Two temples in Bagan 2 months after earthquake

par | Oct 28, 2016 | Culture

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TWO TEMPLES IN BAGAN COLLAPSE TWO MONTHS AFTER EARTHQUAKE

After a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in late August damaged more than 400 temples in Bagan, two temples suffered partial collapse on Tuesday after rainwater seeped into cracks caused by the Aug. 24 tremors, government archaeologists say.
One temple, built in the “cave” style with a hollow interior and located just south of the famous Htilominlo temple, had roughly half of its structure collapse; the other temple, located in Min Nan Thu village, had one of its walls crumble.
“Both are not that famous, unlike other temples damaged in the [Aug. 24] earthquake. The earthquake caused large cracks in their structures, and they collapsed due to rain,” said U Aung Aung Kyaw, director of the Bagan Archeological Department.
He explained that, in the “cave” temple, the cracks that filled with rainwater were present where reconstructed parts of the temple joined with the original remnants of the antique structure.

                                                                                                           By Kyaw Hsu Mon 27 October 2016
Kyaw Hsu Mon – The Irrawaddy
Kyaw Hsu Mon is Senior Business Reporter at the English edition of The Irrawaddy.

The more than 3,000 temples of Bagan, mostly dating from between the 9th and 13th centuries—when the Kingdom of Pagan ruled over much of lowland Burma—are considered Burma’s biggest tourist draw.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs, the Aug. 24 earthquake damaged a total of 449 temples, including iconic favorites such as Sulamani, Ananda, Htilominlo, Myazedi, Shwesandaw, Lawkananda and Dhamma Yazaka, as well as the murals at Ananda Oakkyaung.
Repair and conservation work on 389 of the damaged structures is slated to begin on Jan. 1, with the assistance of Unesco. According to the Bagan Archaeological Department, 36 temples considered most at risk of further damage will be prioritized, followed by 53 temples in a second-tier risk category.
Cyclone “Kyant,” currently brewing in the Bay of Bengal, has led to concerns over heavy rain causing further damage to exposed structures in Bagan awaiting conservation work, although it is currently unclear if, when and where the cyclone will make landfall in Burma.
These reconstructions were part of crude renovation efforts carried out across Bagan under the previous military regime in the 1990s, which have been blamed for preventing Bagan—the site of an ancient Burmese royal capital—from being granted World Heritage Site status by Unesco, the United Nations’ cultural agency. It was these crude reconstructions that reportedly suffered the most damage in the August earthquake.

Burma travel destination

par | Oct 28, 2016 | Economy

Burma Top Ten 2017 Travel Destinations

Burma has been listed in the top ten countries to visit in 2017 by renowned travel guide the Lonely Planet.
The country ranked ninth in the ‘Top Countries’ category of the Best in Travel 2017 list.
Canada was named the best country to visit in 2017, followed by Colombia, Finland, Dominica, Nepal, Bermuda, Mongolia and Oman. Ethiopia ranked tenth.
Lonely Planet states that Burma’s “election of the first civilian government in half a century has all eyes on the future … Southeast Asia’s most secretive country is poised to receive an influx of travelers.”
Burma was ruled by a military junta for half a century, isolating the country from the international community and transforming one of Asia’s most prosperous nations into one of its poorest.
The country’s first fully elected government took office in March this year and the tourism sector is expected to boom. reading more …

Bagan restoration

par | Oct 25, 2016 | Culture

Bagan restoration begin 2017

Renovation and conservation work to nearly 400 earthquake-hit ancient temples and pagodas in Bagan will start on January 1 of next year, officials said.
Officials from Bagan’s Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library, said that with the collaboration of local and international experts, they will carry repairs and preserve 389 damaged pagodas in the ancient capital.
Some 400 pagodas and temples—out of a total of 3,252—across the Bagan plain were damaged when a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Burma on August 24.

Brauman Podcast

par | Oct 16, 2016 | Humanitaire

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Violence erupts in Myanmar

Violence erupts in Myanmar

par | Oct 11, 2016 | Rohingyas

YANGON, Myanmar — At least 24 people were believed on Monday to have died in western Myanmar after unknown assailants attacked police outposts on Sunday near the border with Bangladesh.
In Maungdaw, a township in Rakhine State close to the border, seven villagers, all members of the Rohingya Muslim minority, were said to have been shot to death when joint army and police forces began a counter operation on Monday.
About a million Rohingya live in the area and are officially stateless, having been denied citizenship by the Myanmar authorities who refuse to even use the term Rohingya, saying the people are actually Bengalis from Bangladesh.
“This morning about 6 a.m., the security forces, loaded onto three trucks, arrived in Myothugyi village, a mile east of Maungdaw town, and seven people were gunned down,” U Zaw Oo, a Rohingya in Maungdaw, said by telephone on Monday.  More Reading …

Des dizaines croyiez tués que la violence éclate au Myanmar

YANGON, Myanmar – Au moins 24 personnes étaient données pour morte lundi dans l’ouest du Myanmar après que des assaillants inconnus ont attaqué des postes de police le dimanche près de la frontière avec le Bangladesh.

Dans Maungdaw, une municipalité dans l’Etat Rakhine près de la frontière, sept villageois, tous les membres de la minorité musulmane Rohingya, auraient été tués par balles lorsque les forces de l’armée et de la police conjointes ont commencé un contte- operation lundi.

Environ un million de Rohingyas vivent dans la région et sont officiellement apatride, les autorités du Myanmar ayant refusé la citoyenneté refusant même d’utiliser le terme de Rohingyas, affirmant que les gens sont réellement Bengalis du Bangladesh.

« Ce matin, vers 6 heures, les forces de sécurité, chargé sur trois camions, sont arrivés dans le village de Myothugyi, un mile à l’est de la ville de Maungdaw, où sept personnes ont été abattues, », a déclaré U Zaw Oo, un Rohingya à Maungdaw par téléphone le lundi.

« La situation dans la ville est calme, et tous les résidents musulmans ici sont tout simplement resté à la maison puisque nous avons très peur des forces de sécurité », a-t-il ajouté.

BANGKOK — Myanmar recognizes 135 ethnic groups within its borders. But the people who constitute No. 136? They are the people-who-must-not-be-named.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar’s first democratically elected government since 1962, embraced that view last week when she advised the United States ambassador against using the term “Rohingya” to describe the persecuted Muslim population that has lived in Myanmar for generations.

Her government, like the previous military-led one, will not call the Rohingya people by that name because it does not recognize them as citizens, said her spokesman, U Kyaw Zay Ya, a Foreign Ministry official.

“We won’t use the term Rohingya because Rohingya are not recognized as among the 135 official ethnic groups,” said Mr. Kyaw Zay Ya, who was at the meeting. “Our position is that using the controversial term does not support the national reconciliation process and solving problems.”

The stance does not bode well for the Rohingya or for rights activists who had hoped Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, would reverse discriminatory policies that have marginalized the Rohingya and prompted many to flee.

Aung San Suu Kyi demande des Etats-Unis de ne pas renvoyer à «Rohingya»

BANGKOK – Myanmar reconnaît 135 groupes ethniques au sein de ses frontières. Mais les gens qui constituent  le N° 136? Ce sont les gens-qui-doivent-pas-être-nommés.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, chef du premier gouvernement démocratiquement élu du Myanmar depuis 1962, a embrassé ce point de vue la semaine dernière quand elle a informé l’ambassadeur des Etats-Unis contre l’utilisation du terme «Rohingya» pour décrire la population musulmane persécutée qui a vécu au Myanmar depuis des générations.

Son gouvernement, comme celui dirigé par les militaires précédents, n’appellera pas les Rohingyas par ce nom parce qu’il ne les reconnaît pas comme citoyens, a dit son porte-parole, U Kyaw Zay Ya, un responsable du ministère des Affaires étrangères.

«Nous n’allons pas utiliser le terme de Rohingyas parce les Rohingya ne sont pas reconnus comme étant parmi les 135 groupes ethniques officiels», a déclaré M. Kyaw Zay Ya, qui était à la réunion. « Notre position est que l’utilisation du terme controversé ne supporte pas le processus de réconciliation nationale et de la résolution des problèmes. »

Damages Scores Of Ancient Temples

par | Août 26, 2016 | Culture

Myanmar Earthquake Kills 3, Damages Scores Of Ancient Temples.

Yangon:  A powerful earthquake shook central Myanmar on Wednesday, killing at least three people including two children, and damaging scores of centuries-old Buddhist pagodas around the ancient capital of Bagan.

The 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook buildings across the Southeast Asian country, with tremors felt as far away as Thailand – where witnesses reported high rise towers swaying in Bangkok – Bangladesh and eastern India.

« We felt quite heavy shaking for about 10 seconds and started to evacuate the building when there was another strong tremor, » said Vincent Panzani of charity Save the Children.

Séisme en Birmanie

par | Août 26, 2016 | Myanmar

Séisme en Birmanie : au moins trois morts et de nombreuses pagodes de Bagan endommagées.

Un puissant séisme de magnitude 6,8 a frappé le centre de la Birmanie, mercredi 24 août, faisant au moins trois morts et endommageant plusieurs des célèbres pagodes de Bagan, haut lieu touristique du pays. L’Institut d’études géologiques des Etats-Unis (United States Geological Survey, USGS) a localisé l’épicentre du tremblement de terre à Chauk, une petite ville de la région de Magway, située à une trentaine de kilomètres de Bagan.

Deux jeunes filles, de 7 et 15 ans, ont été tuées dans la région de Magway, a annoncé le ministère de l’information birman, et un jeune homme de 22 ans a été tué dans l’effondrement d’une maison, dans la petite ville de Pakokku, a déclaré à l’AFP Han Zan Win, député du parlement régional, qui se trouvait dans la zone la plus touchée.

 

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Une touriste espagnole a également été légèrement blessée dans une chute due au tremblement de terre alors qu’elle visitait un temple, a précisé la police. Au moment de la secousse, en fin de journée, de nombreux touristes étaient là pour observer le coucher du soleil.

Cent soixante et onze des monuments bouddhiques du site de Bagan, qui en compte plus de 2 500, ont été touchés par ce séisme, selon un communiqué publié sur Facebook par le ministère birman chargé des affaires religieuses et culturelles. « Certaines pagodes ont été sérieusement touchées », a indiqué à l’AFP Aung Kyaw, directeur de ce site archéologique.

Yangon Newspaper & democracy

par | Août 3, 2016 | Media

Freer media is critical to the country’s political transition, but it is also time for more responsible journalism

As a voracious consumer of Myanmar journalism over some time, I am fascinated by how the country’s transition to freedom of the press takes root and prospers.

Progress toward press freedom has occurred very rapidly in Myanmar since 2012, but we still see too many instances of journalists being detained and even charged over what they have published. Continue Reading ….

Another doddery analyst said there was a 75 percent chance the military would prevent last November’s election being held. The whole reform process and transition to democracy was called “a fairy tale”.

Well, here we are and the griping naysayers got it wrong. The historic elections went ahead and allowed the people of Myanmar to freely choose their government and new leader.

As the United States assistant secretary of state Danny Russel said, “The five years of opening and reform set the stage for Myanmar to emerge from five decades of repression and military rule, and for its citizens to build unity, dignity, opportunity and prosperity.”
Continue …

Violence erupts in Myanmar

Martyrs’ Day on July 19 was a significant break

par | Juil 26, 2016 | Culture

Martyrs’ Day: a wake-up call for reconciliation in Myanmar

For many reasons, this year’s Martyrs’ Day on July 19 was a significant break from the past. For the first time, it was held under a National League for Democracy-backed government. After several decades of absence, it was also the first time the commander-in-chief attended. And, for the first time since 1988, this Martyrs’ Day people heard the sound of sirens and stood still at 10:37am, when the martyrs were assassinated in 1947. For two minutes, people of all faiths, races and ideologies united under one siren call.

But most importantly, this year’s Martyrs’ Day was a wake-up call for national reconciliation in Myanmar.
Martyrs’ Day is not just about remembering Bogyoke Aung San and the eight other fallen independence heroes. It has always been an important act of political symbolism. Paying respect and laying wreaths for those killed that day is a core tradition in Myanmar. So layered in symbolism is it, that it was the target of a terrorist attack in 1983 that killed, among others, four South Korean senior cabinet ministers.
During military rule, Martyrs’ Day events were part of a complex deciphering exercise for foreign diplomats and experts watching the roller-coaster relationship between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi – the daughter of Bogyoke Aung San – and the junta. It was the only time when people could see Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in public during her house arrest. People paid close attention to her every single move and used the event to speculate on her relationship with the generals. Her absence usually signalled problems. More reading …

Myanmar the second-largest producer of illegal opium in the world

par | Juil 15, 2016 | Economy

How Myanmar’s illicit opium economy benefits the military.

For the past 10 years drug production in Myanmar has been on the rise. The amount of land used to grow poppy – from which the opium sap used to make heroin is derived – has more than doubled since 2006. According to the UN, Myanmar now accounts for more than 25 percent of the global area under illegal poppy cultivation, making the country the second-largest producer of illegal opium in the world after Afghanistan.

The vast majority of Myanmar opium is produced by poor farmers in highland areas of Shan State close to the borders with China, Thailand and Laos, which have been affected by decades of conflict between ethnic armed groups and the central government. In 2012, studies conducted by local researchers recorded opium cultivation in 49 out of Shan State’s 55 townships, involving more than 200,000 households.

Drugs play an ambiguous role in Myanmar’s borderlands. Drug abuse has taken far more lives than armed conflict in many communities over the past decade and the growing heroin epidemic across parts of Shan and Kachin states is one of the main drivers of HIV/AIDS in Myanmar.

But the income opium generates for growers provides a way of staving off poverty amid rising food prices and resulting food insecurity, heavy demands for “taxation” from an array of armed groups, and the continued lack of government investment in rural services. They grow poppy because they cannot produce enough food to feed their families throughout the year. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that almost 1 million people in Shan State suffer “severe and chronic food insecurity”, equivalent to almost one in five of the region’s population. The income generated from Myanmar opium enables farmers to buy food and sometimes also to cover the cost of rudimentary healthcare and education. Continue Reading …