EU mission assesses human rights and labour rights situation in Myanmar

A monitoring mission of experts from the European Commission and the European External Action Service visited Myanmar from 28 to 31 October. This follows deeply worrying developments highlighted in various United Nations reports, in particular as regards human rights violations in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan States and concerns around labour rights, according to an EU statement.

The high-level mission was part of the broader engagement that the European Union (EU) has launched to monitor Myanmar's respect of fifteen fundamental UN and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. In order to continue to benefit from duty -free, quota-free access to the EU market through the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme, Myanmar must uphold and respect the principles enshrined in these conventions.

Arakan oil lamp dance

The brass open-oil lamp found in the city of Vesali

          The second open-oil lamp can be found in the ancient city of Vesali. It is made of brass. It measures 9 inches high from the plinth to the edge of the statue. It is a female figure and stretching her hands in parallel. The brass open-oil lamp in the form of hemisphere of the gourd, is held with her fingers. The front edge of the open-oil lamp was used to put the loop of the wick. The oil to light the open-oil lamp, was not gasoline, coconet oil and wood oil, but the butter made from the milk.

Why the open-oil lamp was used

          Nowadays, lighting offering to Buddha becomes a traditional custom in Rakhine state because Rakhine people made lighting offering to Buddha from time immemorial as they believed that light offering dedicating to the three gems called Buddha, Dhamma and Samgha(or) gods, was superior to any other offerings.

The history of the open-oil lamp

          The historians believe that Greek and Roman arrived in the southern part of India in order to trade goods bringing the female statues with the oil lamps in the 2 century AD. Besides, they also believe that the southern Indian cast the oil lamps with their wanted figures modeling the statues the European took.

Full moon day at Arakan Army's Headquarter

On 27.10.2018, Arakan Army posted a video on its facebook page that showed how its

members celebrated Arakanese religious festival of wagyut at Headquarter of Arakan Army.

Wagyut festival is full moon day. On this day ,Lord Buddha descended from a celestial abode

to our planet after he preached his deceased mother Ultimate True three months. Lord Buddha’s

mother reborn in celestial abode before he became the enlightenment one as Lord Buddha.

On this full moon day, people across the lost Arakan to Myanmar also celebrated  wagyut festival

by fasting at monasteries, donating dry ration to monks and nuns and paying respects to elders . At night, they set off hot air balloons into sky and illuminated oil lamps at home, temples and pagodas.

At Arakan Army’s Headquarter, fighters and members held competitions of individual capability,

traditional sports and musical concert on this full moon day. Allis of Arakan Army   - KIA, MNDAA,

and TNLA -  joined  to participate this event.

AA, TNLA and MNDAA will meet Myanmar Army’s officers in China in first week of next month to talk

cease-fire process. But, it is most likely to be superficially talk because Myanmar Army has to do it

while international community pressurizes  Myanmar Army  on human right violation inside of ethnic

regions.

Buddha statues are being vandalized in Arakan

In ancient city of Mrauk Oo ,the lost Arakan to Myanmar , there was Buddhist

temple named Lemyethna. This temple was built by Arakan(Rakhine)King

Min Saw Mon after he founded Mrauk Oo in AD 1430.

On 18.10.2018, an act of vandalism to Buddha statues of Lemyethna temple,

committed by a Myanmar Army Officers –backed anti-social group, surprised and

pained all Arakanese people.

According to local youths, vandals held meeting in early evening near the temple.

Demand made for immediate release of three Arakanese youths under arrest without evidence

http://narinjara.com/demand-made-for-immediate-release-of-three-arakanese-youths-under-arrest-without-evidence/Narinjara News: October 15, 2018

By  Soe Zan Aung (Toungup)

A press conference was held in Sittwe, Rakhine State,western Myanmar on October 12 to demand the immediate release of three Arakanese (Rakhine) youths, who have been arrested without evidence regarding the murder of a military corporal from the Military Security Affairs Unit.

U Tun Aung Kyaw, general secretary of the Arakan National Party (ANP) and a high grade pleader, told Narinjara News that they are making the demand as the three youths have been remanded in custody after being charged with murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code even though they were arrested without evidence.

“Their friends revealed at the press conference that the detained – Khine Bo Bo, Aung Zaw Linn, and May Yu Tun – were with their friends on the day of the murder on September 25-26 so they have been arrested without evidence. We want to demand their immediate release,” said U Tun Aung Kyaw.

Myanmar deserves EU’s embargo and sanction

Photo:Amazon UK
On Friday, European Union warned Myanmar that Myanmar can lose trade

privileges over the violation of human rights as international community criticized

over the Bengali speaking Rohingya crisis , which is being grown.

By the time international community criticizes over that crisis, European Union appears

to impose its embargo and sanction on Myanmar. Whether Myanmar should be imposed sanction or not, EU will send its fact-finding mission to Myanmar very soon.

It is the most likely to be that EU will be withdrawing its trade agreement, known as “everything but arms” (EBA). The EBA deal allows Myanmar duty-free and tariff-free access to European Market for all type of products except arms and ammunitions.

In Myanmar, not only Bengali speaking Rohingya but also minority non-Burma such as Rakhine

(Arakan), Chan and Kachin are being persecuted by Myanmar Army and government of ruling

party( National League for Democracy) .

Nowadays, Number of political prisoners is increasing in across the Myanmar’s prisons again.

It is similar to period of military rule (1988-2010). Just only in Arakan (Rakhine State), There are over (20) political prisoners in the jails and police custody. Among them, Dr. Aye Maung( Chairman of Rakhine National Party), author Wai Hun Aung and Mrauk Oo movement youths are well-known.

In region of majority Burma, there are also people who are being arrested by government of

Myanmar. The reason why they are arrested is that they criticize drawbacks of government of Myanmar by speaking and writing on social media. Number of people are unnecessarily arrested and thrown into prisons by Myanmar government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

This is violation of human rights definitely and absolutely therefore Myanmar deserves EU’s

embargo and sanction.

Cooperation needed to ensure successful repatriation: minister

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/cooperation-needed-ensure-successful-repatriation-minister.html             NYAN LYNN AUNG 04 OCT 2018                                 

Bangladesh and Myanmar need to fully cooperate to ensure the successful repatriation of over 700,000 refugees from northern Rakhine State now living in cramped camps in Bangladesh, a senior government minister has said. U Win Myat Aye, minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement , said the repatriation must follow the guidelines of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two countries in November last year. It stipulates that only refugees verified by the Myanmar government will be allowed to return to northern Rakhine.

Pope Francis donates US$100,000 to Arakan

There are still victims of terrorism and conflicts in Arakan(Rakhine) western so-called

Myanmar. Therefore, to be some relief and to enjoy religious freedom in Arakan, His Holiness Pope Francis donated US$100,000 through Arakan state Chief Minister, Mr.Nyi Pu.

According to news source, this donation cash, from His Holiness Pope Francis, will be utilized in the development tasks of villages in Maungtaw Township.

Most villages, in Maungtaw Township, still do not have electricity, clinics, schools, tarred roads and water supply under the Myanmar rule in 21^st century.

Myanmar has done nothing for Arakan but it has already taken and still taking everything from Arakan. 

Moreover, it creates political turmoil in Arakan by playing between the Arakanese and Bengali (Rohingya). As a result, people lose to focus on objective of repelling to Myanmar from Arakan.

However, today, new generation of Arakan realizes what and how Myanmar plays tricks to  be losing of genuine objective of Arakan National. Therefore, most educated youths are struggling in a way of Rakhita meaning freedom.

Under the rule of Myanmar, Arakan becomes as a beggar even if it has a lot of natural resources and record of wealthy Kingdom.

We can overhear, every now and then, that Myanmar makes showcase of Arakan situation

across the planet and then asking for aid. Most of those aid went to no Arakan but to Myanmar (Burma). In fact, Arakanese people want no aid, no Myanmar but just freedom from Myanmar.

Arakan Youths Union – Japan denounces re-arrest of eight Mrauk-U youths

Arakan Youths Union – Japan denounces re-arrest of eight Mrauk-U youths

Narinjara News: September 28, 2018

by -Soe Zan Aung (Toungup)

The Arakan Youths Union– Japan has denounced the government for re-arresting eight Mrauk-U youths after they served their sentence for taking part in the protest.

The Sittwe Township Court gave an eight-month sentence to the youths but they were released as their detention period was counted in the imprisonment. However, they were re-arrested on the same day and charged under Section 16 of the Union Flag Law.

“A protest march was held on January 16 in relation to the literary talk issue in Mrauk-U. Seven Rakhine youths lost their lives. Other eight wounded youths were arrested. The arrested youths were charged under Public Property Protection Act. They were given an eight-month sentence. They were released after serving time on remand. It’s an insult against the entire Rakhine people to arrest and charge them again. That’s why we are denouncing it,” Ko Win Naing, information officer of the Arakan Youths Union, said to Narinjara News on September 26.

In the statement, the association claimed that it was an ungraceful political act to file an additional charge against the released eight Rakhine youths and demanded the National League for Democracy (NLD) government to immediately halt the oppression of the Rakhine people.

The association also warned the Rakhine people to be cautious against the government’s ploy.

On behalf of the Arakan Youths Union, Ko Win Naing said he believes the authorities are deliberately trying to instigate the Rakhine people to stage a riot.

He added that the Arakan Youths Union – Japan will stage more protests against the re-arrest of the eight released youths and stand by their side.

Rakhine or Arakan youths are being apprehended by Myanmar police

http://thechinlandpost.info/arakan-army-aa-%E1%80%9F%E1%80%AF-%E1%80%9A%E1%80%B0%E1%80%86%E1%80%9B%E1%80%B1%E1%80%9E%E1%80%AC-%E1%81%85%E1%80%A5%E1%80%AE%E1%80%B8-%E1%80%81%E1%80%BA%E1%80%84%E1%80%B9%E1%80%B8%E1%80%BB/

Arakanese youths are - wherever they travel in so-called, failed state Myanmar - being arrested

by Myanmar Army and Police. Myanmar or Burma accuses all Arakan youths, men and

women as Arakan Army’s members  wherever they travel  in Myanmar . Arakan Army is struggling to get freedom from Myanmar or Burma’s colonial yoke to free its people and the lost Arakan to Myanmar.

Myanmar police, on 22.9.2018, arrested five Arakanese youths who were going to Buddha Gaya in India to get job opportunity as well as pilgrimage. Their journey was via Chin State to India.

When they reached Chin State of Myanmar, Police apprehended them on the ground of baseless, suspicious accusation of members of Arakan Army.

They were being handcuffed and investigated in the lockup of police station in Chin State, Myanmar.