ear cleaners, roadside plumbers and typewriters for hire: just a sample of the antiquated jobs found on the pavements of Yangon's Pansodan Street, where old-world businesses still find customers. For years, tourists have been fascinated by odd trades in Yangon, from cycle trishaws swerving through traffic to roadside clerks going clickety-clack on typewriters. Some professions have become victims of the political and economic reforms that started in earnest in 2011. Iced water sellers melted away as improved power supplies made fridges viable; bus conductors lost out in the revamp of the city's transportation network; and landline phone stalls are a relic in the mobile era. But Pansodan, the beating heart of Myanmar's biggest city, remains home to obscure professions and evokes nostalgia among those who have plied their trade for decades along the potholed pavements below ageing colonial architecture. "This is the street for the books, for the writers, for the poets. Everyone comes, everyone learns here," Aung Soe Min, a long-time gallery owner on Pansodan, tells AFP. "Everything you need to know, you can come to Pansodan." Built by the British and once called Phayre Street, the downtown artery runs south from the train station to the river, where traders arrive by morning ferry. Monsoons, manicures Yangon's growth -- statistics show the population has nearly doubled since 1983 to reach 7.3 million -- has left city services struggling to catch up. The annual monsoon season clogs decades-old plumbing networks and that is when Min Aung is busiest. Sitting among plungers, pipes and a spare toilet lid serving as an advertisement for his services, the 58-year-old is a veteran of Yangon's small army of streetside plumbers who still find work in the rapidly modernising commercial capital. "As long as there are toilets, there is work for us," Min Aung tells AFP, puffing a cheroot as morning traffic whooshes by. Close by is Khin Ohn Myint, 47, who provides quick manicures, fixes ingrown toenails and syringes ears to remove wax build-up. "I didn't have money to invest in other businesses, so I did this for a living," she says, smiling. Earning around $10 a day, she has put her children through university so they can pursue other careers. She says she enjoys helping relieve people's suffering and has even had to remove the occasional cockroach from a customer's ear. "Pansodan is a historic street for us," she says as she digs out a piece of dirt from under a customer's toenail. 'Pansodan University' The street is also famous for its pavement booksellers whose offerings include everything from 19th-century literary classics to tomes on Myanmar's real estate laws and taboo subjects like the Rohingya crisis. Its reputation as a place to read and access ideas gave it the nickname Pansodan University. Tin Than has sold books here since 1980, but most of his competitors have shut shop. "Now I only have around two or three customers each month," he says. The prime location has given him a front-row seat to historic events such as the 2007 "Saffron Revolution" when Buddhist monks staged a rare protest against the junta. "When others started packing their books and closing their shops, I also had to close and run away. The riots happened right before my eyes." Aung Min was trained to use a typewriter in the military. But he retired in 1980 and the 72-year-old has been working on Pansodan ever since. "Computers were not so popular in the old days, so people had to rely on typewriters," he said. Based outside the High Court, Aung Min specialises in legal documents, from marriage certificates to notarised letters. Although living costs have increased in the intervening years, he struggles to make more than 5,000 kyat ($3) a day -- a sign that Myanmar's transition is passing some people by. He intends to keep working until he is 80 at least. "There were two or three typewriters on this street; we had our own customers," he said. "I am the only typewriter left here nowadays."

Ear cleaners, roadside clerks: Antiquated jobs thrive in Yangon

Myanmar's president said Saturday it had been an "auspicious" year for Rakhine state, the violence-scarred territory and epicentre of the Rohingya crisis.

More than 720,000 Rohingya have fled the western state since August 2017 after the military conducted "clearance operations," sending a stream of refugees to neighbouring Bangladesh with accounts of rape, arson and mass killings -- acts that UN investigators say amounts to "genocide" by the military generals.&nbsp;

Another 120,000 of the stateless minority, who are largely reviled by ethnic Rakhine and have garnered little sympathy among the Myanmar public, have been forced to live in displacement camps in the region with bleak conditions and a dire lack of food.

But Myanmar President Win Myint painted a different reality in a statement Saturday when he congratulated the "ethnic brothers and sisters" on the 44th anniversary of the Rakhine State Day.

With no natural disasters, "we can say that 2018 has been an auspicious year", he wrote in Myanmar's state-run newspaper.&nbsp;

Rakhine, one of the poorest states in the country, is also the site of planned economic zones, he said, and the government is working to provide "24 hour electricity" to certain townships.

He also praised a pact signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh to repatriate the Rohingya refugees and the arrangements made to receive "those displaced people who have gone over to the Bangladesh side".&nbsp;

The process which was repeatedly delayed was supposed to finally commence last month but it fell flat when not a single Rohingya took up the offer of repatriation, with many on the returnee list going into hiding.

The refugees fear returning home without guarantees of protection, citizenship or rights from the government and the powerful military. Rights groups have criticised repatriation as premature and "reckless". &nbsp;

As for those within the camps in Rakhine state, many have attempted to leave by boats to Malaysia and Indonesia since the monsoon season ended last month, enduring a perilous journey to escape what rights groups call "open-air prisons".

"I wish to urge all Rakhine ethnic nationals and citizens to participate... (in the) &nbsp;transformation of Rakhine State into a beautiful and happy state," Win Myint said at the end of his statement.&nbsp;

Win Myint was appointed to his position by Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has faced international condemnation for her handling of the Rohingya crisis.

Myanmar's president said Saturday it had been an "auspicious" year for Rakhine state, the violence-scarred territory and epicentre of the Rohingya crisis. More than 720,000 Rohingya have fled the western state since August 2017 after the military conducted "clearance operations," sending a stream of refugees to neighbouring Bangladesh with accounts of rape, arson and mass killings -- acts that UN investigators say amounts to "genocide" by the military generals.

Myanmar's president said Saturday it had been an "auspicious" year for Rakhine state, the violence-scarred territory and epicentre of the Rohingya crisis. More than 720,000 Rohingya have fled the western state since August 2017 after the military conducted "clearance operations," sending a stream of refugees to neighbouring Bangladesh with accounts of rape, arson and mass killings -- acts that UN investigators say amounts to "genocide" by the military generals. Another 120,000 of the stateless minority, who are largely reviled by ethnic Rakhine and have garnered little sympathy among the Myanmar public, have been forced to live in displacement camps in the region with bleak conditions and a dire lack of food. But Myanmar President Win Myint painted a different reality in a statement Saturday when he congratulated the "ethnic brothers and sisters" on the 44th anniversary of the Rakhine State Day. With no natural disasters, "we can say that 2018 has been an auspicious year", he wrote in Myanmar's state-run newspaper. Rakhine, one of the poorest states in the country, is also the site of planned economic zones, he said, and the government is working to provide "24 hour electricity" to certain townships. He also praised a pact signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh to repatriate the Rohingya refugees and the arrangements made to receive "those displaced people who have gone over to the Bangladesh side". The process which was repeatedly delayed was supposed to finally commence last month but it fell flat when not a single Rohingya took up the offer of repatriation, with many on the returnee list going into hiding. The refugees fear returning home without guarantees of protection, citizenship or rights from the government and the powerful military. Rights groups have criticised repatriation as premature and "reckless". As for those within the camps in Rakhine state, many have attempted to leave by boats to Malaysia and Indonesia since the monsoon season ended last month, enduring a perilous journey to escape what rights groups call "open-air prisons". "I wish to urge all Rakhine ethnic nationals and citizens to participate... (in the) transformation of Rakhine State into a beautiful and happy state," Win Myint said at the end of his statement. Win Myint was appointed to his position by Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has faced international condemnation for her handling of the Rohingya crisis.

Myanmar's president praises Rakhine state for 'auspicious' year on 44th anniversary

In an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 394-1, the US House of Representatives on Thursday, in a non-binding resolution, declared the crime against <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-slammed-after-he-tweets-about-everything-in-myanmar-but-rohingya-crisis-182891">Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar</a> as a genocide.

Such a move by the US House of Representatives comes months after the State Department released a report on alleged widespread acts of violence against the Rohingya in the northern Rakhine state of Myanmar, which the lawmakers rued had failed to label these atrocities as genocide.

The atrocities have driven more than 7,00,000 Rohingya from their homes to Bangladesh, bringing the total Rohingya refugee population there to nearly 10 lakh.

"The United States has a moral obligation to call these crimes genocide. Failing to do so gives the perpetrators cover and hinders efforts to bring those accountable to justice. With this resolution, the House fulfils its part of that duty," Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said.

"The measure also accomplishes a number of other important goals: It provides a thorough accounting of the crisis, calls out the complicit Burmese government, urges the Secretary of State to join us in formally declaring genocide and promotes multilateral agreement on that declaration," Royce said.

Following the resolution, Royce urged the US government to put more pressure on the Burmese government.

"We want the pressure to be felt and this message to be heard in Burma that the United States is going on record? (on) the finding of genocide so that these atrocities stop," he said.

"It's not only sanctions but also increasing the pressure internally. One of the things we have to do is use social media, radio, television to tell the people inside the country what is actually happening. Because their government is giving them disinformation," Royce said.

The Burma Task Force welcomed the House resolution.

"The House of Representatives has now officially adopted the position that the ongoing policies of mass violence and displacement against the Rohingya by the Myanmar government constitute genocide, bringing the US closer to the emerging international consensus on the issue," it said.

In an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 394-1, the US House of Representatives on Thursday, in a non-binding resolution, declared the crime against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar as a genocide.

In an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 394-1, the US House of Representatives on Thursday, in a non-binding resolution, declared the crime against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar as a genocide. Such a move by the US House of Representatives comes months after the State Department released a report on alleged widespread acts of violence against the Rohingya in the northern Rakhine state of Myanmar, which the lawmakers rued had failed to label these atrocities as genocide. The atrocities have driven more than 7,00,000 Rohingya from their homes to Bangladesh, bringing the total Rohingya refugee population there to nearly 10 lakh. "The United States has a moral obligation to call these crimes genocide. Failing to do so gives the perpetrators cover and hinders efforts to bring those accountable to justice. With this resolution, the House fulfils its part of that duty," Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said. "The measure also accomplishes a number of other important goals: It provides a thorough accounting of the crisis, calls out the complicit Burmese government, urges the Secretary of State to join us in formally declaring genocide and promotes multilateral agreement on that declaration," Royce said. Following the resolution, Royce urged the US government to put more pressure on the Burmese government. "We want the pressure to be felt and this message to be heard in Burma that the United States is going on record? (on) the finding of genocide so that these atrocities stop," he said. "It's not only sanctions but also increasing the pressure internally. One of the things we have to do is use social media, radio, television to tell the people inside the country what is actually happening. Because their government is giving them disinformation," Royce said. The Burma Task Force welcomed the House resolution. "The House of Representatives has now officially adopted the position that the ongoing policies of mass violence and displacement against the Rohingya by the Myanmar government constitute genocide, bringing the US closer to the emerging international consensus on the issue," it said.

US House of Representatives describes crime against Rohingya in Myanmar as genocide

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