Human Rights Watch on Monday called for Myanmar to punish army and police commanders if they allowed troops to rape and sexually assault women and girls of the Rohingya Muslim minority.

The New York-based campaign group said it had documented rape, gang rape and other sexual violence against girls as young as 13 in interviews with some of the 69,000 Rohingya Muslims, who have fled to Bangladesh since Myanmar security forces responded to attacks on border posts four months ago.

&quot;The sexual violence did not appear to be random or opportunistic, but part of a coordinated and systematic attack against Rohingya, in part because of their ethnicity and religion,&quot; a Human Rights Watch (HRW) news release said. Reuters was unable to contact a Myanmar government spokesman to respond to the allegations.

An estimated 1.1 million Rohingya live in the western state of Rakhine&nbsp;but have their movements and access to services restricted. Rohingyas are barred from citizenship in Myanmar, where many call them &quot;Bengalis&quot; to suggest they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Independent journalists and observers have been barred from visiting the army&#39;s operation zone in northern Rakhine since the October 9 attacks that killed nine border police.

The government has so far dismissed most claims that soldiers raped, beat, killed and arbitrarily detained civilians while burning down villages, insisting instead that a lawful operation is underway against a group of armed Rohingya insurgents.

The HRW report comes just days after United Nations investigators said Myanmar&#39;s security forces had &quot;very likely&quot; committed crimes against humanity, posing a dilemma for de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner took charge of most civilian affairs in April after a historic transition from full military rule, but soldiers retain a quarter of seats in parliament and control ministries related to security.

UN&nbsp;High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra&#39;ad al-Hussein said on Friday that Suu Kyi had promised to investigate the UN&#39;s allegations.

HRW said it had gathered evidence on 28 separate sexual assaults, including interviews with nine women who said they were raped or gang raped at gunpoint by security forces during the army&#39;s so-called &quot;clearance operations&quot; in northern Rakhine.

The women and other witnesses said the perpetrators were Myanmar army troops or border police, who they identified by their uniforms, kerchiefs, armbands and patches, HRW said.

&ldquo;These horrific attacks on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Burmese military&rsquo;s long and sickening history of sexual violence against women,&rdquo; said HRW senior emergencies researcher Priyanka Motaparthy.

&ldquo;Military and police commanders should be held responsible for these crimes if they did not do everything in their power to stop them or punish those involved.&rdquo;

(Reuters)

The group said it had documented rape, gang rape and other sexual violence against girls as young as 13

Human Rights Watch on Monday called for Myanmar to punish army and police commanders if they allowed troops to rape and sexually assault women and girls of the Rohingya Muslim minority. The New York-based campaign group said it had documented rape, gang rape and other sexual violence against girls as young as 13 in interviews with some of the 69,000 Rohingya Muslims, who have fled to Bangladesh since Myanmar security forces responded to attacks on border posts four months ago. "The sexual violence did not appear to be random or opportunistic, but part of a coordinated and systematic attack against Rohingya, in part because of their ethnicity and religion," a Human Rights Watch (HRW) news release said. Reuters was unable to contact a Myanmar government spokesman to respond to the allegations. An estimated 1.1 million Rohingya live in the western state of Rakhine but have their movements and access to services restricted. Rohingyas are barred from citizenship in Myanmar, where many call them "Bengalis" to suggest they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Independent journalists and observers have been barred from visiting the army's operation zone in northern Rakhine since the October 9 attacks that killed nine border police. The government has so far dismissed most claims that soldiers raped, beat, killed and arbitrarily detained civilians while burning down villages, insisting instead that a lawful operation is underway against a group of armed Rohingya insurgents. The HRW report comes just days after United Nations investigators said Myanmar's security forces had "very likely" committed crimes against humanity, posing a dilemma for de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel Peace Prize winner took charge of most civilian affairs in April after a historic transition from full military rule, but soldiers retain a quarter of seats in parliament and control ministries related to security. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said on Friday that Suu Kyi had promised to investigate the UN's allegations. HRW said it had gathered evidence on 28 separate sexual assaults, including interviews with nine women who said they were raped or gang raped at gunpoint by security forces during the army's so-called "clearance operations" in northern Rakhine. The women and other witnesses said the perpetrators were Myanmar army troops or border police, who they identified by their uniforms, kerchiefs, armbands and patches, HRW said. “These horrific attacks on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Burmese military’s long and sickening history of sexual violence against women,” said HRW senior emergencies researcher Priyanka Motaparthy. “Military and police commanders should be held responsible for these crimes if they did not do everything in their power to stop them or punish those involved.” (Reuters)

Myanmar commanders should be punished for rape of Rohingya women, girls: Human Rights Watch

Bangladesh authorities are to push ahead with a controversial plan to relocate tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees who arrived from Myanmar to a remote island, according to a government website.

The government has set up a committee comprising state officials in the coastal districts, ordering authorities to help identify and relocate undocumented Myanmar nationals to Thengar Char in the Bay of Bengal.

&quot;The committee will assist transferring both registered and unregistered refugees from Myanmar to Thengar Char near Hatiya island in Noakhali district,&quot; according to an order issued by the Cabinet Division last week and posted on the website.

Hatiya Island is situated on the estuary of the River Meghna and is nine hours&#39; journey from the camps where the Rohingya have taken shelter.&nbsp;

Some 232,000 Rohingya Muslims, both registered and unregistered, were already living in Bangladesh before over 65,000 stateless Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar&#39;s western state of Rakhine began entering the country last October.

Most of those who fled to Bangladesh live in squalid conditions in refugee camps in Cox&#39;s Bazar district, which borders Rakhine state and is home to the country&#39;s biggest tourist resort.&nbsp;

Bangladesh has also asked its officials in the border districts to&nbsp;identify the Myanmar nationals who &quot;illegally infiltrated&quot; the country.

&quot;It has to be assured by taking preventive measures that they (refugees) cannot spread out and mix with the locals,&quot; read the order which was dated January 26.

&quot;The identified refugees should be arrested or pushed back to the camps if they try to go out beyond the assigned boundary.&quot;

The Rohingya refugees mostly live in squalid conditions in Cox&#39;s Bazar. Bangladesh first mooted the idea of relocating them in 2015 despite allegations that the island was still not ready for human habitation.

The idea sparked an outcry from Rohingya community leaders while a UN agency said a forced relocation would be &quot;very complex and controversial&quot;.

(AFP)

The government has set up a committee,ordering authorities to help identify and relocate undocumented Myanmar nationals to Thengar Char

Bangladesh authorities are to push ahead with a controversial plan to relocate tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees who arrived from Myanmar to a remote island, according to a government website. The government has set up a committee comprising state officials in the coastal districts, ordering authorities to help identify and relocate undocumented Myanmar nationals to Thengar Char in the Bay of Bengal. "The committee will assist transferring both registered and unregistered refugees from Myanmar to Thengar Char near Hatiya island in Noakhali district," according to an order issued by the Cabinet Division last week and posted on the website. Hatiya Island is situated on the estuary of the River Meghna and is nine hours' journey from the camps where the Rohingya have taken shelter. Some 232,000 Rohingya Muslims, both registered and unregistered, were already living in Bangladesh before over 65,000 stateless Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine began entering the country last October. Most of those who fled to Bangladesh live in squalid conditions in refugee camps in Cox's Bazar district, which borders Rakhine state and is home to the country's biggest tourist resort. Bangladesh has also asked its officials in the border districts to identify the Myanmar nationals who "illegally infiltrated" the country. "It has to be assured by taking preventive measures that they (refugees) cannot spread out and mix with the locals," read the order which was dated January 26. "The identified refugees should be arrested or pushed back to the camps if they try to go out beyond the assigned boundary." The Rohingya refugees mostly live in squalid conditions in Cox's Bazar. Bangladesh first mooted the idea of relocating them in 2015 despite allegations that the island was still not ready for human habitation. The idea sparked an outcry from Rohingya community leaders while a UN agency said a forced relocation would be "very complex and controversial". (AFP)

Bangladesh authorities push on with Rohingya island plan

Human rights group Amnesty International and the&nbsp;International Crisis Group (ICG),&nbsp;a Brussels-based think tank,&nbsp;have urged Myanmar to investigate the apparent assassination of prominent Muslim lawyer Ko Ni, whose shooting at Yangon airport shocked the Southeast Asian nation.

Sunday&#39;s slaying, amid heightened communal and religious tension in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, appears to be a rare act of political violence in the commercial capital that coincided with a tough security operation in a northwestern region populated mostly by Muslims.

Police have arrested a 53-year-old man, suspected to be the lone gunman who shot Ko Ni&nbsp;in the head while the lawyer held his young grandson. Ko Ni was&nbsp;an expert in constitutional law and adviser of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD).

A taxi driver was also killed when he attempted to apprehend the gunman, whom police named as Kyi Linn from the central city of Mandalay.

Reuters was unable to contact the suspect&#39;s family for comment and it was not clear if he had legal representation.

Ko Ni&#39;s funeral has been set for 4 pm&nbsp;on Monday at a Muslim cemetery in Yangon, according to an announcement posted at his home.

The killing had &quot;all the hallmarks of an assassination&quot;, human rights group Amnesty International said in a statement on Sunday, calling for a &quot;thorough, independent and impartial investigation&quot;.

Ko Ni, 63, had criticised the continuing role of the military in governing Myanmar despite the party, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, assuming power in April.

Family members and friends told Reuters Ko Ni had received threats to his life connected to his political work, but the motive for the killing is still unknown.

Ko Ni&#39;s death was &quot;a great loss for which there is no susbstitute,&quot; the NLD said.

&quot;We cautioned our NLD party members to continue political work with no hesitation, maintain stability and avoid serious responses,&quot; the party said in a statement late on Sunday.

The timing of the killing was a matter of particular concern, said the International Crisis Group (ICG), since it comes just months after attacks on border police blamed on insurgents from the Rohingya minority.

It was essential &quot;that no stone is left unturned in finding the truth about this incident and who may have been behind it,&quot; the ICG&nbsp;tank said in a statement.

Residents, refugees and monitors accuse soldiers of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, rape and arson in response to the border attacks on October&nbsp;9.

The government strongly denies most allegations, but 66,000 people have fled to Bangladesh and at least 21,000 have been internally displaced, the United Nations says.

Ko Ni was returning from Indonesia, where Myanmar government officials and Muslim leaders, including the mostly stateless Rohingya, were discussing issues of reconciliation with Indonesian counterparts.

&quot;In a context of strong anti-Muslim sentiment, rampant hate speech on social media, and virulent Buddhist nationalism propounded by some senior monks, this crime could embolden others and unleash further violence,&quot; the ICG added.

(Reuters)

The killing had 'all the hallmarks of an assassination', Amnesty said, calling for a 'thorough, independent and impartial investigation'

Human rights group Amnesty International and the International Crisis Group (ICG), a Brussels-based think tank, have urged Myanmar to investigate the apparent assassination of prominent Muslim lawyer Ko Ni, whose shooting at Yangon airport shocked the Southeast Asian nation. Sunday's slaying, amid heightened communal and religious tension in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, appears to be a rare act of political violence in the commercial capital that coincided with a tough security operation in a northwestern region populated mostly by Muslims. Police have arrested a 53-year-old man, suspected to be the lone gunman who shot Ko Ni in the head while the lawyer held his young grandson. Ko Ni was an expert in constitutional law and adviser of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD). A taxi driver was also killed when he attempted to apprehend the gunman, whom police named as Kyi Linn from the central city of Mandalay. Reuters was unable to contact the suspect's family for comment and it was not clear if he had legal representation. Ko Ni's funeral has been set for 4 pm on Monday at a Muslim cemetery in Yangon, according to an announcement posted at his home. The killing had "all the hallmarks of an assassination", human rights group Amnesty International said in a statement on Sunday, calling for a "thorough, independent and impartial investigation". Ko Ni, 63, had criticised the continuing role of the military in governing Myanmar despite the party, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, assuming power in April. Family members and friends told Reuters Ko Ni had received threats to his life connected to his political work, but the motive for the killing is still unknown. Ko Ni's death was "a great loss for which there is no susbstitute," the NLD said. "We cautioned our NLD party members to continue political work with no hesitation, maintain stability and avoid serious responses," the party said in a statement late on Sunday. The timing of the killing was a matter of particular concern, said the International Crisis Group (ICG), since it comes just months after attacks on border police blamed on insurgents from the Rohingya minority. It was essential "that no stone is left unturned in finding the truth about this incident and who may have been behind it," the ICG tank said in a statement. Residents, refugees and monitors accuse soldiers of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, rape and arson in response to the border attacks on October 9. The government strongly denies most allegations, but 66,000 people have fled to Bangladesh and at least 21,000 have been internally displaced, the United Nations says. Ko Ni was returning from Indonesia, where Myanmar government officials and Muslim leaders, including the mostly stateless Rohingya, were discussing issues of reconciliation with Indonesian counterparts. "In a context of strong anti-Muslim sentiment, rampant hate speech on social media, and virulent Buddhist nationalism propounded by some senior monks, this crime could embolden others and unleash further violence," the ICG added. (Reuters)

Amnesty International, Belgian think tank urge Myanmar to investigate Muslim lawyer's murder

A legal adviser for Myanmar&#39;s ruling National League for Democracy was shot dead outside the country&#39;s busiest airport on Sunday, in a rare outbreak of what appeared to be political violence in the commercial capital, Yangon.

Police arrested a lone gunman, but a motive was unknown in the killing of 65-year-old Ko Ni, a prominent member of Myanmar&#39;s Muslim minority.

The apparent assassination comes amid heightened tensions in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where leader Aung San Suu Kyi is under pressure over a heavy-handed security operation in an area of the country&#39;s northwest that is populated mostly by Muslims.

A gunman shot the lawyer in front of the main terminal of Yangon International Airport at about 5 p.m., according to San Naing, Ko Ni&#39;s assistant.

Images posted on social media show a man in a pink shirt, shorts and sandals aiming a pistol at the back of Ko Ni&#39;s head as he cradles a toddler. A family member said Ko Ni was holding his grandson when he was killed.

A taxi driver who tried to stop the gunman was also killed, according to Zaw Htay, spokesman for President Htin Kyaw.

&quot;We have detained and are questioning the gunman to find out why he killed him, and who is behind it or paid him to do it,&quot; Zaw Htay told Reuters.

A police official told Reuters the suspect was a 53-year-old Myanmar citizen from the central city of Mandalay.

Ko Ni had just embraced his young grandson as he stepped out of the airport terminal on his return from Jakarta, said the lawyer&#39;s daughter Yin Nwe Khine.

&quot;My father was talking to his grandson. Then I heard a gunshot. At first I thought it was a car tyre blowing out, then I saw my father lying on the ground,&quot; she said.

Ko Ni, an expert in constitutional law, had spoken out about the powerful role the military retains in governing Myanmar, despite handing over power to Suu Kyi&#39;s civilian administration in April.

&quot;My father was often threatened and we were warned to be careful, but my father didn&#39;t accept that easily. He always did what he thought was right,&quot; said Yin Nwe Khine.

&quot;A lot of people hate us because we have different religious beliefs, so I think that might be why it happened to him, but I don&#39;t know the reason.&quot;

Ko Ni had joined Information Minister Pe Myint on the visit to Muslim-majority Indonesia - billed as an opportunity to share experiences of national reconciliation. The delegation included several Myanmar Muslim leaders, some belonging to the mostly stateless Rohingya minority.

The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, met with Ko Ni on a visit to the country this month.

The independent expert said on Sunday evening that Suu Kyi &quot;must get to the bottom&quot; of Ko Ni&#39;s death.

&quot;All responsible people must be brought to justice!,&quot; Lee wrote on Twitter.

(AFP)

Police arrested a lone gunman, but a motive was unknown in the killing of 65-year-old Ko Ni, a prominent member of Myanmar's Muslim minority

A legal adviser for Myanmar's ruling National League for Democracy was shot dead outside the country's busiest airport on Sunday, in a rare outbreak of what appeared to be political violence in the commercial capital, Yangon. Police arrested a lone gunman, but a motive was unknown in the killing of 65-year-old Ko Ni, a prominent member of Myanmar's Muslim minority. The apparent assassination comes amid heightened tensions in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where leader Aung San Suu Kyi is under pressure over a heavy-handed security operation in an area of the country's northwest that is populated mostly by Muslims. A gunman shot the lawyer in front of the main terminal of Yangon International Airport at about 5 p.m., according to San Naing, Ko Ni's assistant. Images posted on social media show a man in a pink shirt, shorts and sandals aiming a pistol at the back of Ko Ni's head as he cradles a toddler. A family member said Ko Ni was holding his grandson when he was killed. A taxi driver who tried to stop the gunman was also killed, according to Zaw Htay, spokesman for President Htin Kyaw. "We have detained and are questioning the gunman to find out why he killed him, and who is behind it or paid him to do it," Zaw Htay told Reuters. A police official told Reuters the suspect was a 53-year-old Myanmar citizen from the central city of Mandalay. Ko Ni had just embraced his young grandson as he stepped out of the airport terminal on his return from Jakarta, said the lawyer's daughter Yin Nwe Khine. "My father was talking to his grandson. Then I heard a gunshot. At first I thought it was a car tyre blowing out, then I saw my father lying on the ground," she said. Ko Ni, an expert in constitutional law, had spoken out about the powerful role the military retains in governing Myanmar, despite handing over power to Suu Kyi's civilian administration in April. "My father was often threatened and we were warned to be careful, but my father didn't accept that easily. He always did what he thought was right," said Yin Nwe Khine. "A lot of people hate us because we have different religious beliefs, so I think that might be why it happened to him, but I don't know the reason." Ko Ni had joined Information Minister Pe Myint on the visit to Muslim-majority Indonesia - billed as an opportunity to share experiences of national reconciliation. The delegation included several Myanmar Muslim leaders, some belonging to the mostly stateless Rohingya minority. The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, met with Ko Ni on a visit to the country this month. The independent expert said on Sunday evening that Suu Kyi "must get to the bottom" of Ko Ni's death. "All responsible people must be brought to justice!," Lee wrote on Twitter. (AFP)

Myanmar: Ruling party lawyer shot dead at Yangon airport

The UN&#39;s rights envoy for Myanmar arrived in troubled Rakhine state on Friday for a trip north to probe allegations of horrific abuse of Rohingya Muslims by security forces.

Special rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee touched down in the state capital Sittwe as part of a 12-day visit to investigate escalating violence in Myanmar&#39;s restive ethnic border areas.&nbsp;

Lee has faced threats and been branded a &quot;whore&quot; by Buddhist hardliners on previous visits for her criticism of how Myanmar treats the Rohingya, a stateless group that has suffered years of poverty and repression.&nbsp;

Over the past three months they have been targeted by a military crackdown in northern Rakhine that the UN said has forced at least 65,000 to flee across the border to Bangladesh.

In Sittwe, Lee met with senior local officials and then visited the only Muslim neighbourhood left in the city since sectarian clashes in 2012 drove tens of thousands of Rohingya into displacement camps.

&quot;We told her that nothing has changed for us,&quot; a local Muslim called Zaw Zaw told AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;We want our children to learn in schools peacefully and we want jobs like we had before.&quot;

Earlier a senior figure from the nationalist Arakan National Party, which controls the state parliament and aggressively opposes any moves to grant the Rohingya citizenship, said they had refused to meet with Lee.

&quot;They offered to meet with us from their side but we have no plans to meet them,&quot; ANP&#39;s vice-president Khine Pyi Soe told AFP.&nbsp;

Villages in northern Rakhine have been under military control since October as the army stages &quot;clearance operations&quot; to find Rohingya insurgents allegedly behind deadly raids on police border posts.

The crisis has drawn a storm of international criticism for the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, which took power in March.

Lee has slammed the lockdown as &quot;unacceptable&quot; and called for an international investigation into claims troops have raped, murdered and tortured civilians from the Muslim minority.

Ahead of her trip, she said violence in Rakhine had contributed to &quot;disquiet regarding the direction that the new government is taking in its first year&quot;.

Muslim-majority Malaysia has lashed out at Nobel laureate Suu Kyi for not stopping the violence, and next week will host foreign ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for talks on the crisis.

Bangladesh has urged Myanmar&#39;s government to take back the thousands of refugees that have entered already overcrowded camps along the border.

&quot;Bangladesh has demanded (the) quick restoration of (a) normal situation in Rakhine state so that Myanmar nationals... can quickly go back home,&quot; foreign minister A.H. Mahmood Ali said after meeting Myanmar&#39;s special envoy in Dhaka this week.

Myanmar&#39;s foreign ministry said the two sides had &quot;agreed to commence consultations for verification and repatriation&quot; of those who had fled the lockdown.

(AFP)

Special rapporteur on Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, is in Sittwe as part of a 12-day visit to investigate the escalating ethnic violence

The UN's rights envoy for Myanmar arrived in troubled Rakhine state on Friday for a trip north to probe allegations of horrific abuse of Rohingya Muslims by security forces. Special rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee touched down in the state capital Sittwe as part of a 12-day visit to investigate escalating violence in Myanmar's restive ethnic border areas. Lee has faced threats and been branded a "whore" by Buddhist hardliners on previous visits for her criticism of how Myanmar treats the Rohingya, a stateless group that has suffered years of poverty and repression. Over the past three months they have been targeted by a military crackdown in northern Rakhine that the UN said has forced at least 65,000 to flee across the border to Bangladesh. In Sittwe, Lee met with senior local officials and then visited the only Muslim neighbourhood left in the city since sectarian clashes in 2012 drove tens of thousands of Rohingya into displacement camps. "We told her that nothing has changed for us," a local Muslim called Zaw Zaw told AFP. "We want our children to learn in schools peacefully and we want jobs like we had before." Earlier a senior figure from the nationalist Arakan National Party, which controls the state parliament and aggressively opposes any moves to grant the Rohingya citizenship, said they had refused to meet with Lee. "They offered to meet with us from their side but we have no plans to meet them," ANP's vice-president Khine Pyi Soe told AFP. Villages in northern Rakhine have been under military control since October as the army stages "clearance operations" to find Rohingya insurgents allegedly behind deadly raids on police border posts. The crisis has drawn a storm of international criticism for the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, which took power in March. Lee has slammed the lockdown as "unacceptable" and called for an international investigation into claims troops have raped, murdered and tortured civilians from the Muslim minority. Ahead of her trip, she said violence in Rakhine had contributed to "disquiet regarding the direction that the new government is taking in its first year". Muslim-majority Malaysia has lashed out at Nobel laureate Suu Kyi for not stopping the violence, and next week will host foreign ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for talks on the crisis. Bangladesh has urged Myanmar's government to take back the thousands of refugees that have entered already overcrowded camps along the border. "Bangladesh has demanded (the) quick restoration of (a) normal situation in Rakhine state so that Myanmar nationals... can quickly go back home," foreign minister A.H. Mahmood Ali said after meeting Myanmar's special envoy in Dhaka this week. Myanmar's foreign ministry said the two sides had "agreed to commence consultations for verification and repatriation" of those who had fled the lockdown. (AFP)

Myanmar: UN rights envoy reaches Rakhine to probe Rohingya abuse

A special envoy of Myanmar&#39;s leader Aung San Suu Kyi will begin top-level talks in Bangladesh on Wednesday, as the United Nations said the Rohingya crisis prompted 65,000 people to flee Myanmar for Bangladesh in the past three months.

Kyaw Tin, Myanmar&#39;s deputy minister of foreign affairs, will make a three-day visit to the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka, in a rare diplomatic foray to tackle the biggest challenge facing Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi&#39;s nine-month-old administration.

The stream of new refugees&nbsp;and reports that Myanmar&#39;s navy has shot at Bangladeshi fishermen&nbsp;have further tested historically strained ties between the neighbours, who each see the stateless Rohingya Muslims as the other side&#39;s problem.

The visit marks a shift away from Myanmar&#39;s reluctant approach to cooperation with its western neighbour, which analysts see as key to solving the growing crisis.

Rohingya insurgents attacked Myanmar border posts on October 9, killing nine police. In response, Myanmar sent the army into the Muslim-majority northern part of Rakhine State.

Residents and refugees have described summary executions, arbitrary arrests and rape in the operation. Suu Kyi&#39;s government has denied almost all abuse allegations.

During the visit, the neighbours will discuss bilateral relations, but the Myanmar side was unlikely to bring up the &quot;complicated&quot; issue of border security, said Aye Aye Soe, deputy director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

&quot;For the border situation, an operation is still in progress to create stability, so I don&#39;t think there will be a lot of results from this first-time meeting,&quot; she said.

&nbsp;

International pressure:

Kyaw Tin will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday, said a senior official at the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The official, who requested anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media, said Myanmar had initiated the visit &quot;so that Bangladesh does not raise pressure on Myanmar on the Rohingya issue in international forums,&quot; such as an upcoming meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation.

Southeast Asia&#39;s Muslim-majority nations, Indonesia and Malaysia, have publicly pressured Myanmar over the crisis.

&quot;Bangladesh has been persuading and pressing in international forums behind the scenes so as not to hamper the relationship,&quot; the Bangladeshi official said.

Talks between the neighbours are complicated by the fact that as many as 500,000 Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh during decades of persecution in Myanmar are not recognised as citizens there either.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that by Jan. 5 about 65,000 more people had arrived in Bangladesh since October 9.

Myanmar&#39;s Aye Aye Soe questioned the UN&nbsp;figure, saying anyone claiming to be a refugee from Myanmar would have to be scrutinised.

She referred to a longstanding government policy that repatriation talks can only cover 2,415 people in Bangladesh whom Myanmar recognises as citizens.

&quot;We need to make sure how many people arrived and where they are from, but no one can confirm exactly,&quot; she said.

(Reuters)

Kyaw Tin, Myanmar's deputy minister of foreign affairs, will make a three-day visit to Dhaka

A special envoy of Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi will begin top-level talks in Bangladesh on Wednesday, as the United Nations said the Rohingya crisis prompted 65,000 people to flee Myanmar for Bangladesh in the past three months. Kyaw Tin, Myanmar's deputy minister of foreign affairs, will make a three-day visit to the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka, in a rare diplomatic foray to tackle the biggest challenge facing Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi's nine-month-old administration. The stream of new refugees and reports that Myanmar's navy has shot at Bangladeshi fishermen have further tested historically strained ties between the neighbours, who each see the stateless Rohingya Muslims as the other side's problem. The visit marks a shift away from Myanmar's reluctant approach to cooperation with its western neighbour, which analysts see as key to solving the growing crisis. Rohingya insurgents attacked Myanmar border posts on October 9, killing nine police. In response, Myanmar sent the army into the Muslim-majority northern part of Rakhine State. Residents and refugees have described summary executions, arbitrary arrests and rape in the operation. Suu Kyi's government has denied almost all abuse allegations. During the visit, the neighbours will discuss bilateral relations, but the Myanmar side was unlikely to bring up the "complicated" issue of border security, said Aye Aye Soe, deputy director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "For the border situation, an operation is still in progress to create stability, so I don't think there will be a lot of results from this first-time meeting," she said. International pressure: Kyaw Tin will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday, said a senior official at the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The official, who requested anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media, said Myanmar had initiated the visit "so that Bangladesh does not raise pressure on Myanmar on the Rohingya issue in international forums," such as an upcoming meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation. Southeast Asia's Muslim-majority nations, Indonesia and Malaysia, have publicly pressured Myanmar over the crisis. "Bangladesh has been persuading and pressing in international forums behind the scenes so as not to hamper the relationship," the Bangladeshi official said. Talks between the neighbours are complicated by the fact that as many as 500,000 Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh during decades of persecution in Myanmar are not recognised as citizens there either. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that by Jan. 5 about 65,000 more people had arrived in Bangladesh since October 9. Myanmar's Aye Aye Soe questioned the UN figure, saying anyone claiming to be a refugee from Myanmar would have to be scrutinised. She referred to a longstanding government policy that repatriation talks can only cover 2,415 people in Bangladesh whom Myanmar recognises as citizens. "We need to make sure how many people arrived and where they are from, but no one can confirm exactly," she said. (Reuters)

Myanmar's Suu Kyi sends envoy to Bangladesh as Rohingya crisis deepens

A commission probing violence in Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state on Wednesday denied security forces have carried out a genocidal campaign against the Rohingya, days after a video emerged showing police beating civilians from the Muslim minority.

Tens of thousands of Rohingya -- a group loathed by many among Myanmar&#39;s Buddhist majority -- have fled a military operation in the northwestern state, launched after deadly attacks on police posts in October.

Dozens have died in the crackdown, while escapees now in neighbouring Bangladesh have claimed they suffered rape, arson, murder and torture at the hands of police or soldiers.

Myanmar&#39;s government, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has said the allegations are invented and has resisted mounting international pressure to protect the minority.&nbsp;

A state-appointed commission set up to investigate the violence released its interim report on Wednesday, dismissing claims troops and police have embarked on a campaign to force the Rohingya out of the country.

Its interim findings come days after the government detained multiple police officers over a video showing policemen beating and kicking Rohingya villagers. The footage, shot by one of the officers, has sparked outrage and undermined the government&#39;s blanket denials that soldiers and police have carried out rights abuses.

The size of the &quot;Bengali&quot; population, mosques and religious buildings in the unrest-hit area &quot;are proof that there were no cases of genocide and religious persecution&quot;, it said in a statement carried in state media. Myanmar refuses to recognise the Rohingya as one of the country&#39;s ethnic minorities, instead describing them as Bengalis -- or illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh -- even though many have lived in Myanmar for generations.

The commission also found &quot;insufficient evidence&quot; of rape but added it was still looking into claims security forces committed arson, illegal arrests and torture of the Rohingya. It blamed the unrest on foreign-backed extremists, whom it said had attacked security forces in October to harm &quot;the sovereignty of the state... with the intention of igniting riots and conflicts&quot;.

Legal action has been taken against 485 people arrested during the army&#39;s subsequent clearance operation, it added, without giving further details. Chris Lewa, from the Arakan project, said the commission had failed to properly investigate the widespread allegations of rape and rights abuses.

&quot;The methodology is not credible, it&#39;s totally unprofessional,&quot; she said.&nbsp;&quot;There is no corroboration from the villagers they are meant to have talked to. Their job was to verify the allegations and the report has not verified them.&quot;&nbsp;

The commission has faced opposition from across the spectrum since it was announced last month -- the second body created by Suu Kyi to try to heal the simmering religious divide in Rakhine state.

Rights activists dismissed the 13-member commission as toothless, pointing out it is headed by the vice-president, a former army general. Rakhine nationalists and many of the state&#39;s MPs have denounced it as a tool for government propaganda.

Malaysia&#39;s prime minister has accused Suu Kyi of allowing genocide on her watch, while more than a dozen Nobel Laureates wrote to the UN Security Council urging action to stop the &quot;human tragedy amounting to ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity&quot; in northern Rakhine.

State media ran a statement from the Home Affairs Ministry on Wednesday, saying eight officers have now been arrested over the incident depicted in the video. &quot;Police committed abuses as they tried to arrest some villagers who fled the village and some who were hiding in their homes,&quot; the statement said.

Myanmar has long discriminated against the stateless Rohingya. More than one million of them live in Rakhine, including 120,000 in displacement camps. Their movements are severely restricted as well as their access to basic services, like health and education.

(AFP)

A recent video showing policemen beating and kicking Rohingya villagers undermines the government's blanket denials

A commission probing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state on Wednesday denied security forces have carried out a genocidal campaign against the Rohingya, days after a video emerged showing police beating civilians from the Muslim minority. Tens of thousands of Rohingya -- a group loathed by many among Myanmar's Buddhist majority -- have fled a military operation in the northwestern state, launched after deadly attacks on police posts in October. Dozens have died in the crackdown, while escapees now in neighbouring Bangladesh have claimed they suffered rape, arson, murder and torture at the hands of police or soldiers. Myanmar's government, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has said the allegations are invented and has resisted mounting international pressure to protect the minority. A state-appointed commission set up to investigate the violence released its interim report on Wednesday, dismissing claims troops and police have embarked on a campaign to force the Rohingya out of the country. Its interim findings come days after the government detained multiple police officers over a video showing policemen beating and kicking Rohingya villagers. The footage, shot by one of the officers, has sparked outrage and undermined the government's blanket denials that soldiers and police have carried out rights abuses. The size of the "Bengali" population, mosques and religious buildings in the unrest-hit area "are proof that there were no cases of genocide and religious persecution", it said in a statement carried in state media. Myanmar refuses to recognise the Rohingya as one of the country's ethnic minorities, instead describing them as Bengalis -- or illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh -- even though many have lived in Myanmar for generations. The commission also found "insufficient evidence" of rape but added it was still looking into claims security forces committed arson, illegal arrests and torture of the Rohingya. It blamed the unrest on foreign-backed extremists, whom it said had attacked security forces in October to harm "the sovereignty of the state... with the intention of igniting riots and conflicts". Legal action has been taken against 485 people arrested during the army's subsequent clearance operation, it added, without giving further details. Chris Lewa, from the Arakan project, said the commission had failed to properly investigate the widespread allegations of rape and rights abuses. "The methodology is not credible, it's totally unprofessional," she said. "There is no corroboration from the villagers they are meant to have talked to. Their job was to verify the allegations and the report has not verified them." The commission has faced opposition from across the spectrum since it was announced last month -- the second body created by Suu Kyi to try to heal the simmering religious divide in Rakhine state. Rights activists dismissed the 13-member commission as toothless, pointing out it is headed by the vice-president, a former army general. Rakhine nationalists and many of the state's MPs have denounced it as a tool for government propaganda. Malaysia's prime minister has accused Suu Kyi of allowing genocide on her watch, while more than a dozen Nobel Laureates wrote to the UN Security Council urging action to stop the "human tragedy amounting to ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity" in northern Rakhine. State media ran a statement from the Home Affairs Ministry on Wednesday, saying eight officers have now been arrested over the incident depicted in the video. "Police committed abuses as they tried to arrest some villagers who fled the village and some who were hiding in their homes," the statement said. Myanmar has long discriminated against the stateless Rohingya. More than one million of them live in Rakhine, including 120,000 in displacement camps. Their movements are severely restricted as well as their access to basic services, like health and education. (AFP)

Myanmar commission denies genocidal campaign against Rohingya Muslims

Around 21,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh in recent weeks to escape violence in neighbouring Myanmar, an official of the International Organisation for Migration said today.

Bangladesh has stepped up patrols on the border to try to stem the tide of refugees fleeing a bloody crackdown by Myanmar&#39;s army in the western state of Rakhine since early October.

But Sanjukta Sahany, head of the IOM office in Bangladesh&#39;s southeastern district of Cox&#39;s Bazar bordering Rakhine, said around 21,000 members of the stateless ethnic minority had crossed over in the past two months.

The vast majority of those who arrived took refuge in makeshift settlements, official refugee camps and villages, said Sahany.

&quot;An estimated 21,000 Rohingya have arrived in Cox&#39;s Bazar district between October 9 and December 2,&quot; she told AFP by phone.

&quot;It is based on the figures collected by UN agencies and international NGOs&quot; (non-governmental organisations).

Those interviewed by AFP inside Bangladesh told horrifying stories of gang-rape, torture and murder at the hands of Myanmar&#39;s security forces.

Analysis of satellite images by Human Rights Watch found hundreds of buildings in Rohingya villages have been razed.

Myanmar has denied allegations of abuse but has banned foreign journalists and independent investigators from accessing the area.

Myanmar&#39;s Nobel peace laureate and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has faced a growing international backlash for what a UN official has said amounts to a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya, a Muslim group loathed by many of Myanmar&#39;s Buddhist majority.

Last week she vowed to work for &quot;peace and national reconciliation&quot;, saying her country faced many challenges, but did not mention the violence in Rakhine state.

Bangladesh has reinforced its border posts and deployed coastguard ships to try to prevent a fresh influx of refugees.

In the past two months Bangladeshi border guards have prevented hundreds of boats packed with Rohingya women and children from entering the country.

The Bangladesh government has been under pressure from Muslim groups and the opposition to open its border to the fleeing Rohingya.

Today police stopped thousands of hardline Muslims from marching to the Myanmar embassy in Dhaka to protest at the ongoing &quot;genocide&quot; of Rohingya.

Shiblee Noman, an assistant commissioner of Dhaka police, told AFP about 10,000 Muslims joined the march, which was halted at central Dhaka&#39;s Nightingale Crossing.&nbsp;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

International Organisation for Migration said 21,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh to escape a crackdown by Myanmar's army

Around 21,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh in recent weeks to escape violence in neighbouring Myanmar, an official of the International Organisation for Migration said today. Bangladesh has stepped up patrols on the border to try to stem the tide of refugees fleeing a bloody crackdown by Myanmar's army in the western state of Rakhine since early October. But Sanjukta Sahany, head of the IOM office in Bangladesh's southeastern district of Cox's Bazar bordering Rakhine, said around 21,000 members of the stateless ethnic minority had crossed over in the past two months. The vast majority of those who arrived took refuge in makeshift settlements, official refugee camps and villages, said Sahany. "An estimated 21,000 Rohingya have arrived in Cox's Bazar district between October 9 and December 2," she told AFP by phone. "It is based on the figures collected by UN agencies and international NGOs" (non-governmental organisations). Those interviewed by AFP inside Bangladesh told horrifying stories of gang-rape, torture and murder at the hands of Myanmar's security forces. Analysis of satellite images by Human Rights Watch found hundreds of buildings in Rohingya villages have been razed. Myanmar has denied allegations of abuse but has banned foreign journalists and independent investigators from accessing the area. Myanmar's Nobel peace laureate and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has faced a growing international backlash for what a UN official has said amounts to a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya, a Muslim group loathed by many of Myanmar's Buddhist majority. Last week she vowed to work for "peace and national reconciliation", saying her country faced many challenges, but did not mention the violence in Rakhine state. Bangladesh has reinforced its border posts and deployed coastguard ships to try to prevent a fresh influx of refugees. In the past two months Bangladeshi border guards have prevented hundreds of boats packed with Rohingya women and children from entering the country. The Bangladesh government has been under pressure from Muslim groups and the opposition to open its border to the fleeing Rohingya. Today police stopped thousands of hardline Muslims from marching to the Myanmar embassy in Dhaka to protest at the ongoing "genocide" of Rohingya. Shiblee Noman, an assistant commissioner of Dhaka police, told AFP about 10,000 Muslims joined the march, which was halted at central Dhaka's Nightingale Crossing. (AFP)

21,000 Rohingya flee to Bangladesh from Myanmar: IOM

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday began a fact-finding visit to Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine province,where the army is being accused of violence against members of the Muslim Rohingya minority.

The escalation of violence in the region in the past few months has resulted in the destruction of villages, civilian casualties and an exodus of refugees to neighbouring Bangladesh.

Myanmar&rsquo;s de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has asked Annan to help find ways to resolve the &nbsp;ethnic and religious tensions between the Rohingya and the country&#39;s Buddhist majority.&nbsp;

The region has witnessed large-scale intercommunal violence in 2012 that left hundreds dead and drove 140,000 people into camps for the internally displaced.

This is Annan&rsquo;s second visit since Suu Kyi appointed him in August to head a special commission that will write and present a report of its findings to the government early next year.

The latest surge in violence was due to the attacks on Myanmar border posts on October 9 that left nine police officers dead.

The motive of the attack and the identities of the attackers are unclear, but in response, the government began military sweeps, leading to a major confrontation in November that saw villagers resisting government intrusion.&nbsp;

The government has cut-off access to the area.

According to a tweet by a spokesperson for Annan&rsquo;s foundation, the former UN chief said in Rakhine today that &quot;security operations must not impede humanitarian access where there is need.&quot;, news agency AP reported.

&quot;I&#39;m not saying there are no difficulties,&quot; Suu Kyi told Singapore&#39;s Channel NewsAsia network today &quot;but it helps if people recognize the difficulty and are more focused on resolving these difficulties rather than exaggerating them so that everything seems worse than it really is.&quot;

Suu Kyi, whose party came to power in March after years &nbsp;of military-backed rule, has been criticized for not acting strongly to curb the violence against the Rohingyas, who generally are not allowed citizenship.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AP)

Myanmar?s de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has asked Annan to help find ways to resolve tensions between Rohingyas and the Buddhist majority

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday began a fact-finding visit to Myanmar's Rakhine province,where the army is being accused of violence against members of the Muslim Rohingya minority. The escalation of violence in the region in the past few months has resulted in the destruction of villages, civilian casualties and an exodus of refugees to neighbouring Bangladesh. Myanmar’s de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has asked Annan to help find ways to resolve the ethnic and religious tensions between the Rohingya and the country's Buddhist majority. The region has witnessed large-scale intercommunal violence in 2012 that left hundreds dead and drove 140,000 people into camps for the internally displaced. This is Annan’s second visit since Suu Kyi appointed him in August to head a special commission that will write and present a report of its findings to the government early next year. The latest surge in violence was due to the attacks on Myanmar border posts on October 9 that left nine police officers dead. The motive of the attack and the identities of the attackers are unclear, but in response, the government began military sweeps, leading to a major confrontation in November that saw villagers resisting government intrusion. The government has cut-off access to the area. According to a tweet by a spokesperson for Annan’s foundation, the former UN chief said in Rakhine today that "security operations must not impede humanitarian access where there is need.", news agency AP reported. "I'm not saying there are no difficulties," Suu Kyi told Singapore's Channel NewsAsia network today "but it helps if people recognize the difficulty and are more focused on resolving these difficulties rather than exaggerating them so that everything seems worse than it really is." Suu Kyi, whose party came to power in March after years of military-backed rule, has been criticized for not acting strongly to curb the violence against the Rohingyas, who generally are not allowed citizenship. (WION with inputs from AP)

Myanmar: Kofi Annan begins fact-finding visit to troubled Rakhine

Amid growing concern over the bollody crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, the state media highlighted another crucial problem, physical and emotional abuse of chilren.&nbsp;

Child molestation cases in the country has surged by 40 per cent this year as the country still grapples with a dark past of rights abuses.&nbsp;

By October, 380 cases had been reported across the country, 150 more than the same period in 2015. It accounted for half of all the reported rape cases nationwide.&nbsp;

But human rights activits say many more are at risk of exploitation and these numbers are only the tip of the iceberg.&nbsp;

Children in Myanmar are highly vulnerable to abuse, either as domestic helpers for wealthy families or within their own communities, due to poverty and weak laws.&nbsp;

Many of them are also sold into labour or forcibly recruited to fight in the country&#39;s boderlands.&nbsp;

&quot;Most of the time it is carried out by family members, neighbours, relatives or someone close to the victims&#39; families,&quot; said police major Khin Maung Thin from Mandalay, where cases have doubled.

&quot;Brothers abuse sisters and fathers abuse daughters,&quot; he told AFP, stressing that there is a culture of silence and victim blaming, as a result the crime often goes undocumented.&nbsp;

UNICEF&#39;s Myanmar representative Bertrand Bainvel said sexual violence is the second most widespread form of child abuse in the country.

&quot;Sometimes families are reluctant to report (cases) because of the taboo surrounding the issue,&quot; he said.

He urged the government to strengthen child protection and take tough action against the perpetrators. &nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Children in Myanmar are highly vulnerable to abuse, either as domestic help or in own communities, due to poverty and weak laws

Amid growing concern over the bollody crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, the state media highlighted another crucial problem, physical and emotional abuse of chilren. Child molestation cases in the country has surged by 40 per cent this year as the country still grapples with a dark past of rights abuses. By October, 380 cases had been reported across the country, 150 more than the same period in 2015. It accounted for half of all the reported rape cases nationwide. But human rights activits say many more are at risk of exploitation and these numbers are only the tip of the iceberg. Children in Myanmar are highly vulnerable to abuse, either as domestic helpers for wealthy families or within their own communities, due to poverty and weak laws. Many of them are also sold into labour or forcibly recruited to fight in the country's boderlands. "Most of the time it is carried out by family members, neighbours, relatives or someone close to the victims' families," said police major Khin Maung Thin from Mandalay, where cases have doubled. "Brothers abuse sisters and fathers abuse daughters," he told AFP, stressing that there is a culture of silence and victim blaming, as a result the crime often goes undocumented. UNICEF's Myanmar representative Bertrand Bainvel said sexual violence is the second most widespread form of child abuse in the country. "Sometimes families are reluctant to report (cases) because of the taboo surrounding the issue," he said. He urged the government to strengthen child protection and take tough action against the perpetrators. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Myanmar child rape cases surge 40 per cent: State media

Malaysia&#39;s national soccer team has cancelled two friendly under-22 matches with Myanmar, in protest against the Southeast Asian nation&#39;s bloody crackdown on ethnic Rohingya Muslims, a team spokesman said on Thursday.

Muslim-majority Malaysia has been increasingly critical of Myanmar&#39;s handling of violence in northern Rakhine state that has sent hundreds of people fleeing across the border to Bangladesh, amid allegations of abuses by security forces.

The violence is the most serious bloodshed in Rakhine since communal clashes in 2012 that killed hundreds.

Referring to the cancellation of the games set for later this month, the spokesman told Reuters, &quot;It was a political decision because of the Rohingya issue.&quot; He declined to be identified because the topic is a sensitive one.

In a posting on social network Twitter on Wednesday, national football team Harimau Malaysia said, &quot;International matches between under-22 Harimau Malaysia vs Myanmar, which were scheduled to take place on Dec. 9 and 12 in Yangon, have been cancelled.&quot;

Last month, Malaysia said it was considering pulling out of a regional soccer tournament co-hosted by Myanmar over the Rohingya crackdown, but ministers later decided against this.

Such a withdrawal from the ASEAN Football Federation&#39;s Suzuki Cup would have run counter to the 10-nation grouping&#39;s long-standing policy of non-interference in other members&#39; affairs.

Myanmar&#39;s membership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations should be reviewed because of the &quot;cruelty&quot; imposed on its ethnic Muslim community, Malaysia&#39;s sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Wednesday.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is set to attend a gathering on Sunday to express concern over the Rohingya issue.

(Agencies)

Malaysia's protest comes as Rohingya Muslims flee to Bangladesh amid the most violence they've faced since clashes in 2012 killed hundreds

Malaysia's national soccer team has cancelled two friendly under-22 matches with Myanmar, in protest against the Southeast Asian nation's bloody crackdown on ethnic Rohingya Muslims, a team spokesman said on Thursday. Muslim-majority Malaysia has been increasingly critical of Myanmar's handling of violence in northern Rakhine state that has sent hundreds of people fleeing across the border to Bangladesh, amid allegations of abuses by security forces. The violence is the most serious bloodshed in Rakhine since communal clashes in 2012 that killed hundreds. Referring to the cancellation of the games set for later this month, the spokesman told Reuters, "It was a political decision because of the Rohingya issue." He declined to be identified because the topic is a sensitive one. In a posting on social network Twitter on Wednesday, national football team Harimau Malaysia said, "International matches between under-22 Harimau Malaysia vs Myanmar, which were scheduled to take place on Dec. 9 and 12 in Yangon, have been cancelled." Last month, Malaysia said it was considering pulling out of a regional soccer tournament co-hosted by Myanmar over the Rohingya crackdown, but ministers later decided against this. Such a withdrawal from the ASEAN Football Federation's Suzuki Cup would have run counter to the 10-nation grouping's long-standing policy of non-interference in other members' affairs. Myanmar's membership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations should be reviewed because of the "cruelty" imposed on its ethnic Muslim community, Malaysia's sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Wednesday. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is set to attend a gathering on Sunday to express concern over the Rohingya issue. (Agencies)

Malaysia cancels two soccer matches with Myanmar over Rohingya crackdown

At least 10,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh in recent weeks, fleeing violence in neighbouring Myanmar, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

&quot;Based on reports by various humanitarian agencies, we estimate that there could be 10,000 new arrivals in recent weeks,&quot; said Vivian Tan, a UN spokeswoman in Bangkok.

A senior UN official said the reputation of Aung San Suu Kyi&#39;s government in Myanmar is at stake amid international concerns over how it is dealing with violence in the country&#39;s divided northwest.&nbsp;

The bloody crackdown in the Rakhine state has sent thousands fleeing across the border amid allegations of abuse by security forces. The UN said, &quot;the situation is fast changing and the actual number could be much higher.&quot;&nbsp;

The United Nations was urging the Bangladesh government, which has stepped up patrols on the border, to allow the Rohingyas safe haven.&nbsp;

&quot;We are ready to support the government to provide effective humanitarian assistance for these individuals in need of international protection,&quot; she said.

On Tuesday, the UN OHCHR said Myanmar&#39;s treatment of the Rohingya could be tantamount to crimes against humanity, reiterating the findings of a June report.

Those interviewed by AFP inside Bangladesh had horrifying stories of gang rape, torture and murder at the hands of Myanmar&#39;s security forces.

Analysis of satellite images by Human Rights Watch found hundreds of buildings in Rohingya villages have been razed.

But Myanmar has denied allegations of abuse, saying the army is hunting &quot;terrorists&quot; behind raids on police posts last month.

The de facto leader vowed to work for &quot;peace and national reconciliation&quot; in the country but did not mention the violence in the Rakhine state.&nbsp;

Speaking at a business forum in Singapore, Suu Kyi said that multi-ethnic Myanmar needed to achieve stability to attract more investment.

(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Reiterating the findings of a June report, the UN said Myanmar's treatment of Rohingyas may be tantamount to crimes against humanity

At least 10,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh in recent weeks, fleeing violence in neighbouring Myanmar, the United Nations said on Wednesday. "Based on reports by various humanitarian agencies, we estimate that there could be 10,000 new arrivals in recent weeks," said Vivian Tan, a UN spokeswoman in Bangkok. A senior UN official said the reputation of Aung San Suu Kyi's government in Myanmar is at stake amid international concerns over how it is dealing with violence in the country's divided northwest. The bloody crackdown in the Rakhine state has sent thousands fleeing across the border amid allegations of abuse by security forces. The UN said, "the situation is fast changing and the actual number could be much higher." The United Nations was urging the Bangladesh government, which has stepped up patrols on the border, to allow the Rohingyas safe haven. "We are ready to support the government to provide effective humanitarian assistance for these individuals in need of international protection," she said. On Tuesday, the UN OHCHR said Myanmar's treatment of the Rohingya could be tantamount to crimes against humanity, reiterating the findings of a June report. Those interviewed by AFP inside Bangladesh had horrifying stories of gang rape, torture and murder at the hands of Myanmar's security forces. Analysis of satellite images by Human Rights Watch found hundreds of buildings in Rohingya villages have been razed. But Myanmar has denied allegations of abuse, saying the army is hunting "terrorists" behind raids on police posts last month. The de facto leader vowed to work for "peace and national reconciliation" in the country but did not mention the violence in the Rakhine state. Speaking at a business forum in Singapore, Suu Kyi said that multi-ethnic Myanmar needed to achieve stability to attract more investment. (WION with inputs from agencies)

UN: Myanmar Rohingya abuse may be 'crimes against humanity'

Communities are being wiped and killed, for their colour, gender, religion or ethnic origin. It is a scourge on humanity and it is antithetical to the idea of liberal democracies that was envisaged for the last two centuries by prominent thinkers, politicians and leaders. But it is in these last two centuries that the world has witnessed some of the most brutal killings on a scale one has never seen before.

It is genocide

A UN official reportedly said that Myanmar is carrying out &lsquo;ethnic cleansing&rsquo; of Rohingya Muslims. The minority community is expe-riencing widespread violence, killings, gang rapes, torture and shootings. The remaining ones are fleeing Myanmar to the neighbouring nations.

According to a recent research, there will be no Hindus left in Bangladesh in the next 30 years. Hindus are migrating in hundreds every day from Bangladesh. The insecurities are making the Hindu minority community of Bangladesh to leave the country. This may not be a typical case of ethnic cleansing or genocide but a community is being completely wiped off from a nation.

Ethnic cleansing is defined as the expulsion of an &lsquo;undesirable&rsquo; population from a given territory due to religious or ethnic dis- crimination, political, strategic or ideological considerations, or a combination of these.

Ethnic cleansing, a scourge

The happenings in Myanmar are not unprecedented. Ethnic cleansing or genocide has been carried out by nations at different points in the history. In NorthAmerica, the Europeans drove out Native Americans from their lands forcing them to settle in allotted territories. In 1915, Turks massacred Armenians during World War I. From 1933 to 1945, Adolf Hilter carried out one of the largest ethnic cleansing episodes in the world by killing millions of Jews, believing that Aryans were a superior race. In the 1990s, ethnic cleansing happened in Yugoslavia;&nbsp; Serbia set out to ethnically cleanse the Bosnian territory from Bosnian Muslims called Bosniaks. in Rwanda, the majority Hutu ethnic group massacred hundreds of people of the minority Tutsis.&nbsp;

Closer home, in 1990 around half a million Kashmiri Pandits fled the state of Jammu and Kashmir as the majority Muslim community wanted to cleanse the state from its minority. It is said that the Muslims in Kashmir were instigated by militants who were, in turn, backed by Pakistan to raise demand for an Islamic state. As a result, several Kashmiri Pandits were massacred and a vast majority fled the state to live the life of a refugee in their own country. In cyclic fashion, today the influx of Rohingya refugees to states like Jammu and Kashmir leave them vulnerable to militancy, a key concern for India in the state.

The mindset, the future

What is currently happening in Myanmar is not unprecedented, but the fact that such episodes are still taking place in the world reflects a huge deviation from the path of building liberal democracies around the world.

India is often called the &lsquo;land of diversity&rsquo; where after every 100 km the language changes. It is said that there are innumerable religions, cultures, languages, ethnicities etc. all living together in harmony. But are we really living together in harmony? In a village, there is a clear demarcation between the areas inhabited by Muslims and Hindus. The distinction between the houses and amenities available to the upper castes and the lower castes is clearly visible. These demarcations have the potential to take the gruesome face of genocide or ethnic cleansing.

At present, there is a false sense of nationalism globally. Migration and terrorism have re-defined and distorted the definition of nationalism. It has become so rigid that the concepts of globalisation and liberalism are being diluted.

We belong to liberal democracies and have thrived under that idea, capable of dealing with religions and diversities around us.

If we want to continue on the path of liberal democracies we need to travel the path of amalgamation and assimilation. If any of us decide that we are superior to the other, then there is bound to be conflict and the peril of turning into genocides. The hope is that liberal democracy and acceptance of diverse communities will prevail and we will continue to thrive.

&nbsp;

Communities are being killed for their colour, gender, religion or ethnic origin right under our very noses

Communities are being wiped and killed, for their colour, gender, religion or ethnic origin. It is a scourge on humanity and it is antithetical to the idea of liberal democracies that was envisaged for the last two centuries by prominent thinkers, politicians and leaders. But it is in these last two centuries that the world has witnessed some of the most brutal killings on a scale one has never seen before. It is genocide A UN official reportedly said that Myanmar is carrying out ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Rohingya Muslims. The minority community is expe-riencing widespread violence, killings, gang rapes, torture and shootings. The remaining ones are fleeing Myanmar to the neighbouring nations. According to a recent research, there will be no Hindus left in Bangladesh in the next 30 years. Hindus are migrating in hundreds every day from Bangladesh. The insecurities are making the Hindu minority community of Bangladesh to leave the country. This may not be a typical case of ethnic cleansing or genocide but a community is being completely wiped off from a nation. Ethnic cleansing is defined as the expulsion of an ‘undesirable’ population from a given territory due to religious or ethnic dis- crimination, political, strategic or ideological considerations, or a combination of these. Ethnic cleansing, a scourge The happenings in Myanmar are not unprecedented. Ethnic cleansing or genocide has been carried out by nations at different points in the history. In NorthAmerica, the Europeans drove out Native Americans from their lands forcing them to settle in allotted territories. In 1915, Turks massacred Armenians during World War I. From 1933 to 1945, Adolf Hilter carried out one of the largest ethnic cleansing episodes in the world by killing millions of Jews, believing that Aryans were a superior race. In the 1990s, ethnic cleansing happened in Yugoslavia; Serbia set out to ethnically cleanse the Bosnian territory from Bosnian Muslims called Bosniaks. in Rwanda, the majority Hutu ethnic group massacred hundreds of people of the minority Tutsis. Closer home, in 1990 around half a million Kashmiri Pandits fled the state of Jammu and Kashmir as the majority Muslim community wanted to cleanse the state from its minority. It is said that the Muslims in Kashmir were instigated by militants who were, in turn, backed by Pakistan to raise demand for an Islamic state. As a result, several Kashmiri Pandits were massacred and a vast majority fled the state to live the life of a refugee in their own country. In cyclic fashion, today the influx of Rohingya refugees to states like Jammu and Kashmir leave them vulnerable to militancy, a key concern for India in the state. The mindset, the future What is currently happening in Myanmar is not unprecedented, but the fact that such episodes are still taking place in the world reflects a huge deviation from the path of building liberal democracies around the world. India is often called the ‘land of diversity’ where after every 100 km the language changes. It is said that there are innumerable religions, cultures, languages, ethnicities etc. all living together in harmony. But are we really living together in harmony? In a village, there is a clear demarcation between the areas inhabited by Muslims and Hindus. The distinction between the houses and amenities available to the upper castes and the lower castes is clearly visible. These demarcations have the potential to take the gruesome face of genocide or ethnic cleansing. At present, there is a false sense of nationalism globally. Migration and terrorism have re-defined and distorted the definition of nationalism. It has become so rigid that the concepts of globalisation and liberalism are being diluted. We belong to liberal democracies and have thrived under that idea, capable of dealing with religions and diversities around us. If we want to continue on the path of liberal democracies we need to travel the path of amalgamation and assimilation. If any of us decide that we are superior to the other, then there is bound to be conflict and the peril of turning into genocides. The hope is that liberal democracy and acceptance of diverse communities will prevail and we will continue to thrive.

Liberal democracy or genocide?

Facebook had a tool to weed out fake news circulating on the social network this year but declined to deploy it for fear of offending conservatives, a report said on Monday.

The report by the online news site Gizmodo comes with Facebook under fire for allowing hoaxes and misinformation to go viral and, according to some critics, boost the efforts of Republican Donald Trump in his successful presidential run.

Facebook denied the report.

Gizmodo, citing unnamed sources said to be knowledgeable about Facebook&#39;s decision-making, said the tool was shelved after a controversy over reports saying the social network suppressed some conservative voices in its &quot;trending topics&quot; earlier this year.

&quot;They absolutely have the tools to shut down fake news,&quot; Gizmodo quoted one source as saying. &quot;There was a lot of fear about upsetting conservatives after (the uproar over) trending topics.&quot;

A Facebook statement said that the claims made in the article were &quot;not true&quot;.

&quot;We did not build and withhold any News Feed changes based on their potential impact on any one political party,&quot; the statement from Facebook said.

&quot;We always work to make News Feed more meaningful and informative, and that includes examining the quality and accuracy of items shared, such as clickbait, spam and hoaxes.&quot;

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has rejected the idea that bogus stories shared at the social network paved a path of victory for Trump.

&quot;The idea that fake news on Facebook, which is a very small amount of the content, influenced the election in any way I think is a pretty crazy idea,&quot; Zuckerberg said during an on-stage chat at Technonomy, a technology trends conference in California.

In a weekend posting, Zuckerberg said dealing with hoaxes and fake news is complex.

&quot;This is an area where I believe we must proceed very carefully,&quot; he said.

&quot;Identifying the &#39;truth&#39; is complicated. While some hoaxes can be completely debunked, a greater amount of content, including from mainstream sources, often gets the basic idea right but some details wrong or omitted.&quot;

Bogus election results

The notion of hoaxes and fake news remained a topic of debate on Monday, when internet users searching on Google were delivered a bogus report saying Trump won the popular vote in addition to the Electoral College.

The numbers on a blog called 70News, contradicting official results tallied so far by states, said Trump received 62.9 million votes to 62.2 million for Hillary Clinton.

The blog urged those petitioning for the Electoral College to switch their votes to reflect popular will to scrap their effort.

&quot;Hey Change.org, scrap your loony petition now,&quot; the posting said.&nbsp;

The bogus site was listed at the top of many search queries for &quot;final election result&quot;.

Preliminary tallies showed Clinton won roughly 700,000 more votes than Trump despite losing the states needed for an Electoral College victory.

Google seeks &quot;to provide the most relevant and useful results for our users&quot;, a company statement to AFP said.

&quot;In this case, we clearly didn&#39;t get it right, but we are continually working to improve our algorithms.&quot;

(AFP)

China has put its armed forces on high alert and called for all sides to exercise restraint

Facebook had a tool to weed out fake news circulating on the social network this year but declined to deploy it for fear of offending conservatives, a report said on Monday. The report by the online news site Gizmodo comes with Facebook under fire for allowing hoaxes and misinformation to go viral and, according to some critics, boost the efforts of Republican Donald Trump in his successful presidential run. Facebook denied the report. Gizmodo, citing unnamed sources said to be knowledgeable about Facebook's decision-making, said the tool was shelved after a controversy over reports saying the social network suppressed some conservative voices in its "trending topics" earlier this year. "They absolutely have the tools to shut down fake news," Gizmodo quoted one source as saying. "There was a lot of fear about upsetting conservatives after (the uproar over) trending topics." A Facebook statement said that the claims made in the article were "not true". "We did not build and withhold any News Feed changes based on their potential impact on any one political party," the statement from Facebook said. "We always work to make News Feed more meaningful and informative, and that includes examining the quality and accuracy of items shared, such as clickbait, spam and hoaxes." Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has rejected the idea that bogus stories shared at the social network paved a path of victory for Trump. "The idea that fake news on Facebook, which is a very small amount of the content, influenced the election in any way I think is a pretty crazy idea," Zuckerberg said during an on-stage chat at Technonomy, a technology trends conference in California. In a weekend posting, Zuckerberg said dealing with hoaxes and fake news is complex. "This is an area where I believe we must proceed very carefully," he said. "Identifying the 'truth' is complicated. While some hoaxes can be completely debunked, a greater amount of content, including from mainstream sources, often gets the basic idea right but some details wrong or omitted." Bogus election results The notion of hoaxes and fake news remained a topic of debate on Monday, when internet users searching on Google were delivered a bogus report saying Trump won the popular vote in addition to the Electoral College. The numbers on a blog called 70News, contradicting official results tallied so far by states, said Trump received 62.9 million votes to 62.2 million for Hillary Clinton. The blog urged those petitioning for the Electoral College to switch their votes to reflect popular will to scrap their effort. "Hey Change.org, scrap your loony petition now," the posting said. The bogus site was listed at the top of many search queries for "final election result". Preliminary tallies showed Clinton won roughly 700,000 more votes than Trump despite losing the states needed for an Electoral College victory. Google seeks "to provide the most relevant and useful results for our users", a company statement to AFP said. "In this case, we clearly didn't get it right, but we are continually working to improve our algorithms." (AFP)

China says 3,000 flee Myanmar after fighting along border

At least 28 insurgents were killed over two days of fighting in western Rakhine state on Sunday, Myanmar&#39;s military said.&nbsp;

The military said 22 insurgents were killed near Dar Gyi Zar village after they attacked soldiers of which two died and another six killed were killed elsewhere.

&nbsp;Rohingya activists uploaded a video late Saturday which showed eight corpses dressed in civilian clothes, including a small baby.&nbsp;

The narrator, speaking in Rohingya said the victims were killed near Dar Gyi Zar village, some bodies riddled with bullets.&nbsp;

According to AFP, the authenticity of the video could not be verified.&nbsp;

The latest clashes come&nbsp;after satellite images released by Human Rights Watch showed more than 400 buildings torched in three Rohingya villages.&nbsp;

Brad Adams, the group&#39;s Asia director, said the new photos showed &quot;widespread destruction&quot; that was &quot;greater than we first thought&quot;.

&quot;Burmese authorities should promptly establish a UN-assisted investigation as a first step toward ensuring justice and security for the victims,&quot; he said in a statement.

The government and the military denied any involvement and accused the Rohingya&#39;s.&nbsp;

The region is home to Rohingya Muslims, who are in conflict with the majority Buddhists.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The military said 28 insurgents were killed near Dar Gyi Zar village after they attacked soldiers of which two died

At least 28 insurgents were killed over two days of fighting in western Rakhine state on Sunday, Myanmar's military said. The military said 22 insurgents were killed near Dar Gyi Zar village after they attacked soldiers of which two died and another six killed were killed elsewhere. Rohingya activists uploaded a video late Saturday which showed eight corpses dressed in civilian clothes, including a small baby. The narrator, speaking in Rohingya said the victims were killed near Dar Gyi Zar village, some bodies riddled with bullets. According to AFP, the authenticity of the video could not be verified. The latest clashes come after satellite images released by Human Rights Watch showed more than 400 buildings torched in three Rohingya villages. Brad Adams, the group's Asia director, said the new photos showed "widespread destruction" that was "greater than we first thought". "Burmese authorities should promptly establish a UN-assisted investigation as a first step toward ensuring justice and security for the victims," he said in a statement. The government and the military denied any involvement and accused the Rohingya's. The region is home to Rohingya Muslims, who are in conflict with the majority Buddhists. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Myanmar: Dozens killed in fresh clash in Rakhine

Hundreds of buildings in Rohingya villages in Rakhine have been torched, satellite images showed.

The fresh violence erupted in the restive state of Rakhine in western Myanmar, leaving two soldiers and six attackers dead, according to the military who said they brought in helicopter gunships to repel an ambush.

Ethnic violence has ripped through the state and the situation has turned even grimmer after nine border policemen were killed in coordinated attacks last month.

The attack resulted in the government coming down hard on Rohingya villagers, with dozens of people dead and several more arrested in the security apparatus&#39; pursuit to nab the assailants.

Myanmar government believes those who launched the deadly attacks last month are radicalised Rohingya militants with links to overseas Islamists.

The crisis and reports of grave rights abuses being carried out in tandem with the security crackdown have piled international pressure on Myanmar&#39;s new civilian government and raised questions about its ability to control its military.

Authorities have heavily restricted access to the area, making it difficult to independently verify government reports or accusations of army abuse.

New satellite images released by Human Rights Watch show what the group said was evidence of mass arson attacks against Rohingya villages.

Their analysis showed more than 400 buildings torched in three Rohingya villages where the fighting has been taking place.

The group said active fires and burn scars showed that most of the destruction was caused by arson. The latest images were taken on 10 November.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Fresh fighting flared on Saturday with two soldiers and six attackers killed, according to Myanmar's military

Hundreds of buildings in Rohingya villages in Rakhine have been torched, satellite images showed. The fresh violence erupted in the restive state of Rakhine in western Myanmar, leaving two soldiers and six attackers dead, according to the military who said they brought in helicopter gunships to repel an ambush. Ethnic violence has ripped through the state and the situation has turned even grimmer after nine border policemen were killed in coordinated attacks last month. The attack resulted in the government coming down hard on Rohingya villagers, with dozens of people dead and several more arrested in the security apparatus' pursuit to nab the assailants. Myanmar government believes those who launched the deadly attacks last month are radicalised Rohingya militants with links to overseas Islamists. The crisis and reports of grave rights abuses being carried out in tandem with the security crackdown have piled international pressure on Myanmar's new civilian government and raised questions about its ability to control its military. Authorities have heavily restricted access to the area, making it difficult to independently verify government reports or accusations of army abuse. New satellite images released by Human Rights Watch show what the group said was evidence of mass arson attacks against Rohingya villages. Their analysis showed more than 400 buildings torched in three Rohingya villages where the fighting has been taking place. The group said active fires and burn scars showed that most of the destruction was caused by arson. The latest images were taken on 10 November. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Satellite images show hundreds of Rohingya homes torched in Rakhine

Myanmar&#39;s anti-Muslim hardliners cheered Donald Trump&#39;s election as US president in prose and poetry on Thursday, hailing the divisive billionaire&#39;s triumph as a victory in the fight against &quot;Islamic terrorism&quot;.

Trump&#39;s shock ascent to the White House topped a vitriolic campaign in which he promised to ban Muslims from entering the US and pledged to establish a database of those living in the country.

Muslims around the world were left reeling from his surprise win on Tuesday, with many fearing he would bring in anti-Islam policies that could help bolster extremist groups like Islamic State.

But in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, a country simmering with religious tensions, hardline anti-Muslim groups waxed lyrical about his victory.

Firebrand monk Wirathu, once dubbed the &quot;face of Buddhist terror&quot; for his anti-Muslim sermons, celebrated with a four-line poem on Facebook.

&quot;Public security is the most important consideration/Donald Trump is the real leader/People love him so much/Nationalism is the priority,&quot; he wrote.

&quot;May US citizens be free from jihad. May the world be free of bloodshed,&quot; he added in a statement underneath.&nbsp;

Anti-Muslim sentiment has billowed in Myanmar in recent years, erupting into bouts of bloodshed and leaving a stain on the country`s recent democratic transition.&nbsp;

More than a million of Myanmar`s Muslims are Rohingya, a stateless ethnic group reviled by many Buddhists who insist they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Myanmar&#39;s president has accused Islamist Rohingya militants of attacking police border posts in western Rakhine state last month, an incident that sparked a deadly military crackdown in the border region.&nbsp;

Independent investigators have been prevented from carrying out enquiries into the allegations that Rohingya extremists carried out the deadly raids. 
But ethnic Rakhine Buddhist nationalists, who have long railed against the Rohingya, have seized on the attacks as evidence the oppressed minority is launching a new front for terrorism.

&quot;Being engulfed in Islamisation and illegal immigration problems, we the Arakanese (Rakhine) people look up to you as a new world leader who will change the rigged system being infested with jihadi infiltrators,&quot; said Aye Maung, chairman of the Arakan National Party, in an open letter to Trump.

&quot;We... hope your leadership will steer the US and the world into a safer place without radical Islamic terrorism.&quot;

(AFP)

Anti-Muslim hardliners cheered Trump's election calling the triumph a victory in the fight against 'Islamic terrorism'

Myanmar's anti-Muslim hardliners cheered Donald Trump's election as US president in prose and poetry on Thursday, hailing the divisive billionaire's triumph as a victory in the fight against "Islamic terrorism". Trump's shock ascent to the White House topped a vitriolic campaign in which he promised to ban Muslims from entering the US and pledged to establish a database of those living in the country. Muslims around the world were left reeling from his surprise win on Tuesday, with many fearing he would bring in anti-Islam policies that could help bolster extremist groups like Islamic State. But in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, a country simmering with religious tensions, hardline anti-Muslim groups waxed lyrical about his victory. Firebrand monk Wirathu, once dubbed the "face of Buddhist terror" for his anti-Muslim sermons, celebrated with a four-line poem on Facebook. "Public security is the most important consideration/Donald Trump is the real leader/People love him so much/Nationalism is the priority," he wrote. "May US citizens be free from jihad. May the world be free of bloodshed," he added in a statement underneath. Anti-Muslim sentiment has billowed in Myanmar in recent years, erupting into bouts of bloodshed and leaving a stain on the country`s recent democratic transition. More than a million of Myanmar`s Muslims are Rohingya, a stateless ethnic group reviled by many Buddhists who insist they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Myanmar's president has accused Islamist Rohingya militants of attacking police border posts in western Rakhine state last month, an incident that sparked a deadly military crackdown in the border region. Independent investigators have been prevented from carrying out enquiries into the allegations that Rohingya extremists carried out the deadly raids. But ethnic Rakhine Buddhist nationalists, who have long railed against the Rohingya, have seized on the attacks as evidence the oppressed minority is launching a new front for terrorism. "Being engulfed in Islamisation and illegal immigration problems, we the Arakanese (Rakhine) people look up to you as a new world leader who will change the rigged system being infested with jihadi infiltrators," said Aye Maung, chairman of the Arakan National Party, in an open letter to Trump. "We... hope your leadership will steer the US and the world into a safer place without radical Islamic terrorism." (AFP)

Trump victory hailed by anti-Muslim groups in Myanmar

Myanmar said on Friday it will advise women in Yangon to avoid getting pregnant in the next six months to protect them from the Zika virus after the first case was confirmed in Myanmar&#39;s largest city.

Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized - as well as other brain abnormalities. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light in Brazil, which has confirmed more than 1,900 cases of microcephaly.

&quot;The Ministry of Health will issue a statement soon advising married women in Yangon to avoid having pregnancies in six months,&quot; ministry director general Soe Lwin Nyein told reporters in the capital of Naypyitaw.

A pregnant foreign woman was diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus on Thursday, state media said.

Authorities said they would not allow the woman to leave her home in the next two weeks to prevent Zika from spreading.

&quot;We&#39;re also helping her by giving her psychiatric treatment because she&#39;s worried about her pregnancy,&quot; Soe Lwin Nyein said, refusing to give any details about the woman.

The authorities would also take preventive measures in Yangon and Mandalay, the country&#39;s two largest cities. Yangon, the commercial hub of seven million, would be the priority because of a downtown mosquito infestation.

(Reuters)

The announcement came after a pregnant woman was diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus on Thursday

Myanmar said on Friday it will advise women in Yangon to avoid getting pregnant in the next six months to protect them from the Zika virus after the first case was confirmed in Myanmar's largest city. Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly - a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized - as well as other brain abnormalities. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light in Brazil, which has confirmed more than 1,900 cases of microcephaly. "The Ministry of Health will issue a statement soon advising married women in Yangon to avoid having pregnancies in six months," ministry director general Soe Lwin Nyein told reporters in the capital of Naypyitaw. A pregnant foreign woman was diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus on Thursday, state media said. Authorities said they would not allow the woman to leave her home in the next two weeks to prevent Zika from spreading. "We're also helping her by giving her psychiatric treatment because she's worried about her pregnancy," Soe Lwin Nyein said, refusing to give any details about the woman. The authorities would also take preventive measures in Yangon and Mandalay, the country's two largest cities. Yangon, the commercial hub of seven million, would be the priority because of a downtown mosquito infestation. (Reuters)

Zika scare: Myanmar tells women to avoid pregnancy for next six months

Hundreds of Rohingya villagers in Myanmar are hiding in rice fields without shelter for the consecutive&nbsp;second night after the army on Sunday forced them out of their village in a crackdown following a string of attacks on border security forces.&nbsp;

Border guard officers stormed into the Kyee&nbsp;Kan Pyin village on Sunday and ordered around 2,000 Rohingya villagers to vacate their homes, giving them just enough time to gather their basic household items, Reuters reported.

Violence&nbsp;has intensified in the country&#39;s Rakhine province, with relations between Rohingyas and majority Buddhists hitting their lowest since 2012 when hundreds were killed and thousands displaced in ethnic and religious violence.&nbsp;

The government led by&nbsp;Aung San Suu Kyi has said the army and police in Rakhine are fighting at least 400 insurgents, drawn from the Rohingya Muslim minority, with alleged&nbsp;links to Islamist militants overseas.

While officials claim conducting carefully targeted sweeps against those who attacked police border posts on October 9 , residents in the region have accused the security forces of burning homes and killing non-combatants, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

Rohingya rights activists have uploaded videos showing women and men speaking&nbsp;in Rohingya language carrying their belongings and livestock to other villages or waiting out the crackdown in rice fields, Reuters reported.

&quot;I was kicked out from my house yesterday afternoon, now I live in a paddy field outside of my village with some 200 people including my family, I became homeless,&quot;&nbsp;Rohingya man from Kyee Kan Pyin village told Reuters.

&quot;After the soldiers arrived at our village, they said that if all of us didn&#39;t leave, they would shoot us,&rdquo; he said. 
 
Mynt Kyaw, a government spokesman, told Reuters that the government was unable to contact anyone in the area because it was a militarily-operated &quot;red zone&quot;.

&quot;A Muslim man called me this morning as they were being forcibly removed from their homes, but I was not able to confirm that information,&quot; said Mynt Kyaw.

The area around Maungdaw, near the border with Bangladesh, is under a military lockdown and journalists and aid workers are being denied access.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The security forces are trying to weed out about 400 Rohingya insurgents following attacks on border security forces in Rakhine province

Hundreds of Rohingya villagers in Myanmar are hiding in rice fields without shelter for the consecutive second night after the army on Sunday forced them out of their village in a crackdown following a string of attacks on border security forces. Border guard officers stormed into the Kyee Kan Pyin village on Sunday and ordered around 2,000 Rohingya villagers to vacate their homes, giving them just enough time to gather their basic household items, Reuters reported. Violence has intensified in the country's Rakhine province, with relations between Rohingyas and majority Buddhists hitting their lowest since 2012 when hundreds were killed and thousands displaced in ethnic and religious violence. The government led by Aung San Suu Kyi has said the army and police in Rakhine are fighting at least 400 insurgents, drawn from the Rohingya Muslim minority, with alleged links to Islamist militants overseas. While officials claim conducting carefully targeted sweeps against those who attacked police border posts on October 9 , residents in the region have accused the security forces of burning homes and killing non-combatants, Reuters reported. Rohingya rights activists have uploaded videos showing women and men speaking in Rohingya language carrying their belongings and livestock to other villages or waiting out the crackdown in rice fields, Reuters reported. "I was kicked out from my house yesterday afternoon, now I live in a paddy field outside of my village with some 200 people including my family, I became homeless," Rohingya man from Kyee Kan Pyin village told Reuters. "After the soldiers arrived at our village, they said that if all of us didn't leave, they would shoot us,” he said. Mynt Kyaw, a government spokesman, told Reuters that the government was unable to contact anyone in the area because it was a militarily-operated "red zone". "A Muslim man called me this morning as they were being forcibly removed from their homes, but I was not able to confirm that information," said Mynt Kyaw. The area around Maungdaw, near the border with Bangladesh, is under a military lockdown and journalists and aid workers are being denied access. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Myanmar army drives hundreds of Rohingya villagers out of homes

US President Barack Obama on Friday eased sanctions on Myanmar by terminating an emergency order that deemed the policies of the southeast Asian country&rsquo;s former military government a threat to US national security.

&quot;I have determined that the situation that gave rise to the national emergency...has been significantly altered by Burma&rsquo;s (Myanmar&rsquo;s) substantial advances to promote democracy, including historic elections in November 2015,&quot; Obama said in a letter to congressional leaders announcing the decision, Reuters reported.

Under Obama&rsquo;s new executive order preferential tariffs for Myanmar, which were suspended more than two decades ago amid human rights abuses by the Junta, will be reinstated.

Obama had met the country&#39;s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi in September and had stated at the time that revoking sanctions would be &quot;the right thing to do to ensure that the people of Burma (Myanmar) see rewards for a new way of doing business.&quot;

The move aims at getting the rapidly transforming country out of decades of economic isolation.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

Under Obama?s new executive order preferential tariffs for Myanmar will be reinstated

US President Barack Obama on Friday eased sanctions on Myanmar by terminating an emergency order that deemed the policies of the southeast Asian country’s former military government a threat to US national security. "I have determined that the situation that gave rise to the national emergency...has been significantly altered by Burma’s (Myanmar’s) substantial advances to promote democracy, including historic elections in November 2015," Obama said in a letter to congressional leaders announcing the decision, Reuters reported. Under Obama’s new executive order preferential tariffs for Myanmar, which were suspended more than two decades ago amid human rights abuses by the Junta, will be reinstated. Obama had met the country's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi in September and had stated at the time that revoking sanctions would be "the right thing to do to ensure that the people of Burma (Myanmar) see rewards for a new way of doing business." The move aims at getting the rapidly transforming country out of decades of economic isolation. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Obama eases sanctions on Myanmar

Myanmar&#39;s state counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Wednesday became country&#39;s first civilian leader in over five decades to address the UN General Assembly.&nbsp; 
 
Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi, without referring to the Rohingyas by name, spoke about the situation in Rakhine state where tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims are living in poor conditions in makeshift camps. The persecution of the minority community has drawn world&#39;s attention.&nbsp; 
 
Suu Kyi,who has been criticised for ignoring the plight of the Rohingyas, defended her government by saying that Myanmar does not fear international scrutiny.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are committed to a sustainable solution that will lead to peace, stability and development for all communities within the state. Our government is taking a holistic approach that makes development central to both short and long-term programmes aimed at promoting understanding and trust.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
She also pointed out that she had appointed former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan to chair a commission which will look into the issue.&nbsp; 
 
Suu Kyi also insisted, according to international news agency Reuters, that her government faced &quot;persistent opposition from some quarters&quot; to the establishment of the commission.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;By standing firm against the forces of prejudice and intolerance, we are reaffirming our faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person,&quot; she added.&nbsp; 
 
She also spoke on the issue of migration, saying lack of peace and development forced people to migrate. And terrorism is also born out of lack of social and economic security which forces youths to be enamored by ideologies which promise security.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;&quot;We also need to consider the possibility that lack of purpose, of a sense of direction in life, could also be a force that drives many, especially the young into the snare of ideologies that appear to offer certainty.&quot; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi spoke about the situation in Rakhine state where thousands of Rohingyas are living

Myanmar's state counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Wednesday became country's first civilian leader in over five decades to address the UN General Assembly. Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi, without referring to the Rohingyas by name, spoke about the situation in Rakhine state where tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims are living in poor conditions in makeshift camps. The persecution of the minority community has drawn world's attention. Suu Kyi,who has been criticised for ignoring the plight of the Rohingyas, defended her government by saying that Myanmar does not fear international scrutiny. "We are committed to a sustainable solution that will lead to peace, stability and development for all communities within the state. Our government is taking a holistic approach that makes development central to both short and long-term programmes aimed at promoting understanding and trust." She also pointed out that she had appointed former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan to chair a commission which will look into the issue. Suu Kyi also insisted, according to international news agency Reuters, that her government faced "persistent opposition from some quarters" to the establishment of the commission. "By standing firm against the forces of prejudice and intolerance, we are reaffirming our faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person," she added. She also spoke on the issue of migration, saying lack of peace and development forced people to migrate. And terrorism is also born out of lack of social and economic security which forces youths to be enamored by ideologies which promise security. "We also need to consider the possibility that lack of purpose, of a sense of direction in life, could also be a force that drives many, especially the young into the snare of ideologies that appear to offer certainty." (WION with inputs from agencies)

Myanmar's first civilian leader addresses UN in over 50 years

In a rare ruling, seven soldiers in Myanmar have been jailed for killing villagers during an interrogation, the military said,&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Seven Myanmar army soldiers are sentenced to five years for killing local people in Mong Yaw village in Lashio township, Shan State,&quot; an official statement on Facebook read.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;They all have to be sentenced to five years with hard labour in&nbsp;countryside&nbsp;prison,&quot; the statement mentioned. 
 
The bodies of the villagers were reportedly found in graves days after they were detained by soldiers following an altercation with ethnic rebels in the Shan state. 
 
Ever since her party took over in March, democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi has prioritised&nbsp;ending warfare, but the military that still has control over key government bodies will be a crucial player in bringing peace to the borderlands.&nbsp; 
 
US President Barack Obama vowed on Wednesday&nbsp;to lift sanctions, which were imposed when the former military junta was in power, following Suu Kyi&#39;s visit to the White House.&nbsp; 
 
Activists have, however, condemned the&nbsp;move, saying it removes a key lever for applying pressure on the army. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP) 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

The army, which has long operated with?impunity,?has made a rare admission of misconduct among its troops

In a rare ruling, seven soldiers in Myanmar have been jailed for killing villagers during an interrogation, the military said, "Seven Myanmar army soldiers are sentenced to five years for killing local people in Mong Yaw village in Lashio township, Shan State," an official statement on Facebook read. "They all have to be sentenced to five years with hard labour in countryside prison," the statement mentioned. The bodies of the villagers were reportedly found in graves days after they were detained by soldiers following an altercation with ethnic rebels in the Shan state. Ever since her party took over in March, democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi has prioritised ending warfare, but the military that still has control over key government bodies will be a crucial player in bringing peace to the borderlands. US President Barack Obama vowed on Wednesday to lift sanctions, which were imposed when the former military junta was in power, following Suu Kyi's visit to the White House. Activists have, however, condemned the move, saying it removes a key lever for applying pressure on the army. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Seven Myanmar soldiers jailed for killing villagers

United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon will stress on the importance of development and human rights during his visit to Sri Lanka and Myanmar next week, which are a part of his five-country Asia tour. 
 
The UN chief arrives in Myanmar on Tuesday where he will hold talks with Aung San Suu Kyi, the country&rsquo;s de facto prime minister. 
 
He is also expected to address a peace conference organised by Suu Kyi, which includes ethnic rebel groups and aims to end decades of fighting. 
 
Ban will also meet President Htin Kyaw, general Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of Myanmar&#39;s armed forces, and some political and civil society representatives. 
&nbsp;
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The UN is pushing for the establishment of a special court to try war crimes committed during the Sri Lankan army&#39;s conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The UN chief will discuss human rights and development during the talks, according to his spokesperson.Stephane Dujarric." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
The UN has criticised Myanmar&#39;s treatment of the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are denied citizenship and have been living in camp. 
 
The UN chief will discuss human rights and development during the talks, according to his spokesperson.Stephane Dujarric. 
 
He visits Sri Lanka on Wednesday and will meet President Maithripala Sirisena. 
 
The UN is pushing for the establishment of a special court to try war crimes committed during the Sri Lankan army&#39;s conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels. 
 
Ban will focus on the &quot;promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development,&quot; Dujarric said. 
 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

The UN-chief Ban Ki-moon will meet ethnic rebel groups in Myanmar and will focus on the 'promotion of inclusive societies' in Sri Lanka

United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon will stress on the importance of development and human rights during his visit to Sri Lanka and Myanmar next week, which are a part of his five-country Asia tour. The UN chief arrives in Myanmar on Tuesday where he will hold talks with Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s de facto prime minister. He is also expected to address a peace conference organised by Suu Kyi, which includes ethnic rebel groups and aims to end decades of fighting. Ban will also meet President Htin Kyaw, general Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of Myanmar's armed forces, and some political and civil society representatives. The UN is pushing for the establishment of a special court to try war crimes committed during the Sri Lankan army's conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels. The UN has criticised Myanmar's treatment of the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are denied citizenship and have been living in camp. The UN chief will discuss human rights and development during the talks, according to his spokesperson.Stephane Dujarric. He visits Sri Lanka on Wednesday and will meet President Maithripala Sirisena. The UN is pushing for the establishment of a special court to try war crimes committed during the Sri Lankan army's conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels. Ban will focus on the "promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development," Dujarric said. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Human rights on Ban's Sri Lanka, Myanmar agenda

Myanmar took stock of toppled spires and crumbling temple walls in the ancient capital Bagan today after a powerful earthquake hit the country, killing three and damaging the top tourist destination. 
 
Two young girls and a man died in Magway region where the 6.8 magnitude quake struck Wednesday evening, cracking buildings across centre of the country and sending tremors that were felt as far away as Bangkok and Kolkata.&nbsp; 
 
While Red Cross&nbsp;continued to provide help and assistance in search and rescue operations, it was not treating it as a major emergency situation, Amanda George from the International Red Cross in Myanmar said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We continue to provide assistance to injured people, but we don&#39;t see this as a major disaster.&quot; 
 
 
At least 187 centuries-old pagodas damaged&nbsp; 
 
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck near the town of Chauk, south of Bagan, about 175 km (110 miles) southwest of the country&#39;s second city Mandalay at around 5 pm (1030 GMT). &nbsp; 
 
At least 185 centuries-old pagodas were damaged in ancient capital Bagan, home to a vast plain of some 2,500 Buddhist monuments that are among Myanmar&#39;s most venerated religious sites. Truckloads of soldiers and squadrons of police have today been sent to protect and rebuild the Buddhist brick temples. 
 
&quot;First we need to figure out the extent of the damage,&quot; Arkar Kyaw, the deputy director of Myanmar&#39;s culture ministry said. 
 
&quot;Then we will make a renovation plan,&quot; he told AFP, adding that the government is working directly with UNESCO. 
 
Bagan rivals Cambodia&#39;s Angkor Wat and Borobudur in Indonesia as Southeast Asia&#39;s premier archaeological site. Myanmar is eager to see the city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 
 
The Southeast Asian country is in a seismically active part of the world where the Indo-Australian Plate runs up against the Eurasian Plate. A magnitude 6.9 tremor hit northwestern Myanmar in April but caused no major loss of life. 
 
The Fire Department and police in the town of Pakkoku, the biggest of the towns close to the epicentre, said many buildings were cracked and it has sent several trucks to assess the damage. 
 
In Chauk, one building had nearly collapsed and was sealed off, according to a local official from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party. 
 
&quot;Other buildings have visible cracks, but apart from that there&#39;s no extensive damage,&quot; said Maung Maung Kyaw. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

At least 185 centuries-old pagodas were damaged in ancient capital Bagan, the centrepiece of Myanmar's fast-growing tourism industry

Myanmar took stock of toppled spires and crumbling temple walls in the ancient capital Bagan today after a powerful earthquake hit the country, killing three and damaging the top tourist destination. Two young girls and a man died in Magway region where the 6.8 magnitude quake struck Wednesday evening, cracking buildings across centre of the country and sending tremors that were felt as far away as Bangkok and Kolkata. While Red Cross continued to provide help and assistance in search and rescue operations, it was not treating it as a major emergency situation, Amanda George from the International Red Cross in Myanmar said. "We continue to provide assistance to injured people, but we don't see this as a major disaster." At least 187 centuries-old pagodas damaged According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck near the town of Chauk, south of Bagan, about 175 km (110 miles) southwest of the country's second city Mandalay at around 5 pm (1030 GMT). At least 185 centuries-old pagodas were damaged in ancient capital Bagan, home to a vast plain of some 2,500 Buddhist monuments that are among Myanmar's most venerated religious sites. Truckloads of soldiers and squadrons of police have today been sent to protect and rebuild the Buddhist brick temples. "First we need to figure out the extent of the damage," Arkar Kyaw, the deputy director of Myanmar's culture ministry said. "Then we will make a renovation plan," he told AFP, adding that the government is working directly with UNESCO. Bagan rivals Cambodia's Angkor Wat and Borobudur in Indonesia as Southeast Asia's premier archaeological site. Myanmar is eager to see the city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Southeast Asian country is in a seismically active part of the world where the Indo-Australian Plate runs up against the Eurasian Plate. A magnitude 6.9 tremor hit northwestern Myanmar in April but caused no major loss of life. The Fire Department and police in the town of Pakkoku, the biggest of the towns close to the epicentre, said many buildings were cracked and it has sent several trucks to assess the damage. In Chauk, one building had nearly collapsed and was sealed off, according to a local official from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party. "Other buildings have visible cracks, but apart from that there's no extensive damage," said Maung Maung Kyaw. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Myanmar assesses damage after 6.8 magnitude earthquake kills 3, sends troops to rebuild ancient pagodas

Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw is set to visit India following an invitation&nbsp;from Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, according to an official&nbsp;announcement. 
 
&quot;U Htin Kyaw, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and wife&nbsp;Daw Su Su Lwin will pay a State Visit to the Republic of India in the near&nbsp;future at the invitation of His Excellency Mr Pranab Mukherjee, President of&nbsp;the Republic of India,&quot; the official statement said. 
 
India&#39;s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj too paid a one-day visit to&nbsp;the country to hold talks with Myanmarese leaders on key bilateral issues&nbsp;during where it was assured that Myanmar will not allow any anti-India&nbsp;activites in its territory. 
 
This was the first high-level visit from India after a civilian government&nbsp;assumed office in Myanmar. Swaraj here conveyed India&#39;s commitment of &quot;all&nbsp;help&quot; to the new government. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj too recently paid a one-day visit to?the country

Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw is set to visit India following an invitation from Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, according to an official announcement. "U Htin Kyaw, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and wife Daw Su Su Lwin will pay a State Visit to the Republic of India in the near future at the invitation of His Excellency Mr Pranab Mukherjee, President of the Republic of India," the official statement said. India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj too paid a one-day visit to the country to hold talks with Myanmarese leaders on key bilateral issues during where it was assured that Myanmar will not allow any anti-India activites in its territory. This was the first high-level visit from India after a civilian government assumed office in Myanmar. Swaraj here conveyed India's commitment of "all help" to the new government. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw to visit India

After the heavy exchange of fire between the Indian Army and the banned insurgent outfit NSCN (Khaplang)&nbsp;last week in Nagaland along the India-Myanmar border, both countries on Monday agreed to maintain peace&nbsp;and security along the the international border. 
 
This was agreed to during meetings External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had with Myanmar President U&nbsp;Htin Kyaw and State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi during her day-long visit to Nay Pyi&nbsp;Taw.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Both sides agreed to make efforts to ensure peace and security along the long shared border,&quot; sources here&nbsp;said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The Myanmar side stated that activities of insurgent groups would not be countenanced from Myanmar&nbsp;territory and suggested that this issue should be addressed and taken forward through cooperation in&nbsp;established bilateral forums,&quot; they said. 
 
Heavy exchange of fire took place on Friday between the Indian Army and the NSCN(K) after the soldiers&nbsp;allegedly raided some of the villages along the Indo-Myanmar border. 
 
According to the state police, the incident took place at about 4 a.m. near Chenmoho in Mon district in&nbsp;Nagaland which shares its eastern border with Myanmar. 
 
Though some reports said that the Indian forces crossed into the Myanmar side in pursuit of the insurgents,&nbsp;authorities have denied this.&nbsp; 
 
This is the first cabinet-level visit from India to Myanmar after Suu Kyi&#39;s National League for Democracy&nbsp;(NLD) assumed power in March this year, a gesture that Myanmar leaders have appreciated, the sources&nbsp;said. 
 
She expressed fullest support to the new Myanmar government in its efforts to meet its developmental goals in&nbsp;the country.&nbsp; 
 
Suu Kyi warmly recalled her long association with India and with Indian personalities.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;She briefed the External Affairs Minister on the preparations for the upcoming 21st Century Panglong&nbsp;Conference for National Reconciliation,&quot; the sources said. 
 
&quot;The External Affairs Minister conveyed India`s full support to this process and said India stands ready to&nbsp;extend any necessary help.&quot; 
 
Both sides also agreed to work together to identify new areas of cooperation where there is much untapped&nbsp;potential.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;This includes areas such as agriculture especially pulses, power, renewable energy, skill development, health,&nbsp;education, transport and social development,&quot; the sources said. 
 
India is already supplying 3 MW of electricity to Myanmar through the Moreh-Tamu link from the&nbsp;northeastern state of Manipur.&nbsp; 
 
The Myanmar side also expressed appreciation for the training that 20 Myanmar MPs had recently received&nbsp;at the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training in New Delhi. 
 
President U Htin Kyaw was quoted as satying: &quot;India is the country we should get best lessons from on what&nbsp;democracy means.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
India`s Act East Policy also came up for discussion and both sides agreed that it fitted neatly into Myanmar&#39;s&nbsp;needs and as such areas of mutually-beneficial cooperation should be identified in the near future. 
 
According to the sources, Sushma Swaraj extended invitations to both the President and the state Counsellor&nbsp;to visit India at their earliest convenience, which were accepted. 
 
(IANS)

Heavy exchange of fire had earlier taken place between the Indian Army and the NSCN(K) on the Indo-Myanmar border

After the heavy exchange of fire between the Indian Army and the banned insurgent outfit NSCN (Khaplang) last week in Nagaland along the India-Myanmar border, both countries on Monday agreed to maintain peace and security along the the international border. This was agreed to during meetings External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had with Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw and State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi during her day-long visit to Nay Pyi Taw. "Both sides agreed to make efforts to ensure peace and security along the long shared border," sources here said. "The Myanmar side stated that activities of insurgent groups would not be countenanced from Myanmar territory and suggested that this issue should be addressed and taken forward through cooperation in established bilateral forums," they said. Heavy exchange of fire took place on Friday between the Indian Army and the NSCN(K) after the soldiers allegedly raided some of the villages along the Indo-Myanmar border. According to the state police, the incident took place at about 4 a.m. near Chenmoho in Mon district in Nagaland which shares its eastern border with Myanmar. Though some reports said that the Indian forces crossed into the Myanmar side in pursuit of the insurgents, authorities have denied this. This is the first cabinet-level visit from India to Myanmar after Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) assumed power in March this year, a gesture that Myanmar leaders have appreciated, the sources said. She expressed fullest support to the new Myanmar government in its efforts to meet its developmental goals in the country. Suu Kyi warmly recalled her long association with India and with Indian personalities. "She briefed the External Affairs Minister on the preparations for the upcoming 21st Century Panglong Conference for National Reconciliation," the sources said. "The External Affairs Minister conveyed India`s full support to this process and said India stands ready to extend any necessary help." Both sides also agreed to work together to identify new areas of cooperation where there is much untapped potential. "This includes areas such as agriculture especially pulses, power, renewable energy, skill development, health, education, transport and social development," the sources said. India is already supplying 3 MW of electricity to Myanmar through the Moreh-Tamu link from the northeastern state of Manipur. The Myanmar side also expressed appreciation for the training that 20 Myanmar MPs had recently received at the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training in New Delhi. President U Htin Kyaw was quoted as satying: "India is the country we should get best lessons from on what democracy means." India`s Act East Policy also came up for discussion and both sides agreed that it fitted neatly into Myanmar's needs and as such areas of mutually-beneficial cooperation should be identified in the near future. According to the sources, Sushma Swaraj extended invitations to both the President and the state Counsellor to visit India at their earliest convenience, which were accepted. (IANS)

India, Myanmar agree to maintain border peace, security

Myanmar will not allow its territory to be used for any anti-India activities, this&nbsp;was conveyed by Myanmarese leaders to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who assured &quot;all help&quot; to&nbsp;the new government that came to power in March after decades of military rule. 
 
In the first high-level visit from India after the civilian government assumed office here, Swaraj called on&nbsp;President U Htin Kyaw and held talks with State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi on key&nbsp;bilateral issues, including cross-border activities by certain insurgent groups. 
 
Describing India as a friendly country, Myanmarese President U Htin told Swaraj that he looks forward to a&nbsp;&quot;very productive partnership&quot;. 
 
&quot;Myanmar leadership assured that they will not allow any insurgent groups to use any territory for action&nbsp;against India, (that) they all recognised is a friendly country which has stood by people of Myanmar and they&nbsp;look forward to a very productive partnership with India as Myanmar continues on its journey of peace,&nbsp;progress and development,&quot; MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup told PTI. 
 
The issue of cross-border activities by certain insurgent groups was taken up by Swaraj in her maiden meeting&nbsp;with the country&#39;s first democratically-elected President in five decades, according to sources.&nbsp;Swaraj&#39;s visit comes just days after the Indian Army had an encounter with NSCN-K militants in Nagaland&nbsp;who were trying to enter the country from Myanmar. While reports suggested that the Indian Army had&nbsp;crossed over to Myanmar, it was denied officially by India. 
 
Swaraj also discussed with the Myanmarese leadership how India can help in Myanmar&#39;s development&nbsp;efforts. 
 
They discussed a number of areas of possible collaboration, such as power. India is already supplying 3 MW&nbsp;electricity to Myanmar through the Moreh-Tamu link but this can be further upgraded, Swarup said. 
 
Cooperation in renewable energy, transport, health, education and social development was also discussed&nbsp;during the meeting Swaraj had with the leadership here. 
 
They also discussed the possibility of strong cooperation in area of agriculture, particularly pulses where there&nbsp;is a possibility of importing large amount of pulses from Myanmar, Swarup said following Swaraj&#39;s 45-minutes-long meeting with Suu Kyi. 
 
Congratulating Suu Kyi for the victory in the &quot;first genuine election&quot;, Swaraj assured her of &quot;all help&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;India is committed to strengthening your democratic institutions and socio-economic development of your&nbsp;people,&quot; Swaraj said during her meeting with Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy party won a&nbsp;historic landslide election last year that finally brought an end to five decades of military rule. 
 
Swaraj said this was the message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee. 
 
(PTI)

Describing India as a friendly country, Myanmarese President U Htin told Swaraj that he looks forward to a?"very productive partnership"

Myanmar will not allow its territory to be used for any anti-India activities, this was conveyed by Myanmarese leaders to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who assured "all help" to the new government that came to power in March after decades of military rule. In the first high-level visit from India after the civilian government assumed office here, Swaraj called on President U Htin Kyaw and held talks with State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi on key bilateral issues, including cross-border activities by certain insurgent groups. Describing India as a friendly country, Myanmarese President U Htin told Swaraj that he looks forward to a "very productive partnership". "Myanmar leadership assured that they will not allow any insurgent groups to use any territory for action against India, (that) they all recognised is a friendly country which has stood by people of Myanmar and they look forward to a very productive partnership with India as Myanmar continues on its journey of peace, progress and development," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup told PTI. The issue of cross-border activities by certain insurgent groups was taken up by Swaraj in her maiden meeting with the country's first democratically-elected President in five decades, according to sources. Swaraj's visit comes just days after the Indian Army had an encounter with NSCN-K militants in Nagaland who were trying to enter the country from Myanmar. While reports suggested that the Indian Army had crossed over to Myanmar, it was denied officially by India. Swaraj also discussed with the Myanmarese leadership how India can help in Myanmar's development efforts. They discussed a number of areas of possible collaboration, such as power. India is already supplying 3 MW electricity to Myanmar through the Moreh-Tamu link but this can be further upgraded, Swarup said. Cooperation in renewable energy, transport, health, education and social development was also discussed during the meeting Swaraj had with the leadership here. They also discussed the possibility of strong cooperation in area of agriculture, particularly pulses where there is a possibility of importing large amount of pulses from Myanmar, Swarup said following Swaraj's 45-minutes-long meeting with Suu Kyi. Congratulating Suu Kyi for the victory in the "first genuine election", Swaraj assured her of "all help". "India is committed to strengthening your democratic institutions and socio-economic development of your people," Swaraj said during her meeting with Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy party won a historic landslide election last year that finally brought an end to five decades of military rule. Swaraj said this was the message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee. (PTI)

Will not allow any anti-India activities: Myanmar to India

Myanmar&#39;s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi expects China to support historic peace talks with armed groups near the countries&#39; troubled joint border, she said today during a landmark visit overshadowed by a stalled dam project. 
 
&quot;We do believe that as a good neighbour China will do everything possible to promote our peace process,&quot; Suu Kyi told reporters in Beijing ahead of meeting China&#39;s President Xi Jinping. 
 
&quot;China, as a neighbour which shares a very important border along which there are many ethnic armed groups, is important in its goodwill,&quot; she added. 
 
Myanmar will hold a long-planned conference with armed ethnic groups later this month, as Suu Kyi targets peace as a prelude to rebooting the economy after her party won a landslide election victory. 
 
&quot;If you ask me what my most important aim is for my country, that is to achieve peace and unity among the different peoples of our union,&quot; Suu Kyi said. &quot;Without peace, there can be no sustained development.&quot; 
 
Several complex ethnic conflicts, with some groups fighting the government for decades, simmer across Myanmar&#39;s poor and militarised borderlands, hampering efforts to build up the country&#39;s economy after the end of junta rule. 
 
Some of the groups have ethnic and cultural links to the neighbouring Chinese province of Yunnan, and the porous border is notorious for trade in drugs, arms and precious stones. 
 
Suu Kyi&#39;s first major foreign trip since her civilian administration took power in March has been dominated by the $3.6 billion Beijing-backed Myitsone dam, on hold since protests in 2011. 
 
China has been pressing for its resumption ever since. 
 
Suu Kyi confirmed that Myanmar had set up a committee to review the project, without saying whether it would be resumed. 
 
&quot;It is for the commission to find out what the best answer is,&quot; she said. &quot;I cannot say now what the best solution is.&quot; 
 
&#39;Beijing manipulating Myanmar&#39;s resources&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Beijing was instrumental in shielding Myanmar&#39;s former junta rulers from international sanctions while Suu Kyi, now state counsellor, languished for over a decade under house arrest as a democracy activist. 
 
At the time Myitsone, originally designed to supply most of its electricity to China, was seen as emblematic of Beijing&#39;s economic dominance over Myanmar. 
 
The state-run Global Times acknowledged that a &quot;real breakthrough&quot; on the dam was unlikely during the visit, but insisted: &quot;It is only a matter of time before the project will be resumed.&quot; 
 
The newspaper, which is close to the ruling Communist Party also chided people in Myanmar who claim that Beijing is exploiting the country&#39;s resources. 
 
&quot;The misguided thought is the result of people&#39;s impulse at the initial stage of democratisation and the manipulation of the Western media,&quot; it said. 
 
Myanmar has drawn closer to the United States during its transition to civilian rule. 
 
But the state-run China Daily said in an editorial that Suu Kyi&#39;s visit showed she was a &quot;political realist&quot; who realises the importance of &quot;reassuring&quot; China. 
 
Suu Kyi insisted that she would pursue the same &quot;non-aligned&quot; foreign policy as her predecessors. 
 
Domestically, job creation and agricultural development were top priorities following her administration&#39;s first 100 days in office, she said. 
 
&quot;The 100 days have not made a great difference to the economic scene in Burma. The more important projects will start taking off in the next three to four months,&quot; she said. 
 
She vowed to follow a different development strategy than the export-led model favoured by China and other East Asian countries. 
 
&quot;There are many people who still think that the way to economic development is through garment factories,&quot; she said. 
 
&quot;But I sometimes wonder if that is very 20th century, and we&#39;re now in the 21st century.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Myanmar will hold a long-planned conference with armed ethnic groups later this month as Suu Kyi targets peace as a prelude to rebooting eco

Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi expects China to support historic peace talks with armed groups near the countries' troubled joint border, she said today during a landmark visit overshadowed by a stalled dam project. "We do believe that as a good neighbour China will do everything possible to promote our peace process," Suu Kyi told reporters in Beijing ahead of meeting China's President Xi Jinping. "China, as a neighbour which shares a very important border along which there are many ethnic armed groups, is important in its goodwill," she added. Myanmar will hold a long-planned conference with armed ethnic groups later this month, as Suu Kyi targets peace as a prelude to rebooting the economy after her party won a landslide election victory. "If you ask me what my most important aim is for my country, that is to achieve peace and unity among the different peoples of our union," Suu Kyi said. "Without peace, there can be no sustained development." Several complex ethnic conflicts, with some groups fighting the government for decades, simmer across Myanmar's poor and militarised borderlands, hampering efforts to build up the country's economy after the end of junta rule. Some of the groups have ethnic and cultural links to the neighbouring Chinese province of Yunnan, and the porous border is notorious for trade in drugs, arms and precious stones. Suu Kyi's first major foreign trip since her civilian administration took power in March has been dominated by the $3.6 billion Beijing-backed Myitsone dam, on hold since protests in 2011. China has been pressing for its resumption ever since. Suu Kyi confirmed that Myanmar had set up a committee to review the project, without saying whether it would be resumed. "It is for the commission to find out what the best answer is," she said. "I cannot say now what the best solution is." 'Beijing manipulating Myanmar's resources' Beijing was instrumental in shielding Myanmar's former junta rulers from international sanctions while Suu Kyi, now state counsellor, languished for over a decade under house arrest as a democracy activist. At the time Myitsone, originally designed to supply most of its electricity to China, was seen as emblematic of Beijing's economic dominance over Myanmar. The state-run Global Times acknowledged that a "real breakthrough" on the dam was unlikely during the visit, but insisted: "It is only a matter of time before the project will be resumed." The newspaper, which is close to the ruling Communist Party also chided people in Myanmar who claim that Beijing is exploiting the country's resources. "The misguided thought is the result of people's impulse at the initial stage of democratisation and the manipulation of the Western media," it said. Myanmar has drawn closer to the United States during its transition to civilian rule. But the state-run China Daily said in an editorial that Suu Kyi's visit showed she was a "political realist" who realises the importance of "reassuring" China. Suu Kyi insisted that she would pursue the same "non-aligned" foreign policy as her predecessors. Domestically, job creation and agricultural development were top priorities following her administration's first 100 days in office, she said. "The 100 days have not made a great difference to the economic scene in Burma. The more important projects will start taking off in the next three to four months," she said. She vowed to follow a different development strategy than the export-led model favoured by China and other East Asian countries. "There are many people who still think that the way to economic development is through garment factories," she said. "But I sometimes wonder if that is very 20th century, and we're now in the 21st century." (AFP)

Myanmar's Suu Kyi expects China to support peace process

Accusations that Beijing is exploiting Myanmar&#39;s resources are manipulated by Western media, a state-run Chinese newspaper said today, with de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on a visit overshadowed by a stalled dam project. 
 
Suu Kyi&#39;s first major foreign trip since her civilian administration took power in March has been dominated by the $3.6 billion Myitsone dam, on hold since protests in 2011. 
 
Beijing has been pressing for the resumption of the Chinese-backed project ever since. 
 
Suu Kyi is due to meet with China&#39;s President Xi Jinping today, after Beijing said the democracy champion had agreed to &quot;set up an investigation committee to appropriately solve&quot; the dam issue. 
 
The state-run Global Times acknowledged that a &quot;real breakthrough&quot; on the dam was unlikely during the visit, but insisted: &quot;It is only a matter of time before the project will be resumed.&quot; 
 
It also chided people in Myanmar who claim that Beijing is exploiting the country&#39;s resources. 
 
&quot;The misguided thought is the result of people&#39;s impulse at the initial stage of democratisation and the manipulation of the Western media,&quot; it added. 
 
Beijing was instrumental in shielding Myanmar&#39;s former junta rulers from international opprobrium while Suu Kyi, now state counsellor, languished for years under house arrest as a democracy activist. 
 
At the time Myitsone was seen as emblematic of Beijing&#39;s economic dominance over Myanmar. 
 
In 2011 a quasi-civilian government halted the project, originally designed to supply most of its electricity to China, in a surprise move after local protests. 
 
Now that Suu Kyi&#39;s National League for Democracy is in power, the Global Times said, &quot;Myitsone dam does not have to be reviewed from a political perspective anymore&quot;. 
 
The United States funded some of the non-governmental groups opposing the dam, according to classified documents released by WikiLeaks. 
 
The state-run China Daily said in an editorial that Suu Kyi&#39;s visit showed she was a &quot;political realist&quot; who realises the importance of &quot;reassuring&quot; China. 
 
Myanmar has drawn closer to the United States during its transition to civilian rule. 
 
At the same time, Myanmar needs to get Beijing onside as it pursues historic peace talks with armed groups on its border. 
 
Suu Kyi on Thursday was greeted with military honours in Beijing, where she met Premier Li Keqiang, telling him: &quot;At present, there are complex changes in the world.&quot; 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Local media has refuted reports saying China has been exploiting Myanmar's resources

Accusations that Beijing is exploiting Myanmar's resources are manipulated by Western media, a state-run Chinese newspaper said today, with de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on a visit overshadowed by a stalled dam project. Suu Kyi's first major foreign trip since her civilian administration took power in March has been dominated by the $3.6 billion Myitsone dam, on hold since protests in 2011. Beijing has been pressing for the resumption of the Chinese-backed project ever since. Suu Kyi is due to meet with China's President Xi Jinping today, after Beijing said the democracy champion had agreed to "set up an investigation committee to appropriately solve" the dam issue. The state-run Global Times acknowledged that a "real breakthrough" on the dam was unlikely during the visit, but insisted: "It is only a matter of time before the project will be resumed." It also chided people in Myanmar who claim that Beijing is exploiting the country's resources. "The misguided thought is the result of people's impulse at the initial stage of democratisation and the manipulation of the Western media," it added. Beijing was instrumental in shielding Myanmar's former junta rulers from international opprobrium while Suu Kyi, now state counsellor, languished for years under house arrest as a democracy activist. At the time Myitsone was seen as emblematic of Beijing's economic dominance over Myanmar. In 2011 a quasi-civilian government halted the project, originally designed to supply most of its electricity to China, in a surprise move after local protests. Now that Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy is in power, the Global Times said, "Myitsone dam does not have to be reviewed from a political perspective anymore". The United States funded some of the non-governmental groups opposing the dam, according to classified documents released by WikiLeaks. The state-run China Daily said in an editorial that Suu Kyi's visit showed she was a "political realist" who realises the importance of "reassuring" China. Myanmar has drawn closer to the United States during its transition to civilian rule. At the same time, Myanmar needs to get Beijing onside as it pursues historic peace talks with armed groups on its border. Suu Kyi on Thursday was greeted with military honours in Beijing, where she met Premier Li Keqiang, telling him: "At present, there are complex changes in the world." (AFP)

Beijing does not exploit Myanmar: state media?

China and Myanmar are set to sign deals to build a strategic bridge near their border and two hospitals in the Southeast Asian country, a Myanmar official said today, as leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets high-level officials in Beijing.&nbsp; 
 
Suu Kyi, who is barred from the presidency by a junta-drafted constitution but holds several government posts including that of foreign minister, arrived in China on Wednesday evening.&nbsp; 
 
She is scheduled to meet Premier Li Keqiang today and President Xi Jinping on Friday, with the fate of a suspended Chinese-funded hydropower project in northern Myanmar in the balance. 
 
&quot;Grant agreements will be signed on the construction of two hospitals and a bridge between the two sides during this visit,&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Aye Aye Soe, deputy director-general at Myanmar&#39;s ministry of foreign Affairs, told Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
The two hospitals will be built in Myanmar&#39;s two largest cities, Yangon and Mandalay, she said.&nbsp; 
 
The bridge is aimed to improve transport and communication between the countries and will be built in Kunlong town, 32 km (20 miles) from the border in northeastern Myanmar.&nbsp; 
 
Kunlong is on the way to a border checkpoint and near the Kokang region where an ethnic Chinese rebel group fought Myanmar&#39;s military last year.&nbsp; 
 
Aye Aye Soe declined to give further details, including the terms of financing of the projects or the timeframe.&nbsp; 
 
The visit is Suu Kyi&#39;s first major diplomatic foray as de facto leader after a new government took power in April following her National League for Democracy&#39;s sweeping election victory in November. 
 
The China-funded $3.6 billion Myitsone dam project was planned for the confluence of two rivers that form the Ayeyarwady river, but has been stalled since 2011, when former President Thein Sein suspended the project amid widespread opposition on environmental grounds.&nbsp; 
 
China has been pushing for work to restart on the dam, which under the original plans would have sent 90 percent of its power to China. A Myanmar government commission reviewing the project - as well as other proposed hydropower dams, including several on the Thanlwin river - is expected to report by November 11.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The visit is Suu Kyi's first major diplomatic foray as de facto leader after a new government took power in April

China and Myanmar are set to sign deals to build a strategic bridge near their border and two hospitals in the Southeast Asian country, a Myanmar official said today, as leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets high-level officials in Beijing. Suu Kyi, who is barred from the presidency by a junta-drafted constitution but holds several government posts including that of foreign minister, arrived in China on Wednesday evening. She is scheduled to meet Premier Li Keqiang today and President Xi Jinping on Friday, with the fate of a suspended Chinese-funded hydropower project in northern Myanmar in the balance. "Grant agreements will be signed on the construction of two hospitals and a bridge between the two sides during this visit," Aye Aye Soe, deputy director-general at Myanmar's ministry of foreign Affairs, told Reuters. The two hospitals will be built in Myanmar's two largest cities, Yangon and Mandalay, she said. The bridge is aimed to improve transport and communication between the countries and will be built in Kunlong town, 32 km (20 miles) from the border in northeastern Myanmar. Kunlong is on the way to a border checkpoint and near the Kokang region where an ethnic Chinese rebel group fought Myanmar's military last year. Aye Aye Soe declined to give further details, including the terms of financing of the projects or the timeframe. The visit is Suu Kyi's first major diplomatic foray as de facto leader after a new government took power in April following her National League for Democracy's sweeping election victory in November. The China-funded $3.6 billion Myitsone dam project was planned for the confluence of two rivers that form the Ayeyarwady river, but has been stalled since 2011, when former President Thein Sein suspended the project amid widespread opposition on environmental grounds. China has been pushing for work to restart on the dam, which under the original plans would have sent 90 percent of its power to China. A Myanmar government commission reviewing the project - as well as other proposed hydropower dams, including several on the Thanlwin river - is expected to report by November 11. (Reuters)

Deals on the cards as Myanmar's Suu Kyi visits China

Seven Myanmar soldiers on trial for murder have admitted their involvement in the killing of five villagers in northern Shan State, according to witnesses at an unprecedented court martial. 
 
In a highly unusual move, the army invited 15 residents from the remote village of Mong Yaw, where the killings took place, to witness the court martial at a nearby military base on Tuesday. Four of them have described the proceedings to Reuters. 
 
&quot;The judge read the murder case reports and asked for confessions from the soldiers, who admitted they were responsible,&quot; said Sai Kaung Kham, a Mong Yaw villager who has been helping the families attending the military trial. 
 
Military officials did not respond to requests for comment, and it was not possible to independently verify the testimony at the closed proceedings in the northern city of Lashio.&nbsp; 
 
In July, in a rare public admission of wrongdoing by the still-powerful military, intelligence chief Mya Tun Oo told reporters the army was responsible for killing five men from Mong Yaw and said the culprits would be prosecuted.&nbsp;Witnesses had previously told Reuters that soldiers rounded up dozens of men from the village, in an area riven by a long-running ethnic insurgency, on June 25 and led five away. Their bodies were found in a shallow grave a few days later. 
 
Both the news conference by one of the country&#39;s most senior generals and the invitation to villagers to attend the military trial were unprecedented. The army has occasionally acknowledged troops have been at fault in previous incidents, but has usually done so in vaguely worded official statements. 
 
The response this time suggests a heightened sensitivity about the military&#39;s image as it tries to present itself as a responsible partner in Myanmar&#39;s democratic transition and seeks closer ties with Western counterparts. 
 
Military representatives contacted in the capital Naypyitaw and at the Northeast Command in Lashio did not respond to multiple requests for comment about the trial. 
 
Knifed to death 
 
Myanmar&#39;s armed forces have often been accused by human rights groups of abuses during decades of conflict with ethnic armed groups in the country&#39;s lawless border zones, but campaigners such as Amnesty International say it is extremely rare for soldiers to be held to account. 
 
Mong Yaw lies in a distant corner of Shan State, where thousands of people have been displaced by decades of fighting between the military and ethnic insurgents.&nbsp;Three officers and three lower-ranking soldiers have admitted murdering the villagers, according to the witnesses present at the court martial.&nbsp;The seventh serviceman, the highest-ranking of those on trial, said he did not order the soldiers to &quot;kill&quot; the villagers, but to &quot;clear them out&quot;. 
 
The soldiers said they had arrested and interrogated five men and found two of them were related to a local ethnic armed group. They said they asked their superiors for further instructions, villager Sai Kaung Kham said.&nbsp;The low-ranking soldiers then proceeded to kill the villagers, acting on orders, the witnesses at the trial said. 
 
&quot;They were worried that if they let the three villagers go back, they would tell others they had been tortured,&quot; the soldiers told the court martial, according to Sai Kaung Kham.&nbsp;Before killing them, the soldiers dressed some of the men in camouflage trousers, Sai Kaung Kham and other witnesses said.&nbsp;It was not clear when the court martial would end. 
 
Aye Lu, the wife of Aik Sai who was one of the men killed, said that at the court martial one of the soldiers admitted knifing her husband to death.&nbsp;&quot;I want to see those who killed my husband sent to jail,&quot; she said. 
 
(Reuters)

The army invited 15 residents from the village Mong Yaw, where the killings took place, to witness the soldiers' rare public admission

Seven Myanmar soldiers on trial for murder have admitted their involvement in the killing of five villagers in northern Shan State, according to witnesses at an unprecedented court martial. In a highly unusual move, the army invited 15 residents from the remote village of Mong Yaw, where the killings took place, to witness the court martial at a nearby military base on Tuesday. Four of them have described the proceedings to Reuters. "The judge read the murder case reports and asked for confessions from the soldiers, who admitted they were responsible," said Sai Kaung Kham, a Mong Yaw villager who has been helping the families attending the military trial. Military officials did not respond to requests for comment, and it was not possible to independently verify the testimony at the closed proceedings in the northern city of Lashio. In July, in a rare public admission of wrongdoing by the still-powerful military, intelligence chief Mya Tun Oo told reporters the army was responsible for killing five men from Mong Yaw and said the culprits would be prosecuted. Witnesses had previously told Reuters that soldiers rounded up dozens of men from the village, in an area riven by a long-running ethnic insurgency, on June 25 and led five away. Their bodies were found in a shallow grave a few days later. Both the news conference by one of the country's most senior generals and the invitation to villagers to attend the military trial were unprecedented. The army has occasionally acknowledged troops have been at fault in previous incidents, but has usually done so in vaguely worded official statements. The response this time suggests a heightened sensitivity about the military's image as it tries to present itself as a responsible partner in Myanmar's democratic transition and seeks closer ties with Western counterparts. Military representatives contacted in the capital Naypyitaw and at the Northeast Command in Lashio did not respond to multiple requests for comment about the trial. Knifed to death Myanmar's armed forces have often been accused by human rights groups of abuses during decades of conflict with ethnic armed groups in the country's lawless border zones, but campaigners such as Amnesty International say it is extremely rare for soldiers to be held to account. Mong Yaw lies in a distant corner of Shan State, where thousands of people have been displaced by decades of fighting between the military and ethnic insurgents. Three officers and three lower-ranking soldiers have admitted murdering the villagers, according to the witnesses present at the court martial. The seventh serviceman, the highest-ranking of those on trial, said he did not order the soldiers to "kill" the villagers, but to "clear them out". The soldiers said they had arrested and interrogated five men and found two of them were related to a local ethnic armed group. They said they asked their superiors for further instructions, villager Sai Kaung Kham said. The low-ranking soldiers then proceeded to kill the villagers, acting on orders, the witnesses at the trial said. "They were worried that if they let the three villagers go back, they would tell others they had been tortured," the soldiers told the court martial, according to Sai Kaung Kham. Before killing them, the soldiers dressed some of the men in camouflage trousers, Sai Kaung Kham and other witnesses said. It was not clear when the court martial would end. Aye Lu, the wife of Aik Sai who was one of the men killed, said that at the court martial one of the soldiers admitted knifing her husband to death. "I want to see those who killed my husband sent to jail," she said. (Reuters)

Myanmar soldiers confess involvement in village killing in unprecedented court martial

myanmar

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