Maungdaw, Arakan State: Bridge security personnel have been collecting toll from vehicles and travelers since it started for public service last six months, said a village administrator office member from Mingalagyi village.
The road – Maungdaw – Mingahlagyi villages – had finished recently with villagers work forced, the member said.
“The road has three bridges – Shwezar – Kayoungchaung – Hlapoekaung villages to connect each side to run the road smoothly and each bridge has security personnel for safeguard of bridge.”
But, the security are collecting toll from Rohingya community who pass the bridge by forcefully,said a teacher from Shwezar village.
“The bridge security personnel are only to watch and guard the bridge only not to collect the toll.”
The bridge security personnel are collecting kyat 2000 per a vehicle and they also checked the travelers ( Rohingya) identity card and forced the traveler to pay 100 kyat to them, said a driver who ply on this road.
“The security personnel forced the Rohingya (travelers) to pay money event they have all the documents to travel. The officers are using what they (officer) want to do to the local people. There is no law for them.”
“Sometimes, the security personnel robbed the travelers when they travel on the night (dark) and took all the belonging.”
Recently, at Shwezar bridge, Rashid and other two ( security personnel) are robbing travelers who go to their home from Maungdaw market at night, said a businessman from Maungdaw.
“The villager complained to the village administrator officer and concern authority ( local Nasaka) about harassment of security officers of bridge, but action was taken till now.”
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Nasaka forces villager to pay pebble as fine in Maungdaw
Maungdaw, Arakan State: The Nasaka personnel from its headquarters have been checking nearby villages for repairing of houses and fined with pebble pits, said a village administration officer from Nwahyondaung village.
The Nasaka personnel went to the villages – Nwahyoudaung, Maung Hnama and Kyiganpin – nearby Nasaka Headquarters where the Nasaka checked the compounds of the villagers for searching if the villagers repaired their houses or extension of the house or toilets. If the Nasaka found any things new in the house, they (Nasaka) took photograph the things and summoned the villager to the Head office, he more added.
At the head office, the officer checked the field reports and imposed a fine of pebble pits of 5 to 10, said an elder from Kyiganpin village.
“A pit is measure with 9 feet long, 9 feet wide and 1 foot high with pebble and one pit cost around 5000 kyat recently.”
“To build the road, we need pebble and you have to pay for road where you will go on this road,” the officer said.
But, the Nasaka officers are asking not pebble pits, the officers want only the money as per recent market, said a teacher from Maung Hnama village.
Last month, the Township administration officer ordered to village admin officers to issue permission of build repairing with detail mention. Now, the Nasaka are collecting information of building repairing and forced to fine them, said a politician from Maungdaw.
The Nasaka personnel went to the villages – Nwahyoudaung, Maung Hnama and Kyiganpin – nearby Nasaka Headquarters where the Nasaka checked the compounds of the villagers for searching if the villagers repaired their houses or extension of the house or toilets. If the Nasaka found any things new in the house, they (Nasaka) took photograph the things and summoned the villager to the Head office, he more added.
At the head office, the officer checked the field reports and imposed a fine of pebble pits of 5 to 10, said an elder from Kyiganpin village.
“A pit is measure with 9 feet long, 9 feet wide and 1 foot high with pebble and one pit cost around 5000 kyat recently.”
“To build the road, we need pebble and you have to pay for road where you will go on this road,” the officer said.
But, the Nasaka officers are asking not pebble pits, the officers want only the money as per recent market, said a teacher from Maung Hnama village.
Last month, the Township administration officer ordered to village admin officers to issue permission of build repairing with detail mention. Now, the Nasaka are collecting information of building repairing and forced to fine them, said a politician from Maungdaw.
40 NLD seats confirmed wins; results for five more to come soon
The Burmese Union Election Commission (UEC) announced on state TV on Monday the names of 40 MPs-elect in the April 1 by-elections. Results for five more parliamentary seats will be available soon, it said.
All of the 40 confirmed winners are National League for Democracy (NLD) candidates: 35 seats in the Lower House, three seats in the Upper House and two seats in regional or state assemblies. The NLD on Monday said it may have won in 43 or more constituencies.
The 35 seats of in the Lower House included all six seats in Rangoon region's six constituencies and all four constituencies in Naypyitaw, the captital.
Meanwhile, according to the NLD, in the Rangoon constituencies, Aung San Suu Kyi won over 85 per cent of the vote in Kawhmu: she received 55,902 votes compared to 9,172 for her strongest rival, Dr. Soe Min, the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) candidate; a third candidate Tin Yi of the Unity and Peace Party (UPP) received 397 votes, according to the NLD.
The parliamentary by-elections were contested by a total of 157 candidates represent 17 political parties and independents, competing for 45 vacant parliamentary seats in 45 township constituencies in nine regions or states: Yangon, Mandalay, Ayeyawaddy, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Bago, Magway, Mon and Shan as well as Naypyitaw.
An adviser to President Thein Sein said the government was surprised by the scope of the NLD victory.
“I think the Obama government, they are starting to believe that we are really changing, but we need to convince the other guys in Congress,” adviser Ko Ko Hlaing said in an interview with The Washington Post.
He said the president’s relationship with Suu Kyi, whom he has personally met only one time, is grounded on a strong understanding based on actions rather than words. Representatives of the two sides were in regular contact, he told the Post.
Will the election qualify as free and fair and prompt the quick removal of significant western sanctions?
U.S. officials said Sunday’s poll represents a “significant step,” despite reports of some campaign and election irregularities. Suu Kyi has not yet given a pronouncement on the overall election’s fairness. The NLD is in the process of compiling a report of abuses and irregularities.
“There are tangible moments that demand a tangible response to support ongoing reform,” said a senior U.S. administration official. The possibilities include a lifting of visa bands for travel to the United States; nominate a U.S. ambassador to Burma, lift some minor sanctions by presidential order; or initiate military exchanges.
The most dramatic action would be lifting U.S. sanctions barring foreign investment in Burma and imports from the country. That will probably be withheld barring more dramatic democratic reforms, including the release of all political prisoners and establishing a last peace in ethnic areas, where war has raged for decades.
“For now, people on the Hill are open to giving small things that are reversible,” a congressional aide told the Post. “I don’t think there’s any appetite yet for lifting the major sanctions.”
The by-elections were observed by foreign diplomats and United Nations officials based in Burma as well as more than 150 invited international observers and media persons from Asean, and its dialogue partners, including the European Union and the United States. The parliamentary by-election was the first held in the new era of the civil government after decades of no elections under military rule.
Suu Kyi, in a speech at NLD party headquarters, invited all parties to join together for national reconciliation and to bring peace and prosperity to the country. The NLD victory was a “people’s
Aung San Suu Kyi observes a poll station in Yedashe village, Kawmhu Township, on Sunday, April 1, 2012.
The 35 seats of in the Lower House included all six seats in Rangoon region's six constituencies and all four constituencies in Naypyitaw, the captital.
Meanwhile, according to the NLD, in the Rangoon constituencies, Aung San Suu Kyi won over 85 per cent of the vote in Kawhmu: she received 55,902 votes compared to 9,172 for her strongest rival, Dr. Soe Min, the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) candidate; a third candidate Tin Yi of the Unity and Peace Party (UPP) received 397 votes, according to the NLD.
The parliamentary by-elections were contested by a total of 157 candidates represent 17 political parties and independents, competing for 45 vacant parliamentary seats in 45 township constituencies in nine regions or states: Yangon, Mandalay, Ayeyawaddy, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Bago, Magway, Mon and Shan as well as Naypyitaw.
An adviser to President Thein Sein said the government was surprised by the scope of the NLD victory.
“I think the Obama government, they are starting to believe that we are really changing, but we need to convince the other guys in Congress,” adviser Ko Ko Hlaing said in an interview with The Washington Post.
He said the president’s relationship with Suu Kyi, whom he has personally met only one time, is grounded on a strong understanding based on actions rather than words. Representatives of the two sides were in regular contact, he told the Post.
Will the election qualify as free and fair and prompt the quick removal of significant western sanctions?
U.S. officials said Sunday’s poll represents a “significant step,” despite reports of some campaign and election irregularities. Suu Kyi has not yet given a pronouncement on the overall election’s fairness. The NLD is in the process of compiling a report of abuses and irregularities.
“There are tangible moments that demand a tangible response to support ongoing reform,” said a senior U.S. administration official. The possibilities include a lifting of visa bands for travel to the United States; nominate a U.S. ambassador to Burma, lift some minor sanctions by presidential order; or initiate military exchanges.
The most dramatic action would be lifting U.S. sanctions barring foreign investment in Burma and imports from the country. That will probably be withheld barring more dramatic democratic reforms, including the release of all political prisoners and establishing a last peace in ethnic areas, where war has raged for decades.
“For now, people on the Hill are open to giving small things that are reversible,” a congressional aide told the Post. “I don’t think there’s any appetite yet for lifting the major sanctions.”
The by-elections were observed by foreign diplomats and United Nations officials based in Burma as well as more than 150 invited international observers and media persons from Asean, and its dialogue partners, including the European Union and the United States. The parliamentary by-election was the first held in the new era of the civil government after decades of no elections under military rule.
Suu Kyi, in a speech at NLD party headquarters, invited all parties to join together for national reconciliation and to bring peace and prosperity to the country. The NLD victory was a “people’s
ASEAN wants Myanmar sanctions to end
Leaders of ASEAN bloc representing almost 600 million people convened in Phnom Penh
Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) "call for the lifting of all sanctions on Myanmar," Cambodian Secretary of State Kao Kim Hourn told reporters on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Phnom Penh.
The summit of the 10-member ASEAN bloc commenced in the Cambodian capital on Tuesday, just two days after by-elections in Myanmar saw pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi win her first seat in parliament.
ASEAN foreign ministers applauded the "orderly" conduct of the polls during talks, setting the stage for a strong endorsement from the bloc's leaders at Wednesday's conclusion of the two-day summit.
Representing almost 600 million people from disparate economic and political systems, the ASEAN bloc comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Surin Pitsuwan, the ASEAN secretary-general, said the vote should contribute to the "reintegration of Myanmar into the global community", a reference to the possible lifting of sanctions.
Myanmar's human rights abuses and iron-fisted suppression of political dissent have often hijacked ASEAN gatherings in the past, much to the embarrassment of more democratic member-states.
But over the past 12 months the country's quasi-civilian government, led by President Thein Sein, has freed hundreds of political prisoners, eased media restrictions and welcomed the opposition back to the political fold.
At the last ASEAN summit in November, the country was rewarded for its efforts by being promised the bloc's chairmanship in 2014. Myanmar is eager too to win greater foreign investment with the prospect of sanctions being lifted.
Rocket launch
North Korea's planned rocket launch, described by Pyongyang as a bid to send a satellite into orbit but condemned by the United States and its allies as a thinly disguised missile test, is also on the the agenda for the Cambodia summit.
Albert del Rosario, the Philippine Foreign Secretary, said the ASEAN foreign ministers spoke with one voice against the nuclear-armed North's launch plans.
The Philippines, which lies beneath the rocket's proposed flight path, has lodged formal protests with Pyongyang's representatives at the United Nations, in China and at ASEAN.
"I think the countries that spoke on the topic ... were all of the opinion that we should be discouraging (North Korea) from undertaking that launch," Del Rosario said after the foreign ministers' meeting on Monday.
Regional tensions with China over disputed islands in the South China Sea are another vexing issue for the ASEAN leaders, diplomats said.
China has competing territorial claims in the sea with ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The US says it has a "national interest" in keeping the vital trade route open to shipping.
The sea is a conduit for more than one-third of the world's maritime trade and half its traffic in oil and gas, and major petroleum deposits are believed to lie below the seabed.
US ally the Philippines has been leading a push for ASEAN to form a united front and present China with a binding "code of conduct" in the sea, but other members argue that Beijing should be involved from the start.
There are also differences over the "internationalisation" of the rival claims, with Cambodia insisting they are matters for quiet diplomacy between ASEAN and China but the Philippines asserting the primacy of international law.
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About Me
- The Voice Of Rohingya
- Maung daw, Arakan state, Myanmar (Burma)
- I am an independent man who voted to humanitarian aid.