Week in Review

Union Election Commission chairman Tin Aye said elections would be held on November 8 despite a provision in the Constitution saying voting can be postponed in disaster zone.

He confirmed the date at a meeting with UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday. Though Tin Aye said voting at certain polling stations may be postponed if necessary.

He also said that the commission was focusing on the correction of voter lists, adding that refugees at refugee camps can also register to vote if they have been at the camp for more than 180 days. The commission is also negotiating with the military to allow election observers to watch polling stations inside military compounds, he added.

 

Early election confusion

Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) complained that it was unable to register its candidate in Mongla region, Shan State. The local election office was not sure if an election would be held in the region, Sai Leik, joint secretary of the SNLD, said, adding that the Union Election Commission has yet to clarify the matter. 

The election in 2010 was cancelled in Mongla region.

The SNLD is going to compete in almost all constituencies in Shan State, and some constituencies in Kachin State, Kayah State, Mandalay and Sagaing regions.

 

NLD member’s killer still at large

Saw Jorney, the National League for Democracy (NLD) chairman for Eindel village, Hpa-An, Kayin State, was shot dead on July 2, but the killer is still at large.

His neighbours said there are fears of similar attacks in the village and Saw Jorney’s family don’t dare sleep at home. He was shot while at his mother-in-law’s house.

 

Armed groups ready for ceasefire 

Kokang’s Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army and Arakan Army released a joint statement saying that are ready to join the ceasefire process.

In a joint statement dated August 5, Colonel Tar Phone Kyaw, general secretary of the TNLA, said if the government wants peace, they are ready to talk.

The government has been adamant that it was difficult to allow some groups to sign the peace deal. In February, the government army clashed with Kokang rebels.

Several ethnic group leaders have warned that true peace would be achieved only when all parties agree to end their conflicts and move the country forward. 

The 9th round of negotiation of the national ceasefire agreement began on August 5 in Yangon. The main topic is which groups would be allowed to sign the agreement. 

 

 Young entrepreneurs incubation

Yone Kyi Yar (the Knowledge Propagation Society) launched its HP Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs (HP LIFE) training centre in Mandalay in cooperation with the US Agency for International Development and the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

The centre aims to encourage and support entrepreneurship and business skills development, focusing on helping youth develop ICT skills.

The group also runs a free public library and provides training programmes for university students and entrepreneurs. More than 500 library users have been registered in the past two years, while over 300 have been trained under its “Youth Empowerment” programme.

 

Opposition to YEB gas project

Residents in Palaw Township, Tanintharyi Region, voiced opposition to the natural gas exploration project awarded to Oil India for fears of danger to the fishing industry.

San Maung, chief of Myeik fisheries federation, said: “The project covers more than 8,000 sq km, with more than 40 per cent overlapping fishing area. The industry earns more than US$100 million per year, but this project may harm it and other water resources. They don’t say how the region will benefit. We strongly object to this project.” 

This view was expressed at a meeting between Oil India, residents, civil servants and businesses on August 5. Myanmar and Oil India signed a memorandum of understanding for the shallow-water offshore gas project in December 2014. The production-sharing contract is yet to be signed. 

 

Cultural heritage protection bill 

Myanmar has approved a bill to protect historical sites, setting tough imprisonment terms and fines against violators. The Union Parliament approved the cultural heritage protection bill on July 22.

Violators will be subject to five to 1o years in jail, and fines of between 5 million to 10 million kyat (Bt142,000 to Bt282,000). The law covers statues, preserved corpses and bones, religious artefacts, murals, paintings and other forms.

 

Telecom services remain unreliable

A survey conducted by LIRNEasia and the Myanmar ITC for Development Organisation earlier this year indicated that more than 60 per cent of voice calls encounter bad service, and about 13 per cent of mobile users complained about their mobile operators’ services. 

Operators blame the bad service on the lack of enough communication towers. 

WB to help in healthcare coverage

The Health Ministry kicked off its plan to provide universal healthcare coverage with technological and financial aid from the World Bank. Last year, the bank committed US$100 million to finance the Myanmar Essential Health Services Access Project. Under the 30-year plan, Myanmar plans to achieve a sustainable healthcare coverage system by 2031. First focus is mothers, newborns and children.

 

Water and renewable energy events

UBM Asia is hosting the third MyanmarWater along with two new trade events – Renewable Energy Myanmar 2015 and REVAC Myanmar 2015 – from September 17-19 in Yangon.

M Gandhi, UBM Asia’s managing director of Asean Business, said the events provide a platform for B2B networking opportunities with over 5,500 international industry experts and decision-makers, potential buyers as well as partners. Experts will speak on industry water and wastewater treatment, renewable energy policies in Myanmar, future plans of refrigeration and ventilation in the country and assisting participants in finding solutions to multiple business problems.

UBM Asia receives full support from local organisations including those from the Myanmar Engineering Society (MES).