Librarian's Choice
Librarian's Choice
Source/publisher:
United Nations Human Rights Council, Special Session on Myanmar
Date of publication:
2017-12-05
Description:
"...In the absence of access to Rakhine State, it continues to be difficult to fully monitor the violations that have occurred, and are apparently still occurring. However, considering the decades of statelessness as well as systematic and systemic discrimination against the Rohingya; policies of segregation, exclusion and marginalization; long-standing patterns of violations and abuses with little or no access to justice and redress; and considering the recent allegations of killing by random firing of bullets, use of grenades, shooting at close range, stabbings, beatings to death, and the burning of houses with families inside; the serious bodily or mental harm inflicted on Rohingyas including children; the subjection to various forms of torture or ill-treatment, being beaten, sexually abused, raped; considering the forced displacement and systematic destruction of villages, homes, property and livelihoods; considering also that Rohingyas self-identify as a distinct ethnic group with their own language and culture, and are also deemed by the perpetrators themselves as belonging to a different national, ethnic, racial or religious group ? given all of this, can anyone rule out that elements of genocide may be present?..."
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-10
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
US Geological Survey (USGS), "Minerals Yearbook" 2014
Date of publication:
2017-09-16
Description:
The report contains very little information beyond 2015...
"In 2014, Burma (also known as Myanmar) produced a
variety of mineral commodities, including antimony, cement,
coal, copper, lead, manganese, natural gas, nickel, petroleum,
petroleum products, precious and semiprecious stones, tin,
tungsten, and zinc (table 1).
Since 2012, Burma has undergone many political changes,
including reforms to law and government policies, that
directly affected the country?s economy, social wellbeing,
and stability. many changes were a result of the Government
starting to implement more democratic reforms following
more than 50 years of military rule and the subsequent lifting
of sanctions imposed by Western countries. The changes were
stimulating interest in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the
country, especially in the mining and industry sector. In fiscal
year 2015 (which ran from
april 1, 2014, to march 30, 2015),
FDI in Burma amounted to $8 billion invested in a total of
211 projects compared with $4.1 billion invested in 123 projects
in fiscal year 2014 and $1.4 billion invested in 94 projects in
fiscal year 2013. Investments in fiscal year 2015 were made by
partners from Singapore (43 projects), China (34), Hong Kong
(27), and the united Kingdom (12), among others. Burma?s
leading investor was Singapore (which invested $4.297 billion)
followed by the United Kingdom ($721.9 million), Hong Kong
($624.8 million), and China ($516.9 million) (Central Statistical
Organization, 2015).
The legal and regulatory framework related to FDI
includes the Foreign Investment Law of 2012, the Foreign
Investment Rules of 2013, and Notification No. 49/2014
(New Notification) of August 2014 issued by the Myanmar
Investment Commission. The New Notification clarifies the
type of activities in which foreign investments are prohibited
or restricted.
according to Burma?s ministry of mines, the
set of laws and notifications related to FDI were created to
attract interest from investors and included such provisions
as exemption from commercial tax on profits that are planned
to be reinvested in the country within 1 year, 5 years of tax
holiday instead of 3 years, income tax relief of up to 50% on
export profits, granting foreign firms the ability to fully own
ventures in the country, and the promise from the Government
not to nationalize the business while the contract is in place.
The ministry of mines also recommended the amendment of
the country?s mining Law in the near future to be in accordance
with international standards, reform of the banking system, and
an increase in the country?s technical knowledge as a means to
increase national productivity and self-sufficiency (Aung, 2014;
Finch, undated)..."
Yolanda Fong-Sam
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-10
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
US Geological Survey (USGS), "Minerals Yearbook" 2013
Date of publication:
2016-05-00
Description:
The report carries no information beyond 2015..."From July 2012 to July 2013, the United States lifted
many sanctions against Burma (also known as Myanmar)
although some sanctions were retained. The lifting of many
of the sanctions resulted in U.S. companies being able to
invest in some businesses in the country as well as to import
goods from Burma.
In 2013, Burma produced a variety of mineral commodities,
including cement, coal, copper, lead, natural gas, petroleum,
petroleum products, precious and semiprecious stones,
tin, tungsten, and zinc. In August, intense floods affected
various states and regions in the country and displaced over
20,000 people. The most affected was Kayin State, which is
located in the south of the country (table 1; United Nations
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 2013).
In June 2013, a new pipeline was commissioned and began
transporting natural gas from Burma to China. The pipeline,
which stretches for 794 kilometers (km), connects the Bay
of Bengal (located on the southwest coast of Burma) to
Yunnan Province of China (located to the northeast of Burma).
According to China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), the
pipeline has an estimated transportation rate of 12 billion
cubic meters of natural gas per year. During 2013, a parallel
pipeline measuring 771 km in length was under construction;
when commissioned, it would transport crude oil from the
Middle East, which was originally planned to be shipped from
the Indian Ocean. For the construction of the pipelines, CNPC
formed a joint venture with Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise
and four other companies from India and the Republic of Korea
(Watt, 2013).
On November 19, the Italian-Thai Development Plc. (ITD),
a construction company based in Thailand, announced that it
had stopped the construction of the deep-sea port and industrial
zone in Dawei, Tanintharyi Division, in southern Burma, which
is located about 186 km west of Thailand?s capital city of
Bangkok. The 75-year concession granted to ITD remained in
place while the participation of foreign investors was arranged.
The project was halted due to the lack of progress and delays
in construction as well as insufficient economic commitments
(DVB Multimedia Group, 2013)..."
Yolanda Fong-Sam
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-10
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Asia Foundation
Date of publication:
2017-10-16
Description:
"As Myanmar emerges from decades of authoritarianism and isolation, significant progress toward peace has been made since 2011. But heavy fighting and deadly clashes have intensified in many of the country?s contested areas, in particular Rakhine State, which has led to massive displacement, and Kachin and Shan States. These conflicts are among the world?s most enduring, posing significant challenges to national political reforms, economic growth, and human development, according to a study released yesterday by The Asia Foundation.
The year-long study, ?The Contested Areas of Myanmar: Subnational Conflict, Aid, and Development,” comes at a pivotal moment amid longstanding conflicts in many parts of Myanmar, political dialogue to address the concerns of numerous ethnic groups, and a desire among international donors and aid agencies to support the peacebuilding process and the country?s political transition.
Findings from the study shed light on structural changes that are crucial for achieving sustainable and comprehensive peace in a country of great ethnic and cultural diversity. In addition, it reveals the intimate connections between subnational conflicts and national politics in Myanmar, instances where development interventions have contributed to uneven power dynamics and fueled armed resistance, and ways in which international aid can sometimes damage prospects for peace when initiatives are not sensitive to conflict. In this context, the study underscores a critical need to continue the ongoing political and economic reforms while building a system of government that is widely recognized as legitimate by people of all ethnic nationalities.
Below are some key findings from the study:
Myanmar?s subnational conflicts are not a peripheral issue and directly affect much of the country
In 2016, areas affected by active or latent subnational conflict were found in at least 11 of Myanmar?s 14 states and regions. One hundred and eighteen of 330 townships, containing almost one-quarter of Myanmar?s population, currently demonstrate live or latent characteristics of conflict.
Myanmar?s conflicts are not caused by underdevelopment
There is no simple correlation between human development, economic growth, and conflict in Myanmar, and subnational conflicts will not be resolved by measures to improve development outcomes. Conflict townships are on average only marginally less developed than non-conflict townships, particularly when Yangon is excluded. Some conflict townships exceed national averages, while others have the lowest development indicators in the country.
Tackling underdevelopment alone will not create peace
Development interventions alone can never lead to peace. Myanmar?s conflicts are inherently political and connect to the structure of the state. Political solutions are, therefore, required to solve subnational conflict. Given the complex nature of Myanmar?s armed conflicts, interventions and policies should be strengthened to address the underlying drivers of conflict and be more responsive to the power inequities that have driven conflict over years, especially during transitional political periods.
Development policies can drive subnational conflict
In many contested areas, economic changes and increased natural resource exploitation have ratcheted up tensions, engendered rivalries, fueled grievances, and provided funds that have sustained conflict. Foreign assistance can sometimes be manipulated to serve security objectives, particularly where government officials or leaders of ethnic armed organizations are able to decide project locations. In short, development interventions are never neutral.
Aid can build momentum for peace as well as damage the prospects for peace
Projects that serve the security aims of one side can damage the confidence of ethnic groups in the country?s transition, while programs that support political reforms, such as decentralization, can help build momentum. $13.7 billion in aid was committed to new projects between 2011 and 2015. Closer alignment of donors with government offers advantages in coverage, cost effectiveness, and sustainability, but it also poses risks for peace..."
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-08
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Armed conflict and peace-building in Burma - theoretical, strategic and general, Development in Myanmar - various texts
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Format :
pdf
Size:
15.01 MB
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Source/publisher:
Political Settlements Research Programme
Date of publication:
2017-09-00
Description:
Executive Summary:
"Myanmar has been engaged in a process of political change since 2011. A central goal of these reforms
has been the attempt to resolve political conflicts between ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) and the
Myanmar Government. Talks began under the ?civilian
government? led by Thein Sein and have continued
under the National League of Democracy (NLD)
-
led Government. However, several years of talks have
produced little concrete progress.
This is a complex peace process, which has only the partial inclusion
of Myanmar?s many ethnic armed
organisations and which is being conducted in a climate of continuing conflict and state violence and
continuing tensions between the Burman majority and other ethnic groups. This is evident in large
-
scale
displacement from R
akhine State (where more than 300,000 refugees fled to Bangladesh in September
2017) and in Kachin and northern Shan States (where more than 119,000 people have been displaced since
2011). There is also an urgent emerging problem of large
-
scale development
and land acquisition projects
creating further displacement.
It is important not to be naïve about the scale of the challenges in Myanmar?s peace process, or indeed
about the possibility that the peace process may break down entirely. However, it is a
lso valuable to
consider what would be required to maximise the chances of a successful peace process. There is no
formula to determine why some peace processes work while others fail, but the chances of building a
sustainable peace are substantially enhan
ced when the process genuinely engages with and seeks to
correct the inequalities and injustice that gave rise to conflict. For Myanmar, that must include addressing
the causes and consequences of displacement
.
This working paper sets out the context an
d experience of displacement in and from Myanmar. It identifies
a number of areas that must be addressed,
including:
-
The process of drafting a peace agreement, and displacement
-
specific provisions to include in a
peace agreement;
-
The timing, design and implementation of return and reintegration of displaced populations;
-
Wider issues of legal protection, land governance and restitution.
The working paper also identifies some cross
-
cutting themes, including the need to recognise a
relationship
between displacement and other aspects of peacebuilding (such as political autonomy for ethnic areas and
land governance); the necessity of ensuring that displaced people themselves are central to the process of
policy design, ideally through
institutionalised mechanisms for dialogue, consultation and representation;
and the importance of securing continued funding to support refugees and IDPs with a continuing need of
international protection..."
Kirsten Mcconnachie
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-08
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Armed conflict and peace-building in Burma - theoretical, strategic and general, Burma: Internal displacement/forced migration of several ethnic groups.
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
teacircleoxford
Date of publication:
2017-11-28
Description:
"Angshuman Choudhury considers options for the government in engaging with a new ethnic umbrella group...On 11-12 November, a delegation of senior government officials led by the Union Minister for Border Affairs, Lt-Gen Ye Aung, met with members of Myanmar?s largest Ethnic Armed Organisation (EAO), the United Wa State Army (UWSA), and its smaller ally, the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA, also known as the Mongla Army), in the de facto Wa capital of Pangkham and Mongla Special Region-4, respectively. A large part of the discussions involved each party laying on the table their agenda for the ongoing ethnic peace process.
This was a much-awaited icebreaker that came months after failed attempts by Naypyidaw to arrange talks with the northern groups that continue to dismiss the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) ? the foundation of the current peace process? and flag their alternate framework for dialogue under a new alliance of seven non-ceasefire EAOs, known as the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC).
The discussions that transpired indicate how differently the northern groups perceive the peace process and the federal imagination as compared to the union centres of power. Clearly, the FPNCC is a fresh challenge for the government, and could decisively stymie the already jittery relationship between the civilian government of State Counsellor (SC) Aung San Suu Kyi, the Tatmadaw (military), and the non-ceasefire EAOs.
Insofar as the union government?s agenda for ethnic reconciliation is concerned, there is little doubt that the north, where the most powerful rebel armies operate, holds the key to a permanent negotiated settlement. There are few regions in the country where the need for de-escalation is as urgent as in the north, which has been ravaged by unprecedented levels of conflict for the past two years. Yet, the conditions for peace remain obscure as ever ? a point only reaffirmed by the recent meeting...What Happened At the Meeting? First, the FPNCC expressed that it wants to follow its own dialogue framework while the government and Tatmadaw insisted that all parties stick to the NCA. The two processes seem to be at serious loggerheads, especially in light of the recently-released FPNCC charter that proposes extensive devolution of powers to individual ?nations? within the Union? an agenda that radically challenges the centripetal sentiments of Naypyidaw?s ruling elite. There is little chance that the Tatmadaw would take up such a de-centralised model for discussion anytime soon.
Second, the UWSA and NDAA insist that the government talk to them as a single group (i.e., as the FPNCC) along with the other EAOs, but the government/Tatmadaw side prefers individual meetings for reasons that are fairly obvious..."
Angshuman Choudhury
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-08
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Peace processes, ceasefires and ceasefire talks (websites, documents, reports and studies), FPNCC
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Asia Foundation
Date of publication:
2017-05-00
Description:
Executive Summary:
"Myanmar?s Union Parliament has evolved into a significant political institution of the regime shaped after
the 2010 general elections. First under the leadership of the Union Solidarity and Development Party
(USDP, 2011-2016), and then the National League for Democracy (NLD) after its victory in the 2015 polls,
the bicameral assembly has begun modifying, repealing, and producing new legislation. It has taken
nascent but significant steps towards the vetting and scrutiny of the new, post-junta executive branch
and bureaucracy. It has also served as a new public space where the grievances of citizens are heard and
new ideas debated in ways unthinkable under Myanmar?s past military rules. It may prove a unique case
amongst other post-authoritarian societies attempting to revive parliamentarianism.
These outstanding developments do not, however, mean that Myanmar?s progress towards the
institutionalization of its new legislative power will be steady and successful beyond the initial post-junta
legislatures. Given that Parliament was only revised in 2011, there are several areas where reform and
restructuring are needed to improve the long-term effectiveness, efficiency, representativeness, and
autonomy of not only the legislative process, but also the fragile parliamentary institution itself.
This report presents an assessment of the structural organization, workings, and legislative performance of
the Union Parliament since 2011. It first describes the constitutional, organizational, and legal framework of
Myanmar?s new, post-junta legislative process. It also offers a comparative examination of the sociological
profile of the two legislatures elected in 2010 and 2015. It then analyzes the various parliamentary practices
and mechanisms observed in the context of both the USDP and the early NLD legislatures. Drawing on
interviews carried out in Nay Pyi Taw, the study focuses on the core functions a democratic legislature is
meant to perform: the (re)making of laws, the representation of citizens, and the scrutiny of government
activities and expenditures.
The report argues that Myanmar?s Union Parliament has fallen into the category of a nascent, marginal
legislature, with the willingness and capacity to influence, rather than command, policy and lawmaking,
and a potential for vetting, rather than thoroughly overseeing, the activities and behaviors of other
branches of government.
With the assistance of domestic and international donors, there have been remarkable attempts in its
six years of existence to institutionalize and professionalize the functioning of the legislature and the
capacity of its members and staff. Nevertheless, the report points to several key weaknesses, including
the lack of sufficient resources, efficient organizational capacity, knowledge, and understanding of
oversight and vetting mechanisms and a fragile institutional autonomy. The report concludes with a series
of recommendations for enhancing the role, functioning, representativeness, and influence of the Union
legislature so as to strengthen a body that is essential for the deepening of democratization in Myanmar..."
Renaud Egreteau
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-08
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
1.04 MB
more
Source/publisher:
International Crisis Group (ICG)
Date of publication:
2017-12-07
Description:
Conclusion:
"The actions of the Myanmar military in northern Rakhine State have created a major humanitarian catastrophe, a crisis for the country and a security threat to the region. It has strengthened an ugly strand of nationalism that will be long-lasting and could lead to the targeting of other minorities in the future. The crisis will define Myanmar in the eyes of much of the world for years to come, with hugely negative consequences across the board on trade, investment, tourism. The country has squandered its considerable reserves of global good-will just when it needed them most, as it was emerging from decades of isolation from the West. Myanmar has also put itself at much greater risk of attack by transnational jihadist groups. Priority long-term aims of balancing China?s geostrategic influence and economic dominance in the country and rehabilitating the military?s international image have been significantly set back.
The abuses against the Rohingya minority have captured global public opinion, and the uncompromising posture of the government has exacerbated the situation. Western countries almost certainly will re-impose some of the sanctions that had been lifted in recent years. As they do so, they should acknowledge their inherent limitations and approach them in a manner that can maximise leverage while minimising collateral damage on Myanmar?s long-suffering population."
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-07
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first), Burmese refugees in Bangladesh, Discrimination against the Rohingya, Bangladesh-Burma relations
Language:
English
Format :
htm
Size:
863.56 KB
Local URL:
ICG-292.htm
ICG-292.htm more
Source/publisher:
United Nations Human Rights Council
Date of publication:
2017-12-05
Description:
This dossier contains the text of the resolution, the Statement by the Myanmar Permanent Representative in Geneva, commentary by Amnesty International and the UN press report on the session.
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-07
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first), Discrimination against the Rohingya
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Human Rights Council (A/HRC/S - 27 /L. 1)
Date of publication:
2017-12-05
Description:
Human Rights Council,
Twenty-seventh special session, 5 December, 2017:
draft resolution...Adopted by a vote, (33 in favour, 3 against and 9 abstentions)
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-06
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
228.18 KB
Local URL:
HRC-res-A_HRC_S_27_L1.pdf
HRC-res-A_HRC_S_27_L1.pdf more
Source/publisher:
Local Resource Centre (LRC)
Description:
About LRC:-
History:
"Following Cyclone Nargis, a large number of national and international NGOs established the Local Resource Centre (LRC) to assist local communities and civil society groups in the collective effort for relief and rehabilitation.
The Burnet Institute led the establishment of LRC in collaboration with a broad partnership of organizations, including World Concern, the HIV/AIDS Alliance, the Capacity Building Initiative (CBI) and Oxfam. LRC was launched on May 15, 2008 to enable better coordination between local and international implementers, advocate on behalf of local groups, ensure access to capacity development services and ultimately strengthen the collaborative response to Cyclone Nargis between local and international organizations. Following the Nargis phase of operation (May 2008 ? September 2010), LRC shifted its focus from disaster response to the holistic development of indigenous CSOs. LRC officially registered as a local NGO in May 2012...
Vision:
An empowered and accountable civic society that actively embraces diversity, social inclusiveness and civic responsibility, and works together to bring about change to the lives of vulnerable and marginalized communities in Myanmar...
Mission:
LRC aims to empower civil society organizations by acting as a catalyst:
*Strengthening CSO institutional capacity through skill development and targeted information dissemination
*Creating opportunities for CSOs and Youth to develop a collective voice, collaborate together and with other stakeholders using a rights based approach
*Influencing policy development and reform by establishing advocacy platforms that encourage broad based dialogue based on evidence based data/information...
Core Values:
*Neutrality ? LRC operates as a neutral and impartial actor. It strives not to take sides on issues, respect others opinionsand serve as an honest and even handed facilitator.
*Inclusiveness - LRC encouragesparticipation by all actors, organizations and sector representatives to work within an inclusive and non-discriminatory culture which is needed for meaningful and dynamic dialogue and collaboration
*Positive Reinforcement ? LRC believes in giving due recognition to government authorities, civil society actors and private actors on their achievements...
Objectives:
*To empower individual actors in Myanmar civil society by providing information that can be translated into knowledge and skills
*To shape the organizational culture of CSOs as responsive, responsible and accountable
*To facilitate the realization of CSO-related policies that are comprehensive, pro-poor and reflect the needs of the people"
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-06
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
Civil Society
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
more
Source/publisher:
"Washington Post"
Date of publication:
2017-12-04
Description:
"...Everyone wants the Rohingya problem to just disappear. So the news that Burma and Bangladesh have agreed on a framework to begin returning the Rohingya — without referring to the continuing violence that is driving their exodus, and without any clear role for international human rights monitoring bodies — is as expected as it is depressing.
For this is the third Rohingya refugee crisis in 40 years, and the third precipitous return of refugees to a state unwilling to recognize the Rohingya minority?s right to citizenship. In these refugee crises, the international community chose repatriation as an expedient solution rather than trying to impose real change within Burma to end the persecution. If there is to be any hope that these coming returns will not end in disaster — in starvation, in violence, in repatriation while staring down the barrel of a gun — then the disastrous histories of the Rohingya repatriations in 1978 and 1992 must be exposed to critical scrutiny..."
Katy Long
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-05
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
World Food Programme (WFP)
Date of publication:
2017-07-00
Description:
FOOD SECURITY: "In line with the previous remote emergency assessments, the survey confirmed a worsening of the food security situation in already highly vulnerable areas after the October 2016 incidents and subsequent security operations. Nearly one third of the population was severely food-insecure and in need of humanitarian assistance. Only 14 percent of women achieved minimum dietary diversity and none of the children met the minimum adequate diet. Income opportunities were scarce and households could not access sufficient food to cover their needs. About half of the markets were not functioning or were only partially operational, food prices were highly volatile and supply of affordable foods in many markets was scarce...OVERALL SITUATION:
Maungdaw district is among the most vulnerable and chronically food-insecure areas in Myanmar and the assessment confirmed a further deterioration of the food security situation.
Measured by the food consumption score, about two third of the households could not meet an adequate diet and 28 percent of them had a poor food intake the week prior to the survey. With respect to previous surveys (2014-16), an increase was registered in diet inadequacy rates, from 43 to 62 percent, and in the share of households with poor food consumption, from 9 to 29 percent . During thirty days prior to the survey, about one third of the households faced extreme experiences of food insecurity, such as no food of any kind in the household (28 percent), went to bed hungry (34 percent), or went for the whole day and night without eating (28 percent).
Income opportunities were scarce, households could not access sufficient food to cover their needs, and were employing disruptive coping strategies to manage the food gaps. Compared to the period of January-April 2016, food prices have increased on average by 7.4 percent while the purchasing power of households has dropped by 44 percent. Nearly half of the markets were not or only partially functioning. Food prices were highly volatile, and supply of affordable dried fish, a main source of proteins for the population, was scarce.
High food insecurity, limited access to essential services including health care, and poor ac-cess to safe water and sanitation may have exacerbated an already serious malnutrition situ-ation (based on DHS 2015-16 for Rakhine State, the Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) was at 13.9 percent while the Severe Acute malnutrition (SAM) - 3.7 percent). None of the children from 6 to 23 months met the minimum adequate diet, only 2.5 percent reached minimum dietary diversity and 8.5 percent met the minimum meal frequency.
It was observed that 24 percent of the households in Maungdaw and 17 percent in Buthidaung were composed of female adult members only. This was in line with focus group discussions findings indicating that many male adults had to leave their household due to the security operations. With the highest frequency of episodes of severe hunger, this group was the most vulnerable to food insecurity (Figure 2).
Under these circumstances and with the upcoming rainy season that may aggravate an already fragile situation, the capacity of the most vulnerable population to access sufficient food in the long-term is severally undermined and will depend on the humanitarian assistance in the near future. It is estimated that about 38,000 households corresponding to 225,800 people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Preliminary data of early 2017 shows an increase in children requiring treatment of acute malnutrition, and it is estimated that 80,500 children under the age of five are expected to be in need of treatment for acute malnutrition over the next twelve months.
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-05
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first), Food Security in Burma/Myanmar - web searches, specialised groups, reports and statistics, WFP (World Food Programme)
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
teacircleoxford
Date of publication:
2017-12-01
Description:
"Mandy Sadan discusses the piracy of her work and tensions between academic publishing and reaching local audiences...
[Editor?s Note: In this second part of a two piece series, Dr Mandy Sadan, Reader in the History of South East Asia at SOAS University of London, discusses recent experiences of the piracy of her work in Myanmar and reflects on the difficult and competing demands placed upon academics. She also ponders the unintended consequences of knowledge piracy upon Myanmar?s higher education sector in a so-called ?digital age?. You can find Part I here.]...
A noble path of improving access to knowledge in Myanmar takes a wrong turn
It is very sad that what may have begun as a noble effort to spread and improve access to knowledge in Myanmar has ended up being potentially so counter-productive to this aim. We academics involved in Myanmar also may need to rethink some of our assumptions about these practices and how we personally engage with them. In a time where digital reproduction and circulation changes the scene, we should perhaps reflect more on the distinctions we make between different practices and the damage they may cause within a broader context of trying to rebuild higher education and public learning in Myanmar.
Where do we put the boundary markers of our own academic integrity? Academic integrity is a crucial concept in rebuilding academic standards in Myanmar, but academic integrity is really no more than a set of practices that uphold each other ? or conversely, a spectrum of activities that serve gradually to unravel the academic integrity of an individual, a project or research group, or an institution. The pressured nature of academic life also tends to embed tendencies towards making shortcuts, which can cumulatively undermine this vital ethical underpinning of academic life. Copying as piracy is perhaps the most obvious of a spectrum of activities with which foreign academics involved in Myanmar are sometimes complicit. Many of us unwittingly contribute to a climate in which this kind of activity proliferates. I include myself in this..."
Mandy Sadan
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-01
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
teacircleoxford
Date of publication:
2017-11-30
Description:
"[Editor?s Note: In this week?s set of two posts, Dr Mandy Sadan, Reader in the History of South East Asia at SOAS University of London, discusses recent experiences of the piracy of her work in Myanmar and reflects on the difficult and competing demands placed upon academics to publish their work in peer reviewed, elite university presses while also reaching a local audience. She also ponders in this essay on the unintended consequences of knowledge piracy upon Myanmar?s higher education sector in a so-called ?digital age?.] ...
Is mimicry the highest form of flattery?
For most of my academic career I have taken a serious interest in the illicit (re)production, circulation, and consumption of ?things? in Myanmar, especially ideas and photographic images. I have also written and talked quite a lot about this interest in various publications and at conferences, and have even followed the progress of some circulations over two decades. I can hardly claim, therefore, to be an innocent bystander to such practices when I express myself so openly to be intrigued and fascinated by them.
However, in October 2017 I was alerted to a translation into Burmese of my book Being and Becoming Kachin: Histories Beyond the State in the Borderworlds of Burma (British Academy and OUP 2013). A young relative had sent a photograph showing the book?s cover and she commented that she was feeling proud that her auntie?s book had finally been translated into Burmese and that she would now be able to read it. I was perturbed by the fact that the translator had not been in touch with me but was prepared to give him or her the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they had done me a favour? Any work of translation requires time and commitment/energy and I would not be thoughtlessly dismissive of that effort..."
Mandy Sadan
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-01
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
"New York Times"
Date of publication:
2017-07-19
Description:
"When Myanmar?s leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, wanted to hold a peace conference to end her country?s long-burning insurgencies, a senior Chinese diplomat went to work.
The official assembled scores of rebel leaders, many with longstanding connections to China, briefed them on the peace gathering and flew them on a chartered plane to Myanmar?s capital. There, after being introduced to a beaming Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, they were wined and dined, and sang rowdy karaoke late into the night.
A cease-fire may still be a long way off, but the gesture neatly illustrates how Myanmar, a former military dictatorship that the United States worked hard to press toward democracy, is now depending on China to help solve its problems.
The pieces all fell into place for China: It wanted peace in Myanmar to protect its new energy investments, it had the leverage to press the rebels and it found an opening to do a favor for Myanmar to deliver peace.
China is now able to play its natural role in Myanmar in a more forceful way than ever before as the United States under the Trump administration steps back from more than six years of heavy engagement in Myanmar, including some tentative contacts with some of the rebels. The vacuum left by the United States makes China?s return all the easier..."
Jane Perlez
Date of entry/update:
2017-12-01
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
China-Burma-US relations
Language:
English, Chinese (Alternate Url)
more
Source/publisher:
UK Parliament
Date of publication:
2017-11-14
Description:
Watch the meeting...
Members
present:
Stephen
Twigg
(Chair);
Richard
Burden;
James
Duddridge;
Mr
Nigel
Evans;
Mrs
Pauline
Latham;
Chris
Law;
Mr
Ivan
Lewis;
Lloyd Russell-Moyle;
Paul
Scully;
Mr Virendra
Sharma.
Questions
1 ? 48
Witnesses
I:
David
Mepham,
UK
Director,
Human
Rights
Watch;
Dr Champa Patel,
Head
of
Asia
Programme,
Chatham House;
Mark Farmaner,
Director,
Burma
Campaign
UK; Tun Khin, President,
Burmese
Rohingya Organisation UK
.
II:
Matthew
Saltmarsh,
Senior
Communications
Officer,
UNHCR;
Daphne Jayasinghe,
Senior
Policy
and
Advocacy
Adviser,
International
Rescue
Committee;
Ian Mowatt, Regional
Portfolio Manager, World Vision.
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-28
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Permanent Peoples? Tribunal
Description:
Judgement of the Peoples? Tribunal on Myanmar...
Rohingya: The silence of Aung San Suu Kyi and the betrayal of human rights...Rohingya crisis ruled as genocide by Permanent Peoples? Tribunal...17 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PEOPLES? TRIBUNAL ON MYANMAR...PRELIMINARY JUDGMENT AND DISPOSITIONS...VIDEO OF JUDGMENT?S ANNOUNCEMENT (22.SEPT.2017)
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-26
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
Rights of indigenous peoples - international bodies, Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first)
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Permanent Peoples? Tribunal
Description:
"The Permanent Peoples? Tribunal (PPT) was established in Bologna in 1979 as a direct continuation of the Russell Tribunals on Vietnam (1966-67) and Latin America (1973-76). Lelio Basso, who had been a member and speaker, proposed that these celebrated tribunals be transformed into a permanent institution that could become an instrument and platform to give recognition, visibility and a voice to the peoples suffering violations of their fundamental rights, victims who, according to the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Peoples, proclaimed in Algiers in 1976, were marginalized in international law, which had increasingly become the guarantor of the interests of the public and private holders of political and economic powers.
The PPT is built around an international network of experts, social actors and scholars from several countries of Europe, South America, Asia and Africa, recognized for their independence and competence. The characteristic of ?permanency” and the selection criteria used in the appointment of its judges, renowned for their independence and expertise, have made this opinion tribunal a laboratory of denunciation and interdisciplinary research. In its 44 sessions and judgments, the Tribunal has accompanied the transformations and struggles of the post-colonial period, the development of economic neo-colonialism, globalization, the resurgence of war and the International Criminal Court?s declaration of non-competence for economic crimes.
Its long experience of research, analysis, and development of innovative criteria for the interpretation and promotion of the law have made the PPT one of the most active opinion tribunals for the expression of initiatives and movements that push for effective laws that can meet the growing challenges of globalization and economic impunity.
The Permanent Peoples? Tribunal is based in Rome, at the Fondazione Lelio e Lisli Basso, Via della Dogana Vecchia 5.
Questo post è disponibile anche in: Italian, Spanish..."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-25
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English (Italian and Spanish also available)
more
Source/publisher:
International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
Date of publication:
2017-11-24
Description:
"The 8th Geneva Forum brought together judges, lawyers, and other legal experts from around the world, and relevant UN representatives, to discuss the relationship between traditional and customary justice systems and international human rights,
In many countries the majority of legal disputes, especially in rural areas, are resolved by traditional and customary justice systems that are not necessarily recognised by national law as a part of the official court system. The role of traditional and customary justice systems is therefore a key question for realization of ?access to justice for all” and ?effective, accountable and inclusive institutions” under Sustainable Development Goal 16.
The 8th Geneva Forum brought together judges, lawyers, and other legal experts from around the world, and relevant UN representatives, to discuss the relationship between traditional and customary justice systems and international human rights, access to justice, and the rule of law.
The potential for improving access to justice:
In many countries the majority of legal disputes, especially in rural areas, are resolved by traditional and customary justice systems that are not necessarily recognised by national law as a part of the official court system. The role of traditional and customary justice systems is therefore a key question for realization of ?access to justice for all” and ?effective, accountable and inclusive institutions” under Sustainable Development Goal 16.
Traditional and customary justice systems are often more practically and culturally accessible to local populations than is the official court system, and may be seen by local people as having greater legitimacy as well. Indeed, official recognition of the existence of traditional and customary courts in a country can be a positive reflection of the international human rights of ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities, or the particular rights of indigenous peoples, or cultural rights more generally.
For marginalized and disadvantaged rural populations in developing countries, traditional and customary courts may in practical terms be the only form of access they have to any kind of justice. Development agencies have increased their engagement with informal justice systems, and are considering much greater investment in capacity-building of such systems, noting their potential to reach large portions of the population who face significant obstacles to realizing access to justice in the official justice system..."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-24
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
Legal Pluralism - global and regional
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
International Commission of Jurists
Date of publication:
2017-11-20
Description:
Introduction:
"More than 600,000 inhabitants of northern Rakhine State have been displaced since 25
August 2017 as a result of security operations commanded by Myanmar?s military, the
Tatmadaw, which followed attacks on police posts by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation
Army (ARSA). This mass movement of people has substantially added to the pre-existing
populations of displaced persons from Myanmar both in Rakhine State and in
neighboring Bangladesh, resulting in a major humanitarian crisis, amid reports of
widespread human rights violations by security forces and human rights abuses by ARSA
and non-state actors. The vast majority of persons displaced are Rohingya Muslims,
most of whom have crossed to Bangladesh, while tens of thousands remain displaced in
Myanmar.
Statements and reporting on this crisis have included the use of both legal and non-legal
terminology to assess and describe the situation. The following Questions & Answers
briefing note from the International Commission of Jurists clarifies some of the
applicable national and international law and standards.
This briefing note is based upon both independent legal research and a review of public
information and reporting on Rakhine State and neighboring Bangladesh, which is a
situation that is evolving on a daily basis. A draft advance version of this briefing was
prepared on 18 October 2017, and subsequently updated with minor revisions. The
below analysis is based upon information publicly available at the time of finalization on
7 November 2017. This briefing is available in Burmese language; the original version is
in English language. The authors of this briefing note appreciate the advice and
information shared by those who helped inform the development of this briefing note...".....မိတ်ဆက်
၂ဝ၁၇ ခုနှစ်၊ သြဂုတ်လ ၂၅ ရက်မှစ၍ မြန်မာ့တပ်မတော်မှ ဦးစီးကွပ်ကဲသည့် လုံခြုံရေးဆိုင်ရာ
ဆောင်ရွက်ချက်များ၏ ရလဒ်တစ်ရပ်အနေဖြင့် ရခိုင်ပြည်နယ်မြောက်ပိုင်း၌ နေထိုင်သူပေါင်း ၆ဝဝဝဝဝ ကျော်တို့သည်
ထွက်ပြေးတိမ်းရှောင်ခဲ့ကြရပါသည်။ ပြီးနောက် အာရကန်ကယ်တင်ရေးတပ် (ARSA) မှ ရဲစခန်းများကို တိုက်ခိုက်မှုများ
ပြုခဲ့သည်။ ဤသို့သော ပြည်သူများ အစုလိုက်၊ အပြုံလိုက်လှုပ်ရှားမှုသည် မြန်မာနိုင်ငံမှ ယခင်တည်ရှိပြီး ရွှေ့ပြောင်း
ဒုက္ခသည် လူဦးရေကို ရခိုင်ပြည်နယ်နှင့် အိမ်နီးချင်းဖြစ်သည့် ဘင်္ဂလားဒေ့ရှ်နိုင်ငံတို့တွင် ပို၍တိုးများစေပြီး၊ ကြီးမားသော
လူသားချင်းစာနာထောက်ထားမှုဆိုင်ရာ အကြပ်အတည်းကိုသော်လည်းကောင်း၊ လုံခြုံရေးတပ်ဖွဲ့များ၏ ကျယ်ပြန့်သော
လူ့အခွင့်အရေးချိုးဖောက်မှုများ၊ ARSA နှင့် အစိုးရမဟုတ်သည့် ပုဂ္ဂိုလ်၊ သို့မဟုတ် အဖွဲ့များ၏ လူ့အခွင့်အရေးချိုးဖောက်မှု
များကိုသော်လည်းကောင်း ဖြစ်ပွားစေပါသည်။ ရွှေ့ပြောင်းဒုက္ခသည်အများစုမှာ ရိုဟင်ဂျာမွတ်ဆလင်များဖြစ်ကြပြီး၊
၎င်းတို့မှအများစုသည် ဘင်္ဂလားဒေ့ရှ်နိုင်ငံသို့ ဖြတ်ကျော်ခဲ့ကြကာ ထောင်ပေါင်းများစွာသော သူများသည်လည်း မြန်မာ
နိုင်ငံတွင်း၌ပင် ရွှေ့ပြောင်းဒုက္ခသည် ဖြစ်နေကြရပါသည်။
ယင်းအကြပ်အတည်းဆိုင်ရာ သတင်းထုတ်ပြန်ချက်များနှင့် အစီရင်ခံမှုများတွင် ဖြစ်ပျက်သည့်အခြေအနေကို
အကဲဖြတ်သုံးသပ်ရန်နှင့် ဖော်ထုတ်မှုပြုရန် တရားဝင်အသုံးအနှုန်းနှင့် တရားဝင်မဟုတ်သည့် အသုံးအနှုန်းတို့အား
အသုံးပြုထားလေသည်။ ဆက်လက်ဖော်ပြမည့် အပြည်ပြည်ဆိုင်ရာ ဥပဒေပညာရှင်များကော်မရှင်မှ အမေး၊ အဖြေ
ဆိုင်ရာရှင်းလင်းမှတ်ချက်သည် အောက်ပါမေးခွန်းများကို လွှမ်းခြုံသည့် အချို့သောသက်ဆိုင်ရာပြည်တွင်း၊ နိုင်ငံတကာ
ဥပဒေနှင့် စံချိန်စံညွှန်းများကို ရှင်းလင်းစေပါမည်။
၁။
လုံခြုံရေးဆိုင်ရာ ဆောင်ရွက်ချက်များအတွက် မည်သူက တာဝန်ရှိပါသလဲ။ တပ်မတော်သည် ဥပဒေနှင့်
လက်တွေ့ကျင့်သုံးမှုအပေါ် မည်မျှသြဇာအာဏာ ရှိပါသလဲ။ နိုင်ငံတော်မှလိုက်နာရမည့် နိုင်ငံတကာ
ဥပဒေဆိုင်ရာ တာဝန်များမှာ အဘယ်နည်း။ မကြာသေးမီက တပ်မတော်၏ စစ်ဆင်ရေးများကို သမ္မတမှ
အခွင့်အာဏာ ပေးခဲ့ပါသလား။
၂။
ရခိုင်ပြည်နယ်သည် အရေးပေါ်အခြေအနေတစ်ခုအောက် ကျရောက်နေပါသလား။ ဖွဲ့စည်းပုံအခြေခံ
ဥပဒေဆိုင်ရာ အရေးပေါ်အခြေအနေတစ်ရပ်သည် မည်သို့ဖြစ်ပါမည်နည်း။
၃။
လုံခြုံရေးဆိုင်ရာဆောင်ရွက်ချက်များ၏ ပြုမူချက်ကို မည်သည့်စည်းမျဉ်းများက ထိန်းကျောင်းမှုပြုသလဲ။
နိုင်ငံတကာ လူသားချင်းစာနာထောက်ထားမှုဆိုင်ရာဥပဒေသည် အကျိုးသက်ရောက်မှု ရှိပါသလား။
နယ်မြေ ?ရှင်းလင်းရေးစီမံချက်? အတွက် ဥပဒေရေးရာ အခြေခံတစ်ရပ်ရှိပါသလား။ အင်အားအသုံးပြုမှု
ဆိုင်ရာ နိုင်ငံတကာစံချိန်စံည?
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-23
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first), Discrimination against the Rohingya
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Format :
pdf pdf
Size:
330.47 KB 2.3 MB
more
Source/publisher:
Amnesty International
Date of publication:
2017-11-21
Description:
This list is copied from pp 8-9 of Amnesty International?s report "Myanmar: "Caged without a roof": Apartheid in Myanmar?s Rakhine State", published on 21 November, 2017
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-21
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Discrimination against the Rohingya
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
190.4 KB
more
Source/publisher:
United Nations (Treaty Database)
Date of publication:
1973-11-30
Description:
Text of the Convention plus other documents, notes and commentaries
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-21
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Crimes Against Humanity
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
COP23 via Democracy Now!
Date of publication:
2017-11-00
Description:
"Democracy Now! broadcasts live from inside COP 23, the U.N. Climate Change Conference, and from outside in the streets and activist centers in Bonn, Germany."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-20
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Burma Environmental Working Group (BEWG)
Date of publication:
2017-10-24
Description:
"While Burma?s ethnic states are blessed with a wealth of natural resources and biodiversity, they
have been cursed by the unsustainable extraction and sale of those resources, which has fuelled
armed conflict. Instituting a system of devolved federal management of natural resources can
play a key role in resolving conflict and building a lasting peace in Burma.
Despite some ceasefires on paper, Burma remains in a state of conflict. Ongoing offensives in
Kachin and Shan states alone have left hundreds of thousands homeless. Fundamental calls for
self-determination have gone unheeded in a lack of political dialogue to end decades of fighting.
Military offensives into resource-rich ethnic areas have expanded Burma Army presence in plac
-
es previously controlled by de-facto ethnic governments. This has facilitated the rapid increase
in the extraction and sale of natural resources in recent years. Resource projects have collected
huge revenues for the army and the central government, but have not benefited local populations.
Constitutional powers place natural resource ownership, control, and management fully in the
hands of the central government. This report analyzes six key natural resources: forests, land,
water, minerals, gems, and oil and gas. In each sector, a series of laws and practices prevent
affected peoples from having a say in their own development: they cannot assess, provide input
into, or censure the management of their natural resources. Ethnic women, particularly in rural
areas, are doubly marginalized from natural resource governance.
Centralised resource control is fanning the flames of discontent and anger
. Resource projects are
causing environmental destruction, human rights abuses, and loss of livelihoods, with unique
impacts on women. Extracting and exporting raw, often non-renewable, resources is further
inflicting an incalculable liability on future generations. Resources used to produce ener
gy are
consistently prioritised for export, contributing to the development of neighboring countries
while resource-rich areas remain in the dark.
People from across the country have staged protests and demonstrations, calling for an end to
destructive resource exploitation and for constitutional rights to own, control, and manage their
own resources. Ethnic political parties and armed groups are standing with the people in these
demands. Devolved decision-making offers stronger accountability and representation at all
levels of government, an opportunity for local input and control, benefits to local populations,
and environmental sustainability.
Burma does not need to start from zero in developing devolved governance structures. Local
communities have managed lands, water, and forests with sustainable customary practices for
generations, and de-facto governments have supported such practices with formal structures and laws..."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-19
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Forest policy in Burma/Myanmar, Decentralisation (Decentralization) in Burma/Myanmar, Environmental governance in Burma/Myanmar, Land confiscation for military, commercial and other purposes, Extractive industries (general) - Myanmar
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Format :
pdf
Size:
2.43 MB
Local URL:
BEWG-2017-ResourceFederalism-en-red.pdf
BEWG-2017-ResourceFederalism-en-red.pdf more
Source/publisher:
Pyithu Hluttaw
Description:
Short summaries of Hluttaw sessions in English and Burmese from March 2011
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-18
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
Hluttaw-related websites
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
more
Source/publisher:
United Nations General Assembly - 3rd Committee (A/C.3/72/L.48)
Date of publication:
2017-10-31
Description:
Resolution introduced by Egypt for the OIC. Adopted by the 3rd Committee, 16 November 2017 by a vote of 135 in favour to 10 against with 26 abstentions....
"...Expressing grave concern
at the recent reports of serious human rights
violations and abuses in Myanmar, in particular in Rakhine State, as well as in
Kachin and northern Shan States..."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-18
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
48
Size:
8.03 KB
more
Description:
"ADVOCATING AND AMPLIFYING THE VOICE OF THE ROHINGYA WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENTS, CORPORATIONS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY...The Rohingya are a Muslim minority group from the northern Rakhine State in western Burma. Despite having lived in Burma for generations, the Rohingya are considered ?foreigners” by the Burmese government.
The Burmese government has isolated the 1.3 million Rohingya in Burma. Burma?s 1982 Citizenship Act denies the Rohingya people citizenship. They are limited in their rights to marry, have children, work, obtain healthcare, and go to school.
Fleeing violence, over 140,000 Rohingya live in what many describe as ?concentration camps” where they face severe restrictions and are denied basic necessities including medical care. Since 2012, an estimated 100,000 Rohingya have fled Burma by boat. Apart from the risk of drowning, many of those who flee fall into the hands of human traffickers, and are forced to work on rubber plantations or in the sex trade.
Ultranationalist groups in Burma have also dehumanized the Rohingya through rampant hate speech. This demonization of the Rohingya, coupled with the government?s denial of their rights, has created an environment in Burma that, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, puts the Rohingya at grave risk of mass atrocities and even genocide..."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-16
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. by date (latest first), Burma Action Groups, Expatriate Groups, Round Tables etc.
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Fortify Rights, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Date of publication:
2017-11-15
Description:
"On October 9, 2016, a previously unknown Rohingya militant group
calling itself Harakah al-Yaqin attacked three police
outposts in Maungdaw and Rathedaung Townships in
Myanmar?s northern Rakhine State. Armed mostly with
sticks, knives, and improvised explosive devices, the group
killed nine state security officials. After renaming itself
the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) in March
2017, the group waged a second attack on 30 police outposts
and an army base on August 25, 2017, killing 12 officials.
ARSA claimed the attacks were a response to protracted
discriminatory treatment and persecution of the Rohingya
Muslim minority in Myanmar.
Immediately following both of those attacks, the Myanmar
Army launched clearance operations—a term the military
uses to describe ongoing multiagency efforts to combat and
apprehend Rohingya militants.
In practice, the military and the Government of Myanmar
used such operations as a mechanism to commit mass
atrocities against Rohingya men, women, and children.
Over the past year, Fortify Rights and the Simon-Skjodt
Center documented how the Myanmar Army, Air
Force, Police Force, and armed civilians carried out an
unprecedented, widespread, and systematic attack on
Rohingya civilians throughout northern Rakhine State
with brutal efficiency. Eyewitness testimony documented in
this report reveals how Myanmar state security forces and
civilian perpetrators committed mass killings. State security
forces opened fire on Rohingya civilians from the land and
sky. Soldiers and knife-wielding civilians hacked to death
and slit the throats of Rohingya men, women, and children,
and Rohingya civilians were burned alive. Soldiers raped
and gang-raped Rohingya women and girls and arbitrarily
arrested men and boys en masse..."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-16
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
2.06 MB
more
Source/publisher:
Human Rights Watch via Google (HRW)
Date of publication:
2017-11-16
Description:
There are two main reports plus a video - See the main and Alternate URLs...."Since August 25, 2017, Burmese security forces have committed widespread rape against women and girls as part of a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims in Burma?s Rakhine State.
Killings, rapes, arbitrary arrests, and mass arson of homes by Burmese security forces in hundreds of predominantly Rohingya villages have forced more than 600,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. Rohingya women, men, and children have arrived in Bangladesh in desperate condition—hungry, exhausted, and sometimes with rape, bullet, or burn injuries. The humanitarian crisis caused by Burma?s atrocities against the Rohingya has been staggering in both scale and speed.
The Burmese military?s brutal campaign follows attacks on 30 police posts and an army base by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on the morning of August 25, 2017 in northern Rakhine State. The government reported that 11 security force personnel were killed. While the government had a duty to respond to the attacks, the Burmese military, supported by Border Police and armed ethnic Rakhine villagers, not only pursued those responsible, but immediately launched large-scale attacks against scores of Rohingya villages under the guise of counter-insurgency operations. Human Rights Watch has found that the violations committed by members of Burma?s security forces against the Rohingya population in northern Rakhine State since August 25 amount to crimes against humanity under international law..."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-16
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Aljazeera (101 East)
Date of publication:
2017-11-09
Description:
"What does the future hold for the Rohingya in Bangladesh, one of the world?s poorest countries?...The UN calls it a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing" - more than 600,000 Rohingya have fled their homes in Myanmar, seeking sanctuary in Bangladesh.
They?ve brought stories of burning villages, murder, rape and babies being thrown into fires. This human catastrophe is happening under the leadership of Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Those who?ve made it to the squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh may have escaped with their lives, but they now face an uncertain future in one of the world?s poorest countries.
101 East investigates the plight of the Rohingya.
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-10
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English, English subtitles, spoken Rohingya.
more
Source/publisher:
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
Description:
About 440 results (9 November 2017)
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-09
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Center for Climate Systems Research at Columbia University, WWF-US and WWF-Myanmar, UN-Habitat Myanmar.
Date of publication:
2017-00-00
Description:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
"This brief aims to help decision-makers across sectors in Myanmar
incorporate climate change risks into planning and investment
decisions by summarising key messages from a detailed technical
analysis of climate change in Myanmar that is released alongside
this report."
Radley Horton, Manishka De Mel, Danielle Peters, Corey Lesk, Ryan Bartlett, Hanna Helsingen, Daniel Bader, Pasquale Capizzi, Shaun Martin, Cynthia Rosenzweig.
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-08
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Climate Change - Burma/Myanmar: general
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
8.33 MB
more
Source/publisher:
International Crisis Group (ICG)
Date of publication:
2017-10-27
Description:
"The international community?s failure to address Myanmar?s Rohingya crisis has resulted in massive displacement from Rakhine state. The crisis poses a clear threat to Myanmar?s democratic transition. In this excerpt from the Watch List 2017 ? Third Update early warning report for European policy makers, Crisis Group urges the European Union and its member states to support strong Security Council action and push for multilateral and bilateral engagement with Myanmar?s civilian and military leaders... Since Crisis Group?s warning in its February Watch List, Rakhine state?s ?alarming trajectory” has deteriorated further. The views of most people in Myanmar and those of much of the international community on the crisis are diametrically opposed. Domestically, the situation is seen to stem from terrorist attacks and a legitimate security response to them; internationally, the focus is on the disproportionate military response to those attacks involving serious abuses characterised as possible crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. Myanmar?s political direction in relation to the crisis has now been set and is very unlikely to be altered. Views domestically and internationally are hardening in different directions, with huge implications for domestic politics and Myanmar?s standing in the world..."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-08
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Stiftung Asienhaus, Chinadialogue
Date of publication:
2017-11-00
Description:
"Asia, and above all, China is playing a major role in implementing development and sustainability goals, as well as working towards global climate projection. China?s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) marks China?s efforts to carve out a more active international role. The purpose of the BRI project of the Stiftung Asienhaus is to examine the effects of this initiative on the development perspectives of participating countries. Together with partner chinadialogue, we want to elaborate the opportunities and challenges of the initiative, and the impact it is having on the environment, social stability and international relations. Thereby we hope to feed into the discourse on development policy, including China?s development strategy, which is seeing China expand its role as a global development partner and also donor. The effects of this are varied and require critical monitoring and commentary by Chinese, Asian, and European civil society."
Conception, coordination, editing: Nora Sausmikat. Editorial cooperation: Christopher Davy, Vivien Markert, Gisa Dang, Courtney Tenz, Lena Marie Hufnagel, Frederik Schmitz
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-06
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
6.2 MB
Local URL:
Silk_Road_Bottom-Up_2017.pdf
Silk_Road_Bottom-Up_2017.pdf more
Source/publisher:
UNHCR
Description:
"Your search for "statelessness" matched 5536 results. Only the first 1,000 results are displayed. Displaying page 1 of 112 pages."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-05
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
Aljazeera (Inside Story)
Date of publication:
2017-11-04
Description:
"The UN says more than 10 million people around the world do not have a country they legally belong to...They are known as the stateless. People who have neither citizenship nor a nationality.
Often it means they have no travel documents, find it difficult to get a job, and are denied access to medical care and other state services. Their plight is highlighted in a report by the UN.
The most widely covered case in recent months has been Myanmar?s Rohingya community. It became officially the largest stateless minority in the world after Myanmar passed a law in 1982 that denied the Rohingya citizenship.
Until August, there were about one million Rohingya in Myanmar, but more than half of them are now in Bangladesh after fleeing a military crackdown.
But why, in 2017, are so many people in this position? And what can be done about it?
Presenter: Martine Dennis; Guests: Melanie Khanna - Chief of Statelessness Section at UNHCR; Amal de Chickera - The Institute on Statelessness, Inclusion; Wakar Uddin - Director-General, the Arakan Rohingya Union.."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-05
Type:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Source/publisher:
UNHCR
Date of publication:
2017-11-00
Description:
"Millions of people around the world are without nationality. Many of them belong to an ethnic, religious or linguistic minority in the country where they have often lived for generations.
Discrimination, exclusion and persecution most commonly describe the existence of stateless minorities.
More than 75% of the world?s known stateless populations belong to minority groups...
This report explains the circumstances that have led to them not being recognized as citizens, drawing on discussions with four stateless or formerly stateless minority groups. The findings in this report underscore the critical need for minorities to enjoy the right to nationality..."
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-05
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
The statelessness conventions and UNHCR readings on statelessness, Arakan (Rakhine) State - reports etc. - inter-governmental and other international sources
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
6.63 MB
Local URL:
UNHCR-2017-11-05-This_is-our-home.pdf
UNHCR-2017-11-05-This_is-our-home.pdf more
Source/publisher:
Free Expression, Myanmar (FEM)
Description:
"Free Expression Myanmar (FEM) defends freedom of expression and freedom of information in Myanmar" - Texts of laws (Burmese and English), analyses..."Bad laws v Good Standards...Campaigns...Projects and Research...Recommendations for improvement or repeal of specific laws.
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-04
Type:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
Links to online locations of Burma/Myanmar laws, decrees, bills, regulations etc., Laws, decrees, bills and regulations relating to opinion and expression (commentary), Laws, decrees, bills and regulations relating to opinion and expression (texts)
Language:
English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
more
Source/publisher:
Nova Documentary
Date of publication:
2017-03-14
Description:
"Can emerging technology defeat global warming? The United States has invested tens of billions of dollars in clean energy"
Date of entry/update:
2017-11-04
Type:
Individual Documents
Category:
Climate Change science - multiple issues
Language:
English
more