Hundreds of thousands still displaced by ethnic and sectarian conflicts, says UN report

A longstanding conflict between the army and ethnic rebels in Kayin State has left about 400,000 people without homes, said the UN report. More than 10,000 were displaced between August 2011 and July 2012 alone.

The Myanmar government and Kayin’s Karen ethnic armed groups forged a ceasefire agreement last year, and discussions are underway on how to allow displaced people to return home. But security, access to safe livelihoods and basic infrastructure are still missing in conflict-affected areas.

UNOCHA estimates there are 400,000 displaced persons in Kayin State, 85,000 in Kachin State, 7,000 in Meikhtila, and 140,000 in northern Rakhine State.

 

Ethnic leaders want political parties to engage in peace talks

The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), which represents 11 ethnic armed groups, has insisted that leaders of Myanmar’s political parties engage in but refrain from attempting to moderate peace talks between the government and ethnic armed groups.

The UNFC met with Myanmar’s Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) in Chiang Mai on July 13 to discuss peace talks and political dialogue aimed at ending decades of civil war.

“The UPWC accepts the leaders of the political parties as observers, but their participation as moderators is less likely,” said Padoh Mahn Mahn, the joint-secretary of Karen National Unity (KNU) who leads the technical team of the UNFC.

At the July 13 meeting, the UPWC discussed the signing of nationwide ceasefire while the UNFC presented framework of political dialogue.

“We need to meet frequently. Such meetings will bring about more transparency. We are also keen to frequent meetings. The July-13 meeting was a good sign,” said Padoh Mahn Mahn.

The government expects to announce the date for the next meeting on Saturday.

 

Local hotel projects given green light

Myanmar Investment Commission has granted land concessions to two local hotel companies in Mandalay Region – one in the historic Bagan site – in the latest move to encourage local enterprises to invest in the hotel and tourism sector.

Win & Win Company was granted a concession for 6.9 hectares in Amarapura Township of Mandalay Region to run a hotel business under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) agreement, whereby the company will transfer the facility back to public administration after the concession has expired. Sanda Hotel has also been granted 3.6 hectares under a BOT concession in the Bagan Hotel Zone.

Local firms have invested more than $183.34 billion (Bt5.7 trillion) in the hotel and tourism sector as the number of overseas visitors rises. Foreign investment in the sector is about $16 billion. There are now, upwards of 750 locally-owned hotels across the country, providing a total of some 27,000 rooms. Foreign firms own about 30 hotels with 5,207 rooms in total. The government has approved eight foreign hotel projects for an additional 7,850 rooms.