August 27 - September 2, 2012

Pic: Boothee

myanmartimes
Myanmars first international weekly Volume 33, No. 641 1200 Kyats

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Goodbye to the red pen

But what does the future hold for Myanmars print media? Read the full coverage on pages 3, 4 and 5

Reps move towards impeachment

Both houses of parliament push for removal of tribunal, after president refuses to order members to resign
By Soe Than Lynn and Win Ko Ko Latt MYANMARS first constitutional crisis rumbled on without a resolution last week, in what is shaping up as a major test of the political system established under the 2008 constitution. On August 24, the Amyotha Hluttaw agreed to discuss a proposal to impeach the Constitutional Tribunal after President U Thein Sein ruled out forcing its members to resign. The proposal, signed by 162 MPs, was proposed by U Zaw Myint Pe and supported by 167 of the 223 representatives present on August 24, with only military representatives voting against it. Earlier this month, the Pyithu Hluttaw had set a deadline of August 21 for the tribunal members to resign voluntarily rather than be impeached. The dispute concerns the tribunals March 28 decision that parliamentary committees and commissions are not considered union-level organisations. Representatives insist that the decision was incorrect, as the status of committees as union-level bodies is stated in parliamentary laws enacted by the State Peace and Development Council. They cite section 443 of the constitution, which states: The preparatory work done by the SPDC, before this constitution comes into operation, to bring the constitution into operation, shall be deemed to have been carried out in accord with this constitution. They are seeking to impeach the tribunals members under section 334(a)(ii) breach of any of the provisions under the Constitution and 334(a)(v) inefficient discharge of duties assigned by law. We have accused the whole tribunal of failing to follow the provisions of sections 443 of the constitution, U Zaw Myint Pe said. They are not fulfilling their duty to preserve the fundamental law and breaching the law. They ignore the fundamental agreement of the state as well as disregard it. However, at a rare press conference on August 20 a day before the Pyithu Hluttaws deadline to resign the tribunals chairman, U Thein Soe, said he and his colleagues would continue to do the duties entrusted by the state. More page 4

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A middle class Myanmar beckons

By Stephen P Groff LAST month I made my first visit to Myanmar. I was immediately struck by the vibrancy and a palpable sense of change in the air. The countrys immense potential is reflected in the Asian Development Banks most recent analysis, which shows that Myanmar has the potential to follow Asias fastgrowing economies and expand at 7 percent to 8pc a year if it continues on the path of acrossthe-board reforms initiated earlier this year. If Myanmar stays true to these reforms and I was impressed by the resolve of many officials I met last month the country should become a middle-income nation, and could more than triple percapita income by 2030. Half a century ago Myanmar was the pearl of Asia, one of the regions leading economies with a per-capita income more than twice that of Thailand. While most other regional economies have skyrocketed since that time, Myanmar has languished, and today has Southeast Asias lowest per capita gross domestic product. After decades of stagnation, Myanmar has an enormous amount of catching up to do on almost every front. The recent experiences of Asias fast-growing economies are instructive. For Myanmar to effectively capitalise on its potential, the country will need to maintain low inflation under 6pc and ensure sustainable budgets. It will also need to encourage greater savings, dramatically bolster the skills of its people, invest heavily in infrastructure, modernise its financial sector, foster job creation and continue with foreign exchange reform. No small order, to be sure, but Myanmars neighbours have shown dramatic economic transformations are possible in relatively short amounts of time if reforms remain on track. Nearly everyone I spoke with in July emphasised that maintaining social stability will be crucial as Myanmar embarks on this new course. While economic growth has been the most effective tool for reducing poverty in Asia, it has become less equitable in many fast-growing regional economies in recent decades. As the economy grows it will be essential for the Farmers in Bago Region last week. Pic: Kaung Htet

country to ensure that its poorest and most vulnerable share the benefits of Myanmars growing prosperity. Such inclusiveness will enhance and help to maintain growth by strengthening social cohesion and contributing to human capital development. Investment in education, healthcare and other social services is fundamental for building Myanmars human capital.

last month highlighted that rural isolation is exacerbated by poor access to electricity, water and transportation. Only one in four people have electricity access, and the countrys core road network is limited. Bringing rural communities into the fold and providing them with better transportation, electricity, and telecommunications will give Myanmars poorest a better chance

This is particularly important, as Myanmar is uniquely positioned to tap into Asias growing economic strength and prosperity. Better connectivity with other South and Southeast Asian nations will also unleash incredible opportunities for trade and commerce. With the regions consumption expected to reach US$32 trillion by 2030, accounting for 43pc of the global total, Myanmars affluent

neighbours have shown Myanmarsare possible in relatively dramatic economic transformations short amounts of time.
Today, one in four primary school children never move on to middle school, limiting their prospects as the countrys next generation of workers. Encouragingly, the government has already increased its social sector spending, with the countrys nominal education budget doubling for 2012/13. It is critical that this trend continues. More opportunities also need to be created for people living in rural areas, where 84pc of the countrys poor reside. Nongovernment organisations I met at grasping the opportunities that recent economic reforms can bring. Myanmars economic potential is immense given its rich endowments and geographic advantages. However, businesspeople I met stressed the need for more freedom to create jobs and innovate in order to maximise this potential. A further reduction of government ownership and control over certain economic sectors will help level the playing field, spurring competition and bolstering investment.

neighbours offer vast new markets for a country with abundant natural assets, agricultural resources and low-cost manufacturing potential. Integration with global and regional markets will also help promote accountability, transparency and respect for the rule of law, fostering an enabling environment for business and foreign investment as the nation finds its place in the Asian Century. Myanmars growth will not come without risks, and it is important

for the country not to repeat the mistakes of other resource-rich developing nations. Allowing resource revenues to exacerbate inflation and impact international competitiveness through effects on the exchange rates creates a vicious cycle that can hinder the countrys development in other productive sectors. Sound macroeconomic management, economic diversification, greater transparency, the development of capable institutions and a strong political commitment to equitably distributing benefits will all be needed to ensure Myanmar avoids the resource curse. There is much Myanmar can learn from its neighbours lessons that could make the country Asias next rising star. There will be countless challenges along the way but if the country makes the right moves at the right times and maintains its strong commitment to reforms, a more prosperous future undoubtedly awaits Myanmars people. (Stephen P Groff is the Asian Development Banks vice-president for East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific.)

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Court sets Voice verdict for Sep 6

By Sandar Lwin A YANGON court will hand down its verdict in the Union Ministry of Mines defamation case against The Voice on September 6, after both sides presented their closing arguments last week. Lawyers acting for both sides spent about 15 minutes on August 23 outlining their case in front of Dagon Township Court judge Daw Khin Thant Zin, who then set September 6 as the date for the verdict. If the defendants are found guilty, they face up to two years imprisonment, a fine or both under section 500 of the Penal Code. The case stems from an un-bylined March 12 report in the weekly journal that quoted unnamed members of parliament as saying that misappropriation of funds and graft had been uncovered by the Office of the Auditor General at six government ministries, including the Ministry of Mines. The ministry immediately announced it would file the defamation suit against the journals publisher, editor-inchief and the reporter who wrote the article. Judge Daw Khin Thant Zin has already dismissed the suit against the reporter as the ministry was unable to produce the reporters name. On August 23, the lawyer for the ministry first referred to old verdicts to support his case. He then said that the money transfer mentioned in the report related to the sale of the Monywa copper mine, previously a joint venture between Canadian firm Ivanhoe and stateowned Mining Enterprise 1 was conducted by electronic account transfer and not in cash, which meant there was no chance of misappropriation taking place. Nevertheless, the headline on the March 12 article read that cases of misappropriation of funds and graft by some ministries

Papers roll off the presses in The Myanmar Times print room. Pic: Seng Mai

The Voice editor-in-chief U Kyaw Min Swe outside court. Pic: Yadanar had been found, and this hurt the ministrys dignity and the public trust in it, the lawyer said. Although the editor-in-chief bears the most responsibility for a publications content, the lawyer for the ministry said that the rules and regulations prescribed for publishers at the time the article was printed state that publishers should publish only correct information after getting permission from the relevant administrative body. The article was published without permission so the publisher of The Voice, Daw Khin Kywe Oo, should also be found guilty, he argued. In his closing arguments, the lawyer for the defendants also referred to earlier defamation verdicts, and said that the report had quoted parliamentarians who had seen the Auditor Generals Office report, which had been sent to the Pyithu Hluttaw Public Accounts Committee. The lawyer said that if the parliamentary members words are considered in the public interest, then the medias reporting of their words are equally in the public interest and under the first and 10th exceptions for section 499 defamation cases the defendants should be found not guilty. More page 4

Censorship ends but free press uncertain

In Depth
with Ei Ei Toe Lwin AFTER almost 50 years, the government last week abolished pre-publication censorship of news publications but editors and journalists warned that the country was still some way off having a free press. All publications within the country have been exempted from being scrutinised before publication by the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division, U Tint Swe, the head of the division, told publishers and senior editors on August 20, adding that the directive was effective immediately. To change the press scrutiny policies step by step, 38 directives and 20 instructions issued under the 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Law have been revoked, and only 13 directives and six instructions remain, U Tint Swe said. Despite no longer having to submit all content to the censorship board before publication, news journals and magazines will still have to abide by a set of 16 instructions, divided under the headings political, economic, social and general, that was also issued on August 20. The instructions include not hurting the three national causes, not criticising negatively the policies of the state and government and not writing about serious issues, such as corruption, illicit drugs, forced labour and child soldiers, without reliable sources. Journalists welcomed the news and said it was likely to bring greater press freedom to an extent. However, they said the extent of media freedom probably would not become clear until after the new publishing law is promulgated. Its good that precensorship has been abolished but its too early to say we have got media freedom just because censorship has been lifted. I think it is more like the first step. We dont know exactly what amount of freedom we will get in practice when we cover the news, said Daw Aye Aye Win, a correspondent for Associated Press. We will have to wait and see what is in the media law until we can say how much freedom we will get. We still dont know exactly what is in it. U Thiha Saw, chief editor of Open News, said he remained concerned about the large number of old directives and instructions that remain active under the 1962 law. Now we can write news with more freedom after 48 years. But the editors will have to take much more care, he said. But U Ko Ko Hlaing, a writer and chief political adviser to President U Thein Sein, told The Myanmar Times on August 21 that it was an excellent development. More media freedom is needed to move forward along the path of democracy. But the freedom also needs to be balanced with responsibility. I mean that reporters must be professional, said U Ko Ko Hlaing, adding that his own articles had also been censored by PSRD on occasion. More page 4

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myanmartimes Yangon, MDY computer universities upgraded

By Yhoon Hnin Phyu YANGON Computer University and Mandalay Computer University have been upgraded to centres of excellence for tertiary computer studies effective from the start of the 2012 academic year. Students will require a matriculation exam score of 450 to enrol in courses at the two centres of excellence, while the entry criteria at 23 other computer universities will remain 360 marks, the state-run Kyemon newspaper From page 1 reported on August 21. The deadline for enrolments for 2012-13 is September 12 and classes are expected to start in November. Both centres of excellence information systems, high performance computing, computer communication and networks, embedded systems and computer systems. The government plans to But upgrading all 25 computer universities was not feasible in the short term because of financial and technological constraints, it said. Ma Nway Tha Zin Aung, a masters student at Taungoo Computer University, said: This is great news for students who excel in computer studies and updating curriculums is also a positive move because they need to adapt to new technologies. But the downside is that it will create divisions among the students, with extra status for those who attend the centres of excellence.

Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief (MTE) Ross Dunkley rsdunkley@gmail.com Chief Executive Officer & Editor-in-Chief (MTM) Dr. Tin Tun Oo drtto@myanmartimes.com.mm Chief Operating Officer U Wai Linn wailin@myanmartimes.com.mm EDITORIAL newsroom@myanmartimes.com.mm Editor MTE Thomas Kean tdkean@gmail.com Editor MTM U Zaw Myint editormtm@myanmartimes.com.mm Editor Special Publications U Myo Lwin myolwin@myanmartimes.com.mm Deputy Editor MTM U Sann Oo Business Editor MTE Stuart Deed stuart.deed@gmail.com Business Editor MTM U Tin Moe Aung Property Editor MTM Htar Htar Khin property@myanmartimes.com.mm World Editor MTE Geoffrey Goddard geoffrey@myanmartimes.com.mm Timeout and Travel Editor MTE Douglas Long editors@myanmartimes.com.mm Timeout Editor MTM Moh Moh Thaw mohthaw@gmail.com Deputy News Editor Kyaw Hsu Mon Chief Political Reporter U Soe Than Lynn Contributing Editor Ma Thanegi ma.thanegi19@gmail.com Head of Translation Dept U Ko Ko Head of Photographics Kaung Htet Photographers Yadanar, Boothee Book Publishing Consultant Editor Col Hla Moe (Retd) Editor: U Win Tun Mandalay Bureau Chief U Aung Shin koshumgtha@gmail.com Nay Pyi Taw Bureau Chief U Soe Than Lynn soethanlynn@gmail.com PRODUCTION production@myanmartimes.com.mm Head of Production & Press Scrutiny Liaison U Aung Kyaw Oo (1) Head of Graphic Design U Tin Zaw Htway MCM PRINTING printing@myanmartimes.com.mm Head of Department U Htay Maung Warehouse Manager U Ye Linn Htay Factory Administrator U Aung Kyaw Oo (3) Factory Foreman U Tin Win ADVERTISING advertising@myanmartimes.com.mm National Sales Director Daw Khin Thandar Htay sales-director@myanmartimes.com.mm Account Director U Nyi Nyi Tun Classifieds Manager Daw Khin Mon Mon Yi classified@myanmartimes.com.mm ADMIN & FINANCE Finance Manager Daw Mon Mon Tha Saing finance@myanmartimes.com.mm HR Manager Daw Nang Maisy administration@myanmartimes.com.mm Publisher Dr Tin Tun Oo, Permit No: 04143 Systems Manager U Khin Maung Thaw webmaster@myanmartimes.com.mm DISTRIBUTION & CIRCULATION Manager U Ko Ko Aung distmgr@myanmartimes.com.mm circulation@myanmartimes.com.mm ADVERTISING & SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Telephone: (01) 253 642, 392 928 Facsimile: (01) 254 158 Email: administration@myanmartimes.com.mm The Myanmar Times is owned by Myanmar Consolidated Media Ltd and printed by MCM Commercial Printing (licence provided by Swesone Media (08102) with approval from MCM Ltd and by Shwe Zin Press (0368) with approval from MCM Ltd). The title The Myanmar Times, in either English or Myanmar languages, its associated logos or devices and the contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the Managing Director of Myanmar Consolidated Media Ltd.

all 25 Upgradingfeasiblecomputer universities was not in the short term.

will offer bachelor degrees in computer science, software engineering, knowledge engineering, business upgrade the two centres of excellence to ASEAN-standard institutions within five years, the report said. From page 3 judiciary and legislature. It is only possible to execute reciprocal checks and balances if the committees, commissions and organisations formed by the hluttaw are union level. If not, there are no checks and balances, he said. The Pyithu Hluttaw agreed to proceed with its earlier impeachment proposal. Dominic J Nardi Jr, a PhD student at the University of Michigans Political Science Department whose research focuses on judicial politics in Southeast Asia, said the dispute demonstrates how quickly the political landscape in Myanmar has changed, as six of the nine judges were appointed by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw. He told The Myanmar Times by email that the outcome could have significant long-term implications for the countrys development, particularly given it has only recently transitioned to democracy from five decades of military rule. Early constitutional crises have important long-term effects because they shape judges expectations. If judges believe they will be punished for disagreeing with the president or parliament, this can have a chilling effect. While this might produce favorable decisions in one particular case, it also means that judges will become more reluctant to challenge the government when it violates the constitution, Mr Nardi said. MPs are understandably eager to pass new reforms, so it is easy to sympathise with the parliaments frustration with limits imposed by the Constitutional Tribunal. Nonetheless, hluttaw representatives do have other options than impeachment, he said. Unlike US Supreme Court judges, members of the Constitutional Tribunal do not possess life tenure. The tribunal members only serve for five years. Thus, MPs can refuse to reappoint them after the 2015 elections. In other words, the [Pyidaungsu Hluttaw] only has to tolerate the current members of the tribunal for another three and a half years. The president appears more concerned with the integrity of the Constitutional Tribunal than just upholding the tribunals interpretation of union level organizations, he said. In 2011, the executive had already lost two cases in the Constitutional Tribunal, yet the president did not initiate impeachment against the tribunal members. Additional reporting by Thomas Kean, translation by Thiri Min Htun and Thit Lwin

Reps move towards

He said the tribunals members had not violated any of the provisions of the constitution. The call for our voluntary resignation by the hluttaw is simply a matter for the hluttaw, he said. The constitutional tribunal is a law court so it does not hold press conferences normally but in this case the people need to be enlightened. When judging a case, it not only needs to be decided correctly but also to be made public, U Thein Soe said. He explained that when making the March 28 ruling the tribunals main concern was whether the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Law, Pyithu Hluttaw Law and Amyotha Hluttaw Law match the constitution, he said. So the tribunal didnt review those hluttaw laws, which define committees, commissions and organisations formed by each hluttaw as union-level bodies, but it interpreted them based on the wording of the unionlevel bodies of the constitution, he said. The case was heard after the Union Attorney General, on behalf President U Thein Sein, filed a submission to the tribunal on February 2 asking for clarification over whether parliamentary bodies are considered union-level. U Soe Thein said the president requested the tribunal only to interpret the wording of unionlevel bodies formed according to the constitution, not to interpret the wording of the laws of each hluttaw. The same day, President U Thein Sein sent a formal message to the Pyithu Hluttaw stating that the tribunals decision was final and it was impossible to have it withdrawn. The president said it would be neither in conformity with the law nor fair if he attempted to force the tribunal chairman and members resign for exercising their duties according to the constitution. He said that instead of accusing and blaming, the parliament should exercise its right to amend the constitution if it was unhappy with the ruling. These two bodies are regarded by the constitution as independent bodies, so they can choose the kind of political path they prefer, the message said. After the message was read out, Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann responded that the tribunals decision had undermined the system reciprocal checks and balances applied to the executive,

Censorship ends
Now we need to take more responsibility. Therell be people who make the most of it for the sake of the country and others who misuse the freedom out of selfishness. But all agreed that journalists and editors would need a better working knowledge of laws relevant to the media industry, particularly defamation and contempt of court. More legal training for journalists is needed, and editors said publications would need to appoint legal advisers. But I think journalism ethics is more important than the law because ethics is a kind of moral obligation. Journalists need to take steps to promote the quality of their work in line with journalism ethics, said U Ko Ko, chief executive officer of Yangon Media Group. Journalists need to avoid using anonymous sources when reporting news, particularly in corruption cases. Daw Aye Aye Win said journalists seemed to be more worried about the possibility of facing legal action, particularly when writing about government ministries and departments. We can see the potential for this happening because there are already cases going on, she said. I think there will also be more difficulties between publishers and editors. Editors want to publish news but for the publisher it can harm their business if there is a problem. But readers are likely to benefit from publications not having to spend time negotiating the bureaucracy of censorship. Media organisations will be able to better use their limited resources and will not be restricted on how much updated news they can put into publications just before going to print, said Ko Arr Man, executive editor of 7-Days News. Before, a journal would get the news before others just because of its deadlines. Now we can compete with each other more fairly. I think this will improve the quality and reader demand for news journals will increase, Ko Arr Man said. Whatever the concerns, we will get more freedom than before. We can maintain this freedom with discipline, he said. The announcement came less than two weeks after the formation of the Myanmar

Core Press Council, an interim body formed in early August to monitor the press until the formation of a press council under the new publishing law. However, the Ministry of Information suspended the councils activities a few days after its formation after leading journalists expressed concern that it would not be independent. UKhinMaungSwe,chairman of National Democratic Force, said abolishing censorship was an important step towards implementing good governance and clean government. But the media should stand for the people, not for any political group, and avoid biased reporting, he said.

Court sets Voice

Exception one states that it is not defamation to impute anything which is both true and for the public good, while exception 10 states it is not defamation to convey a caution in good faith to one person against another, provided that such caution be intended for the public good. The lawyer also said charging the publisher would be a waste of time, as, unlike the editor-in-chief, the publisher does not need to know every item that is in their newspaper. He also cited four reasons why the defendants should be found not guilty. He said that in publishing the article the defendants were just doing their job and did not have any intention to hurt the accused. No opinion on the accusations was mentioned in the report, which just presented the information based on valid sources. The publication made the report based on its inquiry and the documents referred to in the report were not confidential to the hluttaw representatives. Finally, like the three other pillars of the democratic system the executive, legislature and judiciary, the fourth pillar, the media, was just performing its duty. In the final rebuttal, the lawyer for the ministry said the essence of exception one is the correctness of the accusation and the public good but the headline of the report hurt the ministry. In regards to exception 10, the ministrys lawyer said the tone of the March 12 article meant it couldnt be considered a reminder to anyone and it just hurt the ministrys reputation.

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near future. But I, like the majority of people, believe it cannot be complete without the release of all political prisoners. In particular, I refer to the plight of The Myanmar Times cofounder and my partner, U Myat Swe (Sonny). He has now been in jail nearly eight years, serving a 14-year sentence for bypassing censorship regulations. Remarkably, U Myat Swe was legally and loyally working for the country in his co-publishing role at The Myanmar Times with me. He excelled as the seek approval to publish our newspaper daily, first in English and then in Myanmar. Consider that while Myanmar is changing rapidly, readers still have only one daily reading choice in English, the state-owned New Light of Myanmar. We hope to provide one of the additional choices for readers trying to keep up with the dramatic political, economic and social changes underway in Myanmar. For the first time in half a century, Myanmars media can play a vital role in providing society with a check and balance. self-discipline not required before in Myanmar will be essential. We will publish our newspapers on a daily basis as soon as the government announces we can. The new print media law has yet to go to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, so we are still bound by many regulations of the old regime. Some of those rules are quite draconian, particularly given the changing environment. I believe though that there is no need for the government to license any publisher. Everyone should be able to have a go if they have the resources and comply management executives to further professionalise the media sector. Becoming a good reporter takes years anywhere, but what is often lacking in Myanmar is critical thinking capacity and an ability to identify a news angle. I suspect this has roots that trail through the education system into childhood, and cannot be remedied by greater press freedoms alone. It will take a generational and educational change, so it wont happen overnight. It would be to the disadvantage of the development of the fourth estate if foreign investment is not allowed in the media sector. There is nothing to be afraid of. Foreigners will bring in expertise and capital, provided the new legislation is fair to them. Countries that lock their media away from competition inhibit the development of the sector. The role of the media becomes less effective, while the power of big business and politicians increases and they become less transparent in their dealings. Weve just come out of a similar scenario and I dont believe many want to go back there. (Ross Dunkley is the managing director of Myanmar Consolidated Media and editor-in-chief of the English edition of The Myanmar Times. He is also publisher of The Phnom Penh Post, which prints daily in English and Khmer.)

History made, but challenges ahead

OpInIOn
with Ross Dunkley
THE fabric of Myanmar is changing. Today we have reason to believe it is becoming a better place. Im delighted to see the red pen of censorship being consigned to the rubbish bin. It makes me even more keenly aware of the advanced and mature perspective Cambodia has towards its media industry. Theres zero censorship and at The Phnom Penh Post we even have 100 percent foreign ownership. The removal of pre-publication censorship is another load of cement being poured into the foundations of democracy here in Myanmar. This will definitely help hold it up. In fact, we are now just a couple of moves short of being able to create a new social contract in Myanmar. Without this contract between the people of Myanmar and the government there can be no reconciliation and a stable future. The president, U Thein Sein, Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and other politicians have led the way and appear intent on reaching the table to sign that contract in the

The removal of pre-publication censorship is another load of cement being poured into the foundations of democracy here in Myanmar.
leading Myanmar executive in the countrys first foreign media joint venture. He was a frontline operator spreading even-handed news about Myanmar. On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on May 3 this year, I wrote to the president to highlight Sonnys case. I asked him to bear this in mind when thinking about this young mans future and take all steps to speed his release and return to his family and our fast changing industry. We hope to have him back with us very soon. I also used the occasion of wr iting to the president to The newspapers that spring up will expose corruption by businesses, keep politicians honest, highlight the social problems facing the nation and potential solutions while delving into what Myanmar is and what it means to be Myanmar. Most of what will be published will be solid, healthy material because Myanmar people are thoughtful, educated and conscious of preserving and enhancing what they have. They will be engaged. Inevitably some from both sides will be over exuberant. A level of with the relevant operating regulations when they are finalised, which would be similar to the situation in Cambodia. While there is much optimism in our industry, there are danger signals waving at us as well. To head towards safer territory there must be a sharp spike upwards in the ability of local universities and higher education institutions to train journalists, something that hasnt happened yet. And the relevant authorities must allow in more foreign technical experts that is, reporters, sub editors, analysts, photographers, designers and printers and even

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To handle telephone sales and reservations for passenger and cargo Key Responsibilities: To handle passenger and cargo reservation requests

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August 27 - September 2, 2012
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MyanMar tiMes

Flooding displaces hundreds in rural Yangon

By Aye Sapay Phyu HUNDREDS of residents in rural Yangon Region were displaced by flooding following heavy rain last week, a Fire Services Department official said. The official said residents in some quarters of East Dagon, South Dagon, Kayan and Shwe Pyi Thar townships had to leave their homes because of flooding. On August 21, 178 people from 34 households in Shan Tel Gyi village in East Dagon were moved to a relief camp set up in an elementary school in the village after heavy rain caused flooding three to five feet deep. The official said 201 people from 106 quarter in South Dagon had to leave their homes after they were inundated by about four feet of water. There were 20 displaced in 107 quarter of South Dagon township on August 23. Flooding is common in those low-lying areas of 106 and 107 quarters, he said. He said there was also flooding in Kayan and Shwe Pyi Thar townships on August 19 but people were able to return to their homes the following day after the water level decreased in their quarters. According to Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, Kayan received 4.88 inches (12.40 centimetres) of rain on August 19, while the Mingalardon and Kabar Aye stations recorded falls of 4.38 (11.13cm) inches and 4.26 inches (10.82cm) respectively on August 19.

Briefs
UNFPA official to visit this week
THE executive director of the United Nations Population Fund is expected to meet President U Thein Sein and several government ministers during a three-day visit this week, the agency said in a statement. Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, who is also a UN undersecretary-general, will visit Nay Pyi Taw on August 2728 and Yangon on August 29, a UNFPA statement said. He is expected to meet the president as well as ministers for health, social welfare, relief and resettlement, economic planning and national development, foreign affairs and immigration and population. He will also hold discussions with the parliament speakers, lawmakers, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and representatives from the humanitarian community. He is expected to discuss UNFPAs assistance program from 2012 to 2015, rural development and poverty alleviation projects, efforts to improve access to maternal health and birth spacing services, and a national census planned for 2014. Shwe Yee Saw Myint

Residents negotiate floodwater in Lashio on August 20. Pic: Zarni Aung

One killed in Lashio flooding

By Aye Sapay Phyu and Zarni Aung FLASH flooding in Lashio last week left one person dead and forced thousands to flee their homes, officials in the northern Shan State town said. The township hospital confirmed on August 24 that the body of a 35year-old man from No 1 quarter had been recovered following the flash floods on August 20. Meanwhile, the General Administrative Office said 4496 people from 1011 households were forced to leave their homes but by August 24 most had been able to return. Flooding was worst in quarters one, five, seven, nine, 10, 11 and 12. An unknown number of homes were washed away, including some that had been built illegally. Residents said the flooding had been exacerbated by blocked drains, with extensions to houses and fences to blame, and local officials were last week making arrangements to clear the drains. A Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) official said the flash flood occurred on the morning of August 20 following heavy rain. However, the water subsided quickly the following day. There is no water in the quarters today, the official said on August 22. Some families have already left for their homes ... but some also took shelter in the homes of their relatives or friends. The MRCS official that the flooding peaked about 9am on August 20. About 10 homes in No 9 quarter were washed away, the official said. Besides the deceased man, there are no other serious casualties but some people got minor injuries, he said. Water rose in some quarters on August 19 but some small houses were washed away by floodwater [on August 20], he said. The flooded creek is not very big and minor flooding is common around the creek but nothing like this. The water level rose up to an adults waist in some areas and the force of the current was strong enough to knock some brick fences down. People stayed in their homes and monitored the situation because they expected the water would go down [on August 19] but later they were forced to move to relief camps and higher areas, he said. He said the flooding had cut Lashios road links with Mandalay and the border town of Muse but the highways reopened on August 22. The water level was above the height of a tractor on the Lashio-Mandalay Highway near Lashio. Small cars couldnt pass through those areas. Township authorities and private donors arranged meals packs and drinking water for affected households and an MRCS medical team was cooperating with the township health department to prevent outbreaks of water-borne diseases. An official from the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology said the heavy rain in Lashio last week was due to the remnants of Typhoon Kai Tak, which crossed the Gulf of Tonkin on August 17 in a westward direction. As a result of the typhoon, the department issued heavy rain warnings for Mandalay Region and Kachin, Kayah and Shan states.

Bangkok Airways add third daily flight

THAI airline Bangkok Airways will add a third daily flight between Yangon and Bangkok to meet growing demand on the route, the airlines office in Yangon said last week. The additional flight begins on September 15 for the Bangkok-Yangon sector and the following day for Yangon-Bangkok. PG705 will depart Bangkok at 8:15pm and arrive in Yangon at 9:30pm, while PG706 will depart Yangon at 7:15am and arrive in Bangkok at 9:30am. Both flights will be operated using a 70-seater ATR aircraft. Bangkok Airways operates two daily flights on the route. Zaw Win Than

Electricity cut expected this week

ELECTRICITY supply to industrial zones in Yangon and four other states and regions will be shut off for several days this week while improvements are made to the national grid, the Ministry of Electric Power 2 said last week. The electricity outages will also affect industrial zones in Ayeyarwady and Bago regions and Kayin and Mon states and are expected to occur from 6am to 9pm between August 25 and 28. The shutdown will allow workers to connect the 230 KV primary substation at Minhla to the 230 KV Shwe Taung-Myaung Daka transmission line, said U Aung Khaing, chairman of the Yangon City Electrical Supply Board. Htoo Aung

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MyanMar tiMes August 27 - September 2, 2012

Doubts over Rakhine commission deadline

By Ei Ei Toe Lwin MEMBERS of an investigation commission established to probe the Rakhine State conflict said last week they were unsure whether they could complete the task within the allotted three months. We will have to work very hard to complete the tasks weve been set successfully. Its a difficult case and we have to do many things but [the government] has given us the right to do our job freely, said U Khin Maung Swe, chairman of the National Democratic Force and a member of the commission. The Presidents Office announced the formation of the 27-member investigation commission on August 17 and said its job would be to expose the real cause of the incidents that occurred in Rakhine State in May and June. It is also supposed to make suggestions for the national interest. Dr Myo Myint, a retired director general from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, was appointed chairman of the commission, while other members are drawn from religious groups, political parties, civil society organisations and the media sector. The Presidents Office and Rakhine State government will make arrangements to meet the security and administrative needs of the commission, the announcement said. The commission has been granted the right to probe the incident in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act and has the power to summon witnesses, view documents and visit relevant places during the course of its investigation. Its report has to be submitted directly to the president by November. We will have to be careful in every action we take, said committee member U Kyaw Khin, general secretary of the Myanmar Muslims National League. It is difficult to

MPs delay reading of presidents statement

By Win Ko Ko Latt THE official reading of the presidents statement on the conflict in Rakhine State to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw was delayed last week after 14 representatives, mostly from the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party, presented objections. The formal message, dated August 17, was due to be read on August 23 but was postponed. RNDP chairman Dr Aye Maung said the representatives did not object to the message but rather to nine of 10 points in a 13-page report that accompanied the statement. He said the points, which include that political parties, some monks and individuals are considerably raising racial hatred and inciting feelings of imprudent hostility, were meaningless. Do they have any proof to make such accusations? We are going to analyse and discuss [the report] fairly, Dr Aye Maung told The Myanmar Times. He said most of the objecting MPs were from the RNDP but did not provide the exact number. The situation is extremely confusing. This kind of wording should not have been used at the moment, Dr Aye Maung said. The report also states that the government had exploited natural resources rather than worked for the development of Rakhine nationalities. Dr Aye Maung said he also objected to singling out Rakhine people in this regard. Our Rakhine is not the only ethnic group saying that the union government used the production of their region every group is saying the same, Dr Aye Maung said. The review also states that Rakhine people harbour a grudge against United Nations agencies and international non-government organisations because they believe the Bengalis are being unfairly helped. This even made staff of the agencies and organisations scared to be stationed in the area, it said. We have never been hostile or bellicose but pointed out in what direction the international organisations have been going in every period up until now, Dr Aye Maung said. Only a tiny fraction of aid from international organisations went to Rakhine people so they refused the assistance offered with patriotism, said Dr Aye Maung, who previously worked for the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. If [international organisations] do not give [assistance to Rakhine people], we will not starve to death, he said. He also denied the reports assertion that some Rakhine businesspeople are scrambling to acquire the businesses of Bengalis, who are known internationally as Rohingya, in the wake of the conflict. [The conflict] should not have been reviewed in this way. These are just some examples. I should not go into details, Dr Aye Maung said. However, the message was read to the Amyotha Hluttaw on August 21, with the president stating that the communal violence is merely an internal problem and not a regional or international issue. Because some media fabricated and exaggerated news about the conflict, it confused the situation at home and abroad and made it harder to end the conflict and start resettling displaced people, the message said. To bring stability back in Rakhine State, the government is working with the help of Buddhist monks, religious leaders of Islam and other faiths, regional political parties, MPs and individuals from organisations, it said. Constructive criticism and advice and sharing of approaches that could be of benefit to the people affected by the conflict are appreciated and will be accepted, it said. The president said the government was committed to co-existence with sustainable unity and perpetuation of sovereignty. But the government is also keeping a wary eye on the possibility of new disturbances that could threaten the stability and peace of the state and its transition to democracy. Translated by Thit Lwin

Emergency service personnel clear rubble in the Rakhine capital Sittwe on June 16. Pic: Boothee say whether we can complete the job on time well ask for more time if necessary depending on how it goes. The commission held its first meeting on August 20 at Myanmar Egress but is yet to really get down to work, members said. [We didnt do] anything special, just introduced each other and discussed how we will go about it. We have a draft plan to organise eight committees under this commission to focus on the eight categories mentioned in the original statement, said U Khin Maung Swe. 88 Generation leader U Ko Ko Gyi said his organisation would provide data from its three trips to Rakhine State to the commission. Well conduct our tasks from a humanitarian and citizenship point of view and also focus on regional development issues, said the activist, who is also a member of the commission. The new commission has broader powers than an earlier investigation committee, which was formed on June 6 with union and region government officials and was instructed to report to the president by June 30. I think this commission will be free to investigate the conflict it will look more broadly than the previous committee. Well discuss in more detail soon and try to do our best, U Ko Ko Gyi said. In a statement issued the day of its formation, the United Nations Secretary General said he welcomed the commissions establishment. This commission is comprised of a representative cross-section of national figures in the country. It could make important contributions to restoring peace and harmony in the state and in creating a conducive environment for a more inclusive way forward to tackle the underlying causes of the violence, including the condition of the Muslim communities in Rakhine. This will be integral to any reconciliation process, the statement said. On August 21, Union Minister for Border Affairs Major General Thein Htay met commission members at the Yangon Region government office. He told us to do our tasks freely and said [the government] is ready to help us while we are doing our duty, U Kyaw Khin said.

NLD offers legal advice in capital

THE National League for Democracy last week started a program to give free legal advice to Nay Pyi Taw residents. We are going to open our office in Nay Pyi Taw on August 15. Lawyers are going to be in the office two days a week, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said earlier this month. People can seek advice on land disputes or any other legal issues, she said. The office is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 11:30am and 3pm to 6pm, said U Phyo Zayar Thaw, an NLD Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Nay Pyi Taw, and is near Thabaygone Market in Zabuthiri township. Win Ko Ko Latt, translated by Thiri Min Htun

Vacancy Announcement
Sojitz Corporation is a multinational corporation, incorporated in Japan. We are dealing trading and investment businesses all over the world. Now Sojitz Corporation Yangon Branch, Consumer Lifestyle Business Dept. is recruiting one young and energetic people for creating new business, especially for agricultural and food products in Myanmar. Our required qualification: - University degree or any other Degree holder - Fluent in English communication (reading, speaking, writing) - Working experiences: more than 2years - Age: 25 ~ 40 years old - Basic knowledge of Trading (Export / Import and Sales / Distribution) - Basic Computer skill (Word / Excel / Power Point) - Start of assignment: from October 1, 2012 (negotiable) How to apply: Interested and qualified applicants are requested to submit application with C.V. in envelop marked Application for CLB Dept. to following address in time. Sojitz Corporation, Yangon branch Room 04-15 (Reception Desk) Business Suites, Sedona Hotel, No.1 Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Yankin Township, Yangon TEL: 01-557-050 Last Date of Application: not later than September 20(Thu), 2012 Note: 1) Only short listed candidates shall be contacted for interview. 2) Application documents may not be return.

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August 27 - September 2, 2012
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MyanMar tiMes

Police remove squatters from MDY land

By Phyo Wai Kyaw, Sithu Lwin and Aung Ye Thwin THOUSANDS of people living illegally on a parcel of land in Mandalay owned by a Kachin Independence Organisation breakaway group were forcibly removed by police on August 21. People began settling on the 15-acre site in Mya Yi Nandar ward of Chanmyarthasi township in July and by last week there were more than 2000 people living on the land, which the Lasang Awng Wa Peace Group bought in June. The police force came here this morning and took us out violently from our huts. Some were beaten, wounded and a woman had to be taken off in an ambulance, one squatter, Ma Khaine, said on August 21. The eviction came after Mandalay City Development Committee warned the trespassers to leave by August 15. We bought 15 acres for about K180 million from farmers to establish plantations and animal husbandry to raise funds for our group. Less than a month after we bought it, this problem happened. The leader of the group moved there in the name of poverty reduction, although he is not a government official or anything, Colonel Nyunt Sein of Lasang Awng Wa Peace Group said on August 20. On July 23, the leader [of the trespassers], U Win Myint Tun, and about 100 people entered our compound violently and threatened about six of our members who were staying there. We informed the regional police station and township administration office but they took no action. The illegal settlers helped U Win Myint Tun escape when the police arrived and his whereabouts are unknown. Many are still living on the site despite the attempts to evict them. Earlier, U Win Myint Tun had told The Myanmar Times the squatters would respect the decision of the authorities if they tried to force them to leave. It looks like we are illegal and the trespassers are legal. As we cant get any help from the regional authorities, we want the president to let know about our problem, Col Nyunt Sein said. Officials from nearby Aung Pin Leh police station declined to comment on the eviction on August 21. But one local farmer, U Tin Maung, said the land that the KIO group bought had already been confiscated by the government in 1991. He said that the farmers received compensation of K4000 an acre but because the land was never developed they continued to farm the area. When the KIO offered to buy it from them in

A woman who was evicted by police on August 21. Pic: Phyo Wai Kyaw June and July, they readily accepted. We had some ownership documents. There were no projects so we continued our work and now we sold up, said U Tin Maung. Colonel Nyunt Sein said the group had asked the farmers to show ownership documents before it bought the land. The Lasang Awng Wa Peace Group, led by Colonel Lasang Awng Wa, broke away from the KIO in 2005, reportedly after a fail coup attempt. In 2009 it transformed into a peoples militia under the control of the government and maintains a small force within the Tatmadaw based along the Ayeyarwady River in Kachin State.

Two ethnic armed groups pledge no more child soldiers

CHIANG MAI Two armed ethnic groups recently signed a deed commitment with Swiss-based rights group Geneva Call pledging to eliminate underage soldiers and protect children in armed conflict. As signatories, the Karenni National Progressive Party/ Karenni Army and the New Mon State Party/Mon National Liberation Army must ensure that no one under 18 is recruited into or used by their armed forces. They are also required to meet obligations related to the well-being and rights of children affected by armed conflict, such as education and assistance for children in areas under their control. Our policy is to respect international humanitarian law in a military operation, New Mon State Party spokesperson Hong Sa said. We fully welcome international monitoring. In 1995 the Mon group signed a ceasefire agreement with Myanmars military government. However, its refusal to lay down its arms in 2010 to join the governments Border Guard Force has caused tension more recently. The action that they took by signing the document is the right way to go and we want to encourage that other non-state groups do the same, said Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watchs Asia division. I think its significant, because it points in the right direction and re-emphasises the commitment by some of the ethnic groups that, in fact, recognise that this is a problem that needs to be addressed, Mr Robertson said. In 2011 Human Rights Watch documented the continued recruitment and use of child soldiers by all parties to Myanmars conflicts, in violation of international law. Observers are waiting to see if larger ethnic groups like the Kayin, Wa and Kachin follow the example of the Karenni officially known as the Kayah and Mon. Regarding child soldiers, we have already signed deeds of commitment in 2007 with UN agencies and we no longer have any child soldiers among our troops, said Karen National Union vice-president David Thakrabaw. A soldier at the age of 14, when the Kayin conflict began in 1949, David Thakrabaw commended Geneva Calls initiative but said he is sceptical about the militarys recent pledge to stop recruiting and using child soldiers. Child soldiers refers not only to those who take up arms, but also children under 18 years who are a part of an armed force in any capacity, including cooks, porters or messengers. In June a group of UN agencies and international non-government organisations, headed by the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF), signed a joint plan with the Ministry of Defence that set a timetable and actions needed to release and reintegrate children associated with government forces, as well as prevent any further recruitment. I would hope that the Tatmadaw will recognise that there can be a mutual immobilisation of child soldiers on both sides of these armed conflicts, Mr Robertson said. IRIN

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MyanMar tiMes August 27 - September 2, 2012
By Nan Tin Htwe

KIO warns Laiza trip eye-opener for civil society of Tatmadaw build up in Kachin State
But army source dismisses report, insists govt and military want peace
By Nan Tin Htwe THE Tatmadaw is building up its strength in Kachin State and has posted more than 10,000 soldiers in frontline positions, a spokesperson for the Kachin Independence Organisation said last week. There are 80 battalions here. Each has sent 130-150 soldiers to the front line they are sending soldiers more and more [to Kachin State], U La Nan told The Myanmar Times by phone on August 21. He said that the buildup included soldiers from Northern Command and Eastern Command, as well as light infantry divisions 44, 88 and 99. There are no tanks but they have started increasing attacks on [Kachin Independence Army (KIA)] units to take control of KIA bases and important hills. It seems they are creating a strong route along the Myitkyina-Bhamo Road, which would later allow them to send tanks. He said an offensive will lead to more fighting across Kachin State as the KIA has soldiers not only in its territory near the Chinese border but also guerilla units inside the state. But a Tatmadaw colonel who served in Kachin State said the report was impossible. Its totally upside down, said the colonel, who asked not to be named. Troops are always moving. Some are going back because of illness or for training, while some troops go and send supplies and food. Just seeing more soldiers does not mean that they are being stationed there to fight. He said senior military and civilian leaders were trying hard to reach a peace agreement. No one wants be in that kind of situation [in Kachin State]. I was there and know the hardship. Everyone wants a break. They [soldiers] are doing it only because its their job. The report of a troop buildup comes after attempts to arrange peace talks in July failed because the two sides could not agree on a meeting place. The KIO wanted to meet at Shweli in China, U La Nan said, while the government wanted to meet in the border town of Muse. At the moment, we havent reached any agreement. There is no trust between us because of the ongoing fighting. In this kind of situation, we cant go to Bhamo or Muse where Tatmadaw troops are in control to have talks. We have always said that both groups need to meet at a neutral place. He also questioned why the buildup of soldiers was taking place given President U Thein Sein had on December 10 ordered the Tatmadaw to halt offensives against the KIA. We heard that the president ordered to halt CIVIL society leaders say a trip to Kachin Independence Organisation-controlled areas of northern Myanmar last month has changed their perceptions of the conflict and the group. A one-hour meeting on July 7 with leaders of the KIO and its armed wing, the Kachin Independence Army, was particularly eye-opening, said Ko Nay Myo Zin, a former prisoner of conscience. I was surprised, Ko Nay Myo Zin said. Particularly by how transparent they were. The government should take them as an example. They told us openly why they are fighting with the Tatmadaw what they want and what they are asking for from the government. Ko Nay Myo Zin established Myanmar Social Development Network immediately after being released from Insein Prison in January under a presidential amnesty. A former lieutenant in the Tatmadaw, where he served from 1994 to 2005, Ko Nay Myo Zin was arrested in 2010 under the Unlawful Association Act for his involvement with the National League for Democracy. If the Tatmadaw invites us to the frontline and explains the reasons it is fighting against the KIA, what the KIA has demanded and other things like this, then I think people will be able to better understand, he said. For a long time, what I was forced to believe while I was in Tatmadaw was the KIA is cruel, he said. But what they ask for is fair to have a more inclusive union they want to change laws to be more inclusive in the Tatmadaw, like accepting ethnic minorities in the [Defense Services Academy]. Why hasnt the government responded yet? The trip to Laiza, the Kachin Independence Army deputy chief of staff U Gun Maw speaks to leaders of civil society organisations and journalists in Laiza on July 7. Pic: Kaung Htet KIO headquarters, was organised by Kachin Peace Network with the intention of giving civil society groups and journalists the chance to see the situation on the ground. Among those who took part in the July 4-12 trip were representatives from One More, Untied Network, Children Lovers, Myanmar Social Development Network, Yangon School of Political Science and The Myanmar Times. U Pyi Thway Naing, the head of One More, which donated K7 million to camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) during the trip, said the chance to see conditions in the Laiza and Maijayang regions firsthand had been invaluable. Its different from what I saw in the media, he said. I saw orphans whose parents were KIA soldiers and had died during the fighting. I saw an old woman who had been injured by landmine. One More, which was established in August 2011 and now has 14,000 supporters who donate K1000 a month to fund its activities, focuses on education and U Pyi Thway Naing said the schooling needs in the relief camps were indescribable. Even in normal situation, its not easy for them to go to school. Now they are living in these camps, he said. Psychologically, I can feel that they are not okay either, because they are not in their own homes. And often parents cant take care of their children. I want to do more for them having seen the situation with my own eyes, said U Pyi Thway Naing, who is also editor of monthly magazine Ya Nant Thit (New Fragrance). Dr Aung Nyein Chan, who like most participants was travelling to KIOcontrolled areas for the first time, said it was much different from what he experienced volunteering in IDP camps in Myitkyina and Waingmaw townships for six months. I thought Myikyina and Waingmaw had many IDPs. But its only around 20,000, while there are more than 50,000 in KIO areas, he said. In the MyikyinaWaingmaw areas, the largest population in a single camp is at most 3000. In Laiza, its almost 7000. I found the IDPs are suffering from malnutrition as they havent been able to eat properly as they are weak, its easy for the IDPs here to catch from other diseases, he said, adding that the crowded conditions meant diseases like tuberculosis could spread easily. Doctors are in short supply and Dr Aung Nyein Chan warned that people living in the camps also need psychological support as they are in a state of helplessness. Ko Nay Myo Zin said he was concerned that the conflict will lead to racial hatred because of the suffering inflicted, particularly on children. He said he plans to submit his concerns to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and press representatives to take a stronger role in resolving the conflict. I think the international community should pressure the government more to focus on peace talks and negotiations, he said. If the government doesnt solve this problem now, the worries and fears of the people affected could exist for generations.

There is nous trust between

because of the ongoing fighting ... true peace can only be reached through dialogue.

offensives so we ordered our troops in the frontline not to attack Tatmadaw in the frontline, but just to be careful and watch until mid-January, U La Nan said. However, until at the end of January the situation had not changed and then we again had to order our troops to attack Tatmadaw [soldiers]. No matter what reforms President U Thein Seins government tries to do, there will not be peace as long as they look at armed ethnic armed groups as something to be destroyed or abolished, said U La Nan. True peace can be reached only through dialogue. While the Kachin conflict gained a lot of public attention earlier this year, the conflict in Rakhine State has largely pushed it from the top of the agenda. U La Nan said the lack of any discussion about the conflict during the current hluttaw session, which began on July 4, made him wonder whether non-Kachins were concerned about the fighting, which began in June 2011. People should be informed, get involved and need to give advice on the Kachin issue, he said, adding that the international community also needs to play more of a role.

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August 27 - September 2, 2012
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UN calls for further aid worker releases

By May Sandy THE United Nations last week welcomed the release of some UN and international non-government organisation staff arrested in Rakhine State in June but called for the remaining aid workers in detention to also be released. Speaking at a World Humanitarian Day event on August 19, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator, Mr Ashok Nigam, said the UN and its humanitarian partners work according to the principles of humanity, independence, neutrality and impartiality. Some [workers] still remain in detention and the government has informed me of their desire to consider their cases as well. I am hopeful that these considerations will lead to the release of all of our colleagues who are still in detention, he said. We work with the support of and at the request of the government and the community and we seek the cooperation of all the people of Myanmar in helping them to help themselves. Meanwhile, the UN Information Centre last week confirmed that three humanitarian workers had been convicted of offences in Maungdaw District Court in Rakhine State on August 24. One of the individuals is a UN High Commission for Refugees, another is from a UNHCR partner organisation and the third works for the World Food Program. UNIC information officer U Aye Win said on August 24 following the sentencing that the UN had not been informed of the sentence imposed or even the charges that the three individuals were facing. He said they were not represented by a lawyer during the trial. The convictions come after five UN and INGO staff members were released from prisons in Buthidaung and Sittwe on August 15 and 16, after more than two months in detention. U Zaw Myint from Mdecins Sans Frontires Holland (Artsen zonder Grenzen, or AZG) and two UN staff members, U Saw Myint from UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and U Than Naing from World Food Program, were released from Buthidaung Prison on August 15. The following day, U Kyaw Hla Aung and U Win Naing from AZG were released in Sittwe. U Kyaw Hla Aung told Radio Free Asia he had been accused of being linked to an Islamic fundamentalist terrorist group and his home was raided by an unknown group searching for evidence against him. About 10 aid workers were detained in Rakhine State during unrest in June that left at least 88 people dead, according to government figures. UNHCR representative Mr Hans ten Felf told The Myanmar Times that Myanmar-based UN officials had lobbied the government on behalf of the workers. The resident and humanitarian coordinator has written several times asking [about] the charges [and] asking to have access. We never received an official reply from the government, he said. We have been working for the reconciliation of the communities. ... I certainly hope all our staff will be able to do their work that we have now all these years and we want to continue the support of these communities.

Myanmar Red Cross Society workers take a person from a relief camp in Sittwe, Rakhine State, to Sittwe General Hospital. Pic: Supplied

MRCS provides hospital transfers

MYANMAR Red Cross Society last month began emergency evacuations for people living in relief camps in Sittwe in need of medical treatment, a spokesperson said last week. The service, which is funded by International Committee of the Red Cross, means people with a serious illness can get prompt access to proper medical treatment, said U Kyaw San Win, an MRCS disaster management officer. Patients are transferred to Sittwe General Hospital, which is 8 kilometres from the closest camp, for treatment with the assistance of state security officials, he said. Previously, we had to send patients who were sick or injured in our ambulances. Most of the [evacuated] patients are suffering diarrhoea, are pregnant or need surgery. MRCS began offering the service on July 22 and in less than a month more than 60 patients were evacuated from the camps. Twenty-five camps have been established in the township, including four run by the state government. U Kyaw San Win said there were about 10,000 Rakhine and 50,000 Rohingya living in the camps, where MRCS has about 100 volunteer staff working in Sittwe. He said the main health concern in the camps was lack of personal hygiene and MRCS staff had been working to educate camp residents. The victims dont even have a basic knowledge of hygiene so health problems, such as diarrhoea, break out in the camps. Yamon Phu Thit

Save the Children is serving as Principal Recipient (PR) of Global Fund Program for AIDS, TB, Malaria (GFATM) for three separate large grants in Myanmar (with a total budget of approximately USD120 million over 5 years), which are performance-based, and will oversee 16 Sub-Recipients (SRs) - all International NGOs. Currently we are recruiting the following two positions. 1. The Compliance Manager-GFATM, a Myanmar national position, will bear the responsibility for, but not limited to, assessment and verification of PRs and SRs financial reports, general ledgers, transactions, documentations, invoices, other reports. Required Qualifications: Minimum three year experience in external audit or internal audit for international organizations (required). Good written and spoken English skills (Prefered). Professional Certification (CPA, chartered accountancy) or post-graduate degree (preferred). Substantial experience working with INGOs (preferred). Ability to analyze and make decisions. Self-starter, pro-active, problem solving, analytical skills, ability to work independently and as part of a team. Ability to link budget and actual expenditures to work plan. Representational and sensitivity awareness skills. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Good IT skills, including Microsoft Excel and Word, and good understanding of automated accounting software. Commitment to understanding of Save the Childrens aims, values and principles. 2. The Sub-Grant Manager-GFATM, a Myanmar national position, will be responsible for SR contractual oversight financial report review and analysis, and partner support. Required Qualifications: Minimum five year experience in grants/sub-grants management for international organizations. University degree in finance, accounting, management, economics, or related fields (required). Good written and spoken English skills (required). Substantial experience working with INGOs (preferred). Ability to analyze and make decisions. Self-starter, pro-active, problem solving, analytical skills, ability to work independently and as part of a team. Ability to link budget and actual expenditures, to work plan, analyze and report budget variances. Representational and sensitivity awareness skills. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Good IT skills, including Microsoft Excel and Word, and good understanding of automated accounting software. Commitment to understanding of Save the Childrens aims, values and principles. Detailed job descriptions for this position will be available at the Save the Children office or www.themimu.info/jobs/ index.php. Interested and qualified candidates are requested to send an Application Letter and Curriculum Vitae to Human Resources Department, Save the Children, Wizaya Plaza-First Floor, 226 U Wisara Road, Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar (or) kkhtay@ savechildren.org.mm | recruitment.ygnhr@gmail.com | not later than 5 P.M., 14 September 2012 (Friday) Note: Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

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FMI to start NPT charters on Sep 9

By Zaw Win Than and Stuart Deed A SUBSIDIARY of public company First Myanmar Investment will begin offering three flights a day between Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw from September 9, a spokesperson said last week. FMI Air Charter Ltd will operate the service with two aircraft an ATR-42 and Beech 1900-D rented from state-run Myanma Airways. The company has acquired an Aircraft Operation Certificate from the Department of Civil Aviation. FMI Air Charter Ltd marketing director U Soe Thiha Hlaing said the service would fill a gap in the market as established airlines only offer irregular flights to Nay Pyi Taw. We have thought of providing such a service for some time now. In view of the expanding economy and the increased governmental and commercial traffic to Nay Pyi Taw, we feel that this is an opportune time to introduce this air service, he said. We are working together with Myanma Airways because it also helped us in providing technicians and skilled staff. Our company only focuses on operational matters such as services. Although this is a new venture and challenge for us, we have many experienced staff working on this operation and hope we can do it very well, he said. Flights will depart at 7am, 11:30am and 4pm. The daily schedule flights between Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw are carefully timed to minimise the layover time for international passengers and offer convenient and time-saving daytrips for domestic travellers, U Soe Thiha Hlaing said. He added that the company planned to expand its charter flights to other cities in the near future. So far our priority is Nay Pyi Taw because only a few domestic airlines operate to Nay Pyi Taw with less frequency. FMI Air Charters managing director is U Linn Myaing, who is also FMIs chief operating officer. The companys chief operating officer is Captain Tin Maung Aye, an industry veteran who has previously held executive posts with Yangon Airways and Myanma Airways. First Myanmar Investment was established in the early 1990s and is a pioneering public company in Myanmar. SPA Group, chaired by Mr Serge Pun, holds about 56 percent of FMI, according to its website.

A boat carries passengers past a section of U Beins Bridge in Amarapura that was broken by vandals during the 2008 water festival. Pic: Myanmar Times Archive

Motorcycle ban on historic teak bridge

By Win Ko Ko Latt THE Ministry of Culture plans to ban the use of motorbikes and bicycles on U Bein Bridge, a prominent tourist attraction in Mandalay Region that is regarded as the worlds longest teak bridge. Deputy Minister for Culture Daw Sandar Khin said the measure would be introduced in cooperation with the local government to preserve the historic bridge, which crosses Taungthaman Lake at Amarapura, a former royal capital. We will negotiate to impose rules prohibiting the driving of motorbikes and riding of bicycles on the bridge, but owners of bicycles will still be allowed to push them across the bridge, she told the Amyotha Hluttaw on August 17. The ministry will work to maintain and restore the bridge with funding from the government and local and foreign donors, she said. Daw Khin Sandar told The Myanmar Times later that most of the damage to the bridge was the result of riding bicycles and motorbikes but there were also cases of vandalism and overuse, particularly during water festival. She said the Ministry of Culture has been preserving the bridge since 1990, with major repairs undertaken in 2005-06 and 2008-09. The ministrys Department of Archaeology ensures repairs are undertaken using the original construction materials, she said, but some earlier repairs used concrete. Translated by Zar Zar Soe

Legal affairs magazine to launch Nov

By Kyaw Hsu Mon THE first magazine to focus exclusively on law and legal affairs since the return of private media in 1988 will launch in early November, its chief editor said last week. Legal Affairs will also include a section focused on activities in national and regional hluttaws, chief editor and publisher U L Khun Ring Pan said. Our country is on the path to democracy so people need to have an understanding of legal affairs. In my experience, many people face legal problems because they dont have any legal knowledge. Thats why Ive decided to publish this magazine, he said. The magazines editorial board will include lawyers, well-known legal writers and former judges. As well as covering hluttaw affairs, the magazine will advocate for necessary legal changes and will feature regular contributions from legal experts. It will also cover legal literature and international news with a law angle. We want hluttaw representatives to know which laws should be amended. Rule of law has become the most important issue in our country and our magazine will fill a significant hole in the media industry, said U L Khun Ring Pan, who is also a qualified lawyer. The 160-page magazine will be published monthly, he said.

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NLD member warned for intervening in govt affairs

By Win Ko Ko Latt THE Union Election Commission has warned a National League for Democracy representative in the Pyithu Hluttaw against intervening in executive affairs after he helped constituents resolve land and other disputes. The commission sent a letter to the Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker dated July 24 saying the representative for Maubin, U Sein Win, had called a meeting with departmental heads in the township. While the commission said in the letter that working with department heads for regional development was a good act, it raised concerns about separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches of power. MPs will have to make sure that their efforts are not conducted in such a manner that they intervene in the executive power, said the letter, which was provided to The Myanmar Times. The commission forwarded the case to the speaker after receiving a complaint letter dated July 12 from the government of Ayeyarwady Region. The region government said it had informed township and district bodies that executive affairs were the sole responsibility of the government and they were under no obligation to attend a meeting when invited by an MP. The letter said officials can only attend a meeting with an MP if it is relating to something that has happened in the hluttaw or to clarify legislative and legal issues. U Sein Win told The Myanmar Times on August 13 that he had met township department heads with a view to finding solutions to issues in his constituency, particularly land disputes, and maintained he had done nothing wrong. He said the meetings had been fruitful, with 14 of 124 land disputes referred to him by constituents resolved through negotiation with the departmental heads. The losses of land are losses of the fundamental rights of the citizens so I am obliged to assist them, he said. Other topics discussed include fishing licence auctions and judicial, social and educational issues. In its letter, the election commission said the 2008 constitution asserts that executive, judicial and legislative powers should be practised as separately as possible so that they can better act as a check and balance on each other. If MPs want to cooperate with the departmental heads for regional development they should raise issues at meetings organised by officials, rather than convene meetings themselves, the letter recommended. Translated by Thit Lwin

Hluttaw extends terms of 19 bodies for a year

By Soe Than Lynn THE Pyithu Hluttaw last week agreed to extend the terms of its 19 committees for another year and reshuffled some committee members. Four permanent Pyithu Hluttaw committees were established in March 2011, while 19 additional committees were formed on September 5, 2011 with a minimum oneyear mandate, which was extended for another 12 months on August 21. A Legal Affairs and Special Issues Assessment Commission was also formed in November 2011, while the Rule of Law, Stability and Peace Committee chaired by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was established on August 8. Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann announced the same day that the Pyithu Hluttaw had also changed the makeup of several committees. We added a new member, U Win Myint, the representative for Pathein, to the Legal Affairs and Special Issues Assessment Commission and we will add U Sai Boe Aung, from Muse, to the Rule of Law, Stability and Peace Committee instead of U Sai Hsaung Hsi from Kyaukme, Thura U Shwe Mann said, citing rules that MPs sit on no more than two committees. U Win Myint is also secretary of Rule of Law, Stability and Peace Committee. Translated by Zar Zar Soe

A Mandalay resident last at the pumping station and water treatment plant being built on Strand Road. Pic: Phyo Wai Kyaw

Mandalay water supply will improve from 2013: MCDC

By Phyo Wai Kyaw MANDALAY City Development Committee expects to finish a K4.5 billion (US$5.2 million) project to improve water supply in the city by the end of March 2013, an official said last week. The water treatment and pumping station, which will boost supply by about 40 percent, is being built on an 8-acre site on Strand Road between 17th and 19th streets. The station will take water from the Ayeyarwady River, purify it and distribute it throughout the city. When completed it will boost supply to Mandalay residents by an additional 10 million gallons of water a day, said U Tint Lwin, head of the committees Water and Sanitation Department. We hope to finish the project within the 2012-13 financial year. We have finished 79pc of the project and are building the harbour on the riverbank near 22nd Street to take the water from the river. The project cost is estimated at K4.5 billion, U Tint Lwin said. Work began on the No 8 pumping station project in February 2010. Mandalay residents currently receive about 24 million gallons of water a day, the majority from pumping station 1 (completed 1999), pumping station 2 (2000), pumping station 3 (2005) and pumping station 4 (2007). The city has an estimated population of one million. While network capacity is an issue, residents said that the improved supply needed to be matched with regular electricity. During the hot season in Mandalay, when blackouts occur often, residents face water shortages because the pumping stations, as well as household pumps, are unable to operate. However, areas that are far from pumping stations face difficulties all year round and the extra 10 million gallons should help to improve supply, residents said. The new station will be the first to use water from the Ayeyarwady River all existing pumping stations rely on ground water but U Si Thu of Aungmyaytharsan township said this did not worry him. Although it is river water, we have to use it, he said Anyway, it will be supplied to us after its been purified at the station.

Despite improvement, exclusive breastfeeding still overlooked

By Yamon Phu Thit FURTHER improvement in the number of mothers exclusively breastfeeding their children to six months of age will play a major role in reducing child mortality, a United Nations Childrens Fund official said last week. A study published in The Lancet medical journal in 2003 showed exclusive breastfeeding can reduce under-five mortality by 13 percent and appropriate complementary feeding together with continued breastfeeding can result in a further 6pc reduction. Mothers need to breastfeed their children exclusively for six months and to continue breastfeeding with complementary foods until and beyond two years of age, Dr Marinus Gotink, UNICEFs national head for young child survival and development, said at a press conference in Yangon on August 10. UNICEF officials attributed recent increases in the number of mothers exclusively breastfeeding their children in Myanmar were the result of improved awareness. According to Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys conducted by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development and UNICEF, the proportion of infants exclusively breastfed to three months of age was only 15.8pc in 2000 and 14.7pc in 2003. However, this rose to 29.3pc in 2010, when the proportion of infants exclusively breastfed to five months of age was 23.6pc. There is an increase but the rates are still low. Mothers should be encouraged more to start breastfeeding within one hour after birth, to breastfeed exclusively for six months, to continue breastfeeding with complementary foods until and beyond two years of age and to breastfeed during child illness and diarrhoea, Dr Kyaw Win Sein, a nutrition specialist from UNICEF, told The Myanmar Times in an interview on August 14. The benefits of breastfeeding include an improved immune system and growth, he said. Exclusive breastfeeding is the best medicine for infants. Adequate nutrition during infancy and early childhood is fundamental to the normal growth and development of children, Dr Kyaw Win Sein said. Infants should be exclusively breastfed and not given a single drop of water during those first six months. Water already makes up 87pc of the milk, and children can suffer from diarrhoea if they are given water. He said infants who are not breastfed are five times more likely to die from pneumonia and 14 times more likely to die from diarrhoea than those who are exclusively breastfed for the first six months. Dr Kyaw Win Sein said he was also concerned at the way complementary feeding was practised and urged parents to stick to UNICEF guidelines. Complementary feeding frequently begins too early in some families and too late in others. Children need to be fed complementary food after six months of age together with breastfeeding, he said, adding that iron-rich foods are recommended. Experts also stressed the link between diet and malnutrition. Most people understand malnutrition is due to only lack of food. But malnutrition also relates to how children are fed, and a clean environment is also important, Dr Gotink said. Dr Htin Lin, assistant director of the Ministry of Healths National Nutrition Center, said at the August 10 press conference that malnutrition was not only caused by a lack of food but was also related to parents poor nutritional knowledge and incorrect beliefs. Some mothers intentionally avoid food that is critical for their childs nutrition because of deeprooted beliefs that are wrong and not suitable today, he said, adding that these include avoiding milk during pregnancy in the belief it will lead to a difficult birth. Malnourished children suffer from higher rates of mortality and those who survive are more frequently sick and suffer lifelong consequences, including impairment of intellectual performance, work capacity, reproductive health and general health. The problem of under-nutrition the most recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey put the proportion of underweight children at 22.6pc, down from 38.6pc moderately underweight in 1997 was acknowledged by Minister for Health Dr Pe Thet Khin at the launching of nutrition month in Nay Pyi Taw on August 1. Most under nutrition problems are preventable. However, pregnant women and children face under nutrition every year, which makes it necessary to reinforce nutritional activities to prevent malnutrition. UNICEF provides US$1.7-2 million for nutrition promotion activities in Myanmar each year. Most recently the Ministry of Health and UNICEF began implementing the $12 million National Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, which runs from 2011-15.

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govt, Hluttaw agrees to NGO leaders meet changes hluttaw to discuss amend NGO law
By Shwe Yee Saw Myint By Soe Than Lynn PYITHU Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann last week tasked a parliamentary commission and the bill committee with urgently drafting amendments to a law on the registration of nongovernment organisations. The decision came on August 16, after 13 representatives discussed the proposal of U Thein Nyunt of Thingangyun to draft a new law and introduce regulations that are suitable for the current era. The speaker said it was too hard to follow the by-laws, procedures and notifications associated with the law on the establishment of organisations, which was promulgated on September 30, 1988. According to the discussions by MPs, the associated laws, procedures and notifications go beyond the aim of the original law [they] came out one after another, he said, adding that the rules registered organisations have to abide by are not practical. When the law and bylaws submitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs were studied, it was decided that, rather than draft a new law, they need to be amended immediately. At present, the Legal and Special Affairs Assessment Commission is studying them with the bill committee and MPs. ... We think that urgently amending the bylaws and related matters will be the fastest way to address the issue. OFFICIALS from 26 Myanmar non-government organisations met Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann, parliamentarians and government officials in Nay Pyi Taw last week to discuss planned amendments to the NGO registration law. Daw Nilar Myaing, director of the Local Research Center, said the August 22 meeting was the first at which government and parliament officials and NGO leaders had discussed the law and possible changes. Representatives from the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement took part in the meeting, as well as members of Pyithu Hluttaw committees and commissions. Government and parliament officials asked for feedback from the NGO leaders in order to improve the existing registration requirements, she said. We made a presentation about what we wanted to see in the [amended] NGO law and we also defended ourselves against the accusation that we have no transparency, which is what the government said in the hluttaw, Daw Nilar Myaing said. The NGO leaders said the 1988 law on registering organisations and associations, as well as its associated by-laws and regulations, are not consistent

We made a presentation
about what we wanted to see in the amended law.

Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann. Pic: AFP Unlike most proposals, last weeks was not put to a vote: instead, U Thein Nyunt requested the speaker make a decision based on the discussion, and the speaker then asked the hluttaw if there were any objections to his decision. I would like to advise that an appropriate law should be worked out, putting aside any worries for our national benefit, U Thein Nyunt said at the end of the discussion. Speaker, this time I dont want to ask to take a vote on it. Since the speaker is leading correctly in the interest of the country I request your right decision on the matter. The tactic ensured that, unlike the majority of U Thein Nyunts proposals, the motion was essentially approved by the Pyithu Hluttaw. Earlier, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Brigadier General Kyaw Zan Myint insisted there was no need to draft a new law. The deputy minister said the number of registered NGOs had risen from 236 when U Thein Seins government took office on March 30, 2011 to 358, including 44 international NGOs. The participation of NGOs plays an important role in the development of the state so the Ministry of Home Affairs is working out orders, directives and procedures according to the law that are suitable with the present circumstances. Therefore, there is no need to draft a new NGO registration law and the proposal should only be recorded, the deputy minister said. Following the deputy ministers presentation, U Thein Nyunt said that it made him wonder why our thinking is stuck in 1990. Its the presidents policy to collaborate with all NGOs in this democratic transition. It is considered that NGOs and international NGOs are among the chief actors in bringing about the development of the state. The issue of NGO registration has been discussed several times since the hluttaw first convened in January 2011. Translated by Thit Lwin

with Myanmars political context and section 354(c) of the constitution, which states that every citizen shall be able to freely exercise the right to form associations and organisations. They also said that the current K500,000 registration fee was a burden for small organisations, while the long wait for registration

applications to be approved was also a problem. We suggested small organisations should be able to register at the township level, she said. We also told them about the Mandalay Region [government] instruction to local NGOs that said unregistered organisations implementing projects would face legal action, including five years imprisonment for organisation leaders and three years for members. G o v e r n m e n t and parliamentary representatives said at the meeting they would consider the proposals put forward by the NGO leaders and promised to support the activities of NGOs as much as they could. The Local Resource Centre has been lobbying parliamentarians to change the existing law since earlier this year. After we conducted a research survey of local NGOs about changing the 1988 organisation laws, we started demanding the government meet with our organisation to discuss the issue, Daw Nilar Myaing said.

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Moderates risk ire to calm Rakhine rift

YANGON A Myanmar blogger who was a poster boy for online resistance to the former military government has become the target of a backlash by social media users for speaking out against hatred aimed at Rohingya Muslims. The case of former political prisoner Ko Nay Phone Latt, a rare moderate voice on recent fighting between the Rohingya and Rakhine, underscores the level of anger sparked by the unrest that erupted in western Myanmar in June. The 32-year-old has faced the ire of social networkers for publishing an article warning of genocide if antiMuslim sentiment spreads around the Buddhistmajority nation. I try to be neutral in this case but most of the Facebook [users] criticise me for being neutral. They want me to be on the side of the Rakhine, he said. The blogger was sentenced to two decades in prison in 2008 for his links to the 2007 protests. While detained he won the PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award in New York for for Muslims in Myanmar. But he said some people realised the situation could lead to endless fighting if left unresolved and he had no regrets about speaking out. Fellow blogger Ko Nyi Lynn Seck, who has challenged one government official for posting controversial Facebook comments on the Rakhine violence, said anger was being stoked by misinformation. Some people are intentionally spreading fake news, he said. Matthew Smith, a researcher at New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch, said it was difficult for ordinary citizens to be objective because there was a widespread belief that all Rohingya are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, including at the highest levels of government. Young bloggers seeking the truth and attempting to approach the issue objectively should be applauded, he said. Sometimes the protection of human rights depends on courageous voices willing to stand up despite great social pressure, and this is one of those times. Tensions in Rakhine State are related not only to religion, but also to immigration from the Indian subcontinent during British colonial rule, which ended in 1948, said independent Myanmar analyst Richard Horsey. There are just such strong prejudices on this issue that its even harder for the government to deal with it in this new democratic era than it was in the past, he said. Myanmars government, which has denied allegations of abuses by security forces in Rakhine State, has veered from statements extolling the countrys racial and religious plurality to suggestions that the Rohingya should be kept in refugee camps or deported. Some elements of the countrys democracy movement have also dismayed the Rohingya by rejecting them as an ethnic minority. One exception is comedian and former political prisoner Zarganar, who has called for equal rights for all regardless of religion or ethnicity. Even Nobel Peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has disappointed some campaigners by not offering stronger support to the countrys estimated 800,000 Rohingya, viewed by the United Nations as one of the worlds most persecuted minorities. But U Aye Lwin, a Muslim community leader at the Islamic Centre of Myanmar in Yangon, said he was satisfied with Daw Aung San Suu Kyis call for even-handed distribution of aid, adding that any strong pronouncement that seemed to favour the Rohingya would be a fatal blow for her politically. He hopes to send an interfaith group to Rakhine state to reach out to some monks who he described as hotheaded and said had been supporting the unrest. Most of the younger generation, they need to be educated, not just emotional, U Aye Win said. That goes for the international Islamic community also they should know the actual facts or else they will do damage instead of helping us. AFP

Ko Nay Phone Latt. Pic: AFP showing the strength of the creative spirit in the face of repression. He was released in January as part of an amnesty for prisoners of conscience. Recently, however, a photograph used during the campaign to free him showing his friends with Nay Phone Latt written on their palms has been circulated online with his name crossed out and replaced with the word kalar, a derogatory term

T-shirts spread tolerance message

By Tim McLaughlin THE first screen-printing shop Ko Htuu Lou Rae visited refused to make his t-shirts. The workers looked at his design, told him that they were not interested in his money and he moved on. A lawyer he consulted about retaining the rights to the image he created warned him that displaying it in downtown Yangon could make him a target for violence. They were scared, Ko Htuu Lou Rae said smiling, sitting in the Dagon township restaurant that serves as his temporary office. Of what, I dont know. At a second shop he had more luck. The owners accepted his order without as much as a second glance. Late last week, his 200 shirts, individually wrapped, arrived. The image Htuu Lou Rae created is not grotesque, sexual or graphic. It consists of just one word COEXIST altered slightly to serve as a message of unity and support for those affected by the ethnic conflict in Rakhine State. The letter C has been replaced with a crescent and star representing Islam, the O has taken the form of the dhamma wheel, an image of the Buddhist faith, and a map of Myanmar has replaced the I. The rest of the letters remain unchanged. The chosen symbols represent Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims who have been engaged in violent clashes since late May. A string of skirmishes, which were still continuing last week in some areas, have left at least 78 dead and 100,000 displaced, said New York-based Human Rights Watch. This logo, it clearly gives the information, said Shine, a friend of Ko Htuu Lou Raes whose aid group, Inter-Faith Alliance for Rakhine Relief (IARR), will receive half of the profits from the sales of the t-shirts. You can just look at it and understand. Nothing has to be said. The logo is a streamlined version of one that Ko Htuu Lou Rae says he first saw in 2006 on t-shirts and bumper stickers. The original features the same crescent and star for the C, a peace sign in place of the O, a combination of the male and female signs for E, the Jewish Star of David for the X, an I dotted with a Wiccan pentagram, a Taoist or Confucian yin-yang overlaid with an S and a Christian cross for the T spelling out the word COEXIST in a jumbled, interfaith font. The idea of reworking the design for Myanmar came shortly after the violence broke out in Rakhine State and Ko Htuu Lou Rae and his friends gathered to discuss what was happening. The three longtime friends made for a curious group; Ko Htuu Lou Rae, an atheist, and his two friends, one a Rahkhine Buddhist and the other a Rohingya Muslim. We have been friends since we were 12 years old, said Ko Htuu Lou Rae. Kids that age dont see themselves as a type and there arent as many prejudices.

Ko Htuu Lou Rae with one of COEXIST t-shirts he has created. Pic: Yadanar Facebook I dont think the project would be possible, he said. With a computer, smartphone and expanding web of friends and groups he has reclaimed at least a piece of the social networking landscape, which has been used to spread rumours, disinformation and discriminatory comments about the conflict and groups involved. NGOs attempting to provide aid in Rahkine State have also been targeted. The main problem comes from young people. When you see that mindset it is very harmful for our future. Shines IARR is a region-specific offshoot of the larger Inter-Faith Coalition on Aid in Myanmar (IYCA-Myanmar), a group that he formed in 2006 and now has 50,000 volunteers operating across eight branches. Like many other NGOs working in Rahkine State, IARR was not able to distribute the clothes, food and other goods it had collected to both affected communities when its volunteers visited the area last month. It is continuing to gather supplies but is waiting until it is given equal access to affected communities before returning to the area. Ko Htuu Lou Rae said he believes that a long-term solution will only be found when the Rakhine and Rohingya communities engage in business with each other. He attributes the idea to a case study he read that detailed a successful attempt to end ethnic conflict in Papua New Guinea. It [Rakhine State] is the second most impoverished state in Myanmar, said Ko Htuu Lou Rae. There are no career opportunities, no business opportunities and that type of pressure causes this type of conflict to happen. We need to express hope and a sense of equality with these relations. If it is the Rahkine that prosper but the Muslims are still oppressed, it will lead to the same situation. While many in Myanmar consider the Rohingya to be illegal immigrants and appear hostile to their plight, the t-shirts have found a market in Yangon. Over 50 of the first run have been sold and two local non-government organisations, Theik Khar (Dignity) and Teach Myanmar, have started stocking them. The 50pc of profits not donated to IARR will be put towards printing another 1000 that Ko Htuu Lou Rae hopes to sell not only in Myanmar but also through friends in Los Angeles and New York.

it clearly gives the information. This logo,just look at it and understand. You can Nothing has to be said.
He has used a stack of business cards and hand shaking to let some people know about what he is doing but social networking sites, primarily Facebook, have served as a crucial vehicle to spread his ideas to a wider audience. Without online online there is a lot of hate speeches and information is shared, Shine said. Im so sad to read all the comments and posts which are written by young people, because in Myanmar most of the internet users are teenagers and

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Golden Myanmar to take on MAI

Public will be able to buy shares in international airline
By Zaw Win Than PROSPECTIVE investors will be invited to buy shares in a new international and domestic airline, its main backer said last week. U Khin Maung Aye, chairman of Cooperative Bank (CB) and Kaung Myanmar Aung Business Development Enterprise, said Golden Myanmar Airlines Public Company will invite applications for shares early next month. Initially we established Golden Myanmar Airlines Public Company with some shareholders. The next step to invite shareholders will take place very soon, he told The Myanmar Times on August 21 after an event aimed at attracting shareholders to two other CB Bank ventures, New City Development Public Company and CB Public Company Ltds microfinance project. He said the project would capitalise on Myanmars booming tourism industry and shares would cost K10,000 each. The company aims to begin flights in early 2013 and is considering using Mandalay International Airport as its base. In Myanmar we have never had a public airline company like, for example, Thai Airways International. This is one of our reasons for starting this public company, he said. All the shareholders in the company will be part owners of the airline and we welcome all interested people, hoteliers and other businesspeople to become shareholders in the airline. We want people to enjoy good air services at a reasonable price. U Thein Tun, chairman of Myanma Golden Star, and U Aung Gyi, a former managing director of Myanmar Airways International (MAI), will be board members of the company, and are some of the 15 main shareholders. We will invite shareholders in early September. More details about the airline will be presented at that time, said U Aung Gyi. be other reasons behind the launch of Golden Myanmar. Both CB Bank and U Thein Tun were previously shareholders in Royal Myanmar Transport, which bought 80 percent of MAI in early 2010. However, they are believed to have been forced out of the venture by another shareholder. The Ministry of Transport holds the other 20pc share in MAI. The ownership dispute, which surfaced in January 2011, prompted a run on CB by depositors, according to The Irrawaddy. The Chiang Mai-based media organisation also reported at the time that President U Thein Sein, who was then Myanmars prime minister, stepped in to help CB. Representatives from MAI and CB declined to confirm the report last week. But Golden Myanmar has already made its intentions clear by luring many of MAIs experienced staff with the offer of shares in the new venture. Not all but some of the staff from MAI have joined our public company because here they have chance to be shareholders. So those who want to manage their own airline and aircraft join with us, he added. A senior official from MAI, who asked not to be named, confirmed that the company had lost some of its experienced employees. It is true that we lost some of our experienced staff. We have nothing particular to say about that issue since it is their individual choice, she said.

New City attracts K200b in investment, says CB president

By Zaw Win Than A PUBLIC company formed to oversee a proposed US$2 billion New City development in Mandalay has received applications to purchase about K200 billion (US$230 million) in shares, a senior official said. U Khin Maung Aye, president of Cooperative Bank (CB), which is a major investor in the New City project, said New City Development Public Company has received applications to buy shares from 3000 individuals. While the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration has approved the formation of the public company, the project has yet to be officially approved, he said at Sayasan Plaza on August 21. The project has not started yet because the Mandalay Region government will first invite us to bid for the project. It will be like an auction and well need to submit our detailed project plan, list of shareholders and financial status, he said. The proposed New City project is on a 22,000-acre site near the ancient city of Inwa. It is about 16 kilometres (10 miles) south of Mandalay and 10km (6 miles) from Mandalay International Airport, beside the Ayeyarwady River in Tada Oo township. The project will feature mostly residential and commercial zones. U Khin Maung Aye said he was confident that New City would beat proposals from other companies. We will do our best by presenting our project and financial situation. The decision is up to the regional government. I dont know whether they will approve our project or not but I believe we have good potential. Even if we win the auction, we still need to get approval from the Myanmar Investment Commission before starting the project, he said. Most of the proposed site is vacant land and there are a few villages. We will not do it if the local people are not willing but if they believe this project will create job opportunities and if they believe it will developed their region then we will push ahead. We will make sure we compensate them for the farmland at the market price, he said. The company will sell shares for K10,000 and U Khin Maung Aye said it would also invite foreign investors to participate if its bid was approved. We need to invite foreign investment because this project is not just to develop residential areas; we also need technological assistance to develop industrial sections of this project, he said, adding that many international companies had expressed interest in investing.

We have only one Myanmar international airline so that is another reason why we are establishing this company.

Golden Myanmar Airlines will compete with Myanmars other international carrier, Myanmar Airways International (MAI), and also look at flying new routes that are not being offered. Currently we have only one Myanmar international airline so we need more international airlines and this is another reason why we are establishing this company, he said. However, there could also

Journalists slam Ministry of Commerce over statistics

By Myat May Zin REPORTERS from leading Myanmar newspapers are calling on the Ministry of Commerce to improve transparency, particularly on the state of the countrys rice exports. Journalists say it has become significantly more difficult to get statistics since December 2011, when Ministry of Commerce took over responsibility for compiling and releasing data on rice exports from the Myanmar Rice Industry Association (MRIA). However, the problem is not limited to rice exports, said U Aung Thura, chief of staff at 7-Day News. Whenever I called to Ministry of Commerce departments they never give me information. They pass my call around to each other. Even the directors and deputy directors dont want to comment on some issues, he said. We are on the path to democracy and transparency is one of the main features of a democratic country. If the government considers itself elected by the people, it needs to have respect not only for the media but the public in general. The media is the main avenue of providing information to the public. U Zaw Htike, an editor at The Yangon Times, said the ministrys website was useless. It doesnt have updated data, he said. I no longer bother to ask Ministry of Commerce [officials for information] as I already know they will not answer. Its a waste of time instead I interact with the dealers and exporters working in whatever sector Im writing about. They can give me the right figures and information. But the deputy director of a Ministry of Commerce department who asked not to be named defended the ministrys policy on releasing information. He said government policy was changing rapidly and the ministry wanted to control the flow of information closely. Some policy and issues should not be published as they can benefit some businesspeople and they will be able to play the market. For some trading data, we publish it on our website, he said. When media people ask for information on some issues or projects, we also dont want to comment as they are still in the preparation stage and not confirmed yet.

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Briefs
NGOs to donate neonatal equipment
INTERNATIONAL nongovernment organisation ANT Italy in collaboration with East Meets West Foundation of the United States will donate neonatal care equipment to 14 hospitals in Myanmar this year, a foundation spokesperson said last week. The equipment will go to hospitals in Yangon, Mandalay, Monywa, Taunggyi, Magwe, Nay Pyi Taw, Mawlamyine, Pathein, Myeik and Nam Pan, said U Tauk Tun, a program director at East Meets West Foundation. The donation will include continuous positive airway pressure equipment used to help the respiration of newborn babies, infant warmers to help keep newborns warm, and pulse oximetry and infection control equipment. Yamon Phu Thit

Shortage of rice in Putao: residents

By Naw Say Phaw Waa THE conflict in Kachin State is causing food shortages in the northern Kachin State town of Putao, residents said last week. The fighting has cut road access to the town from southern Kachin State, stopping most regular deliveries of rice from the state capital Myitkyina. Ma May San told The Myanmar Times last week that it has been difficult for a family to buy more than three condensed milk cans of rice a day since June. Prices have also doubled as a result of the shortage, to more than K1000 for three cans of rice, she said. Condensed milk cans are a commonly used measurement in Myanmar markets, with eight cans equal to one basket. The shortage has been compounded by the fact few farmers in the region are growing rice this year because prices were low before the shortage. Weve been facing this problem for about two months now. Before we could buy three tins for K1000 but now its hard to even get that much because demand is significantly higher than available supply, she said. To alleviate the shortage, the Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) and local government officials have been selling rice at below market prices, residents said. But Daw Swe said this happened only once every few weeks, and residents had to jostle to make sure they didnt miss out on the delivery. USDP came three times within two months and sold four tins of rice for K500 its not enough for the whole family and at the moment we can only have two meals a day, she said.

Seminar on water, food, energy security

MEMBERS of the public are invited to a discussion session Dialogue on Water-Food-Energy Security as a Major Contributing Constituent for Sustainable National Development in Yangon on August 30. The discussion session is organised by Myanmar Water Partnership and the Irrigation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation with the support of Global Water Partnership South East Asia. The four-hour event will be held at International Business Centre in Hlaing township and begins at 8:30am. Aye Sapay Phyu

A woman and her baby at a relief camp in Kachin Independence Organisation-controlled territory in July. Pic: Kaung Htet

China govt sends back thousands of refugees

By Nan Tin Htwe MORE than 4000 people forced to flee to China because of fighting in Kachin State were last week sent back to Myanmar by the Chinese authorities, humanitarian and Kachin Independence Organisation officials reported. About 4900 people in six camps in the Naung Dao area were forced to return, while the remaining internally displaced people (IDPs) in China are expected to also be sent back soon, sources said. On August 22 alone, more than 700 IDPs from Yang Lu and Lau Hphai camps were sent back to KIOcontrolled areas near the Myanmar-China border. Their return came ahead of an August 31 deadline agreed by Chinese officials and the KIO. KIO spokesperson U La Nan said Chinese authorities from Shweli came and met leaders of the organisation at the end of June to discuss the return of the IDPs. He said the KIO agreed to accept them at the insistence of the Chinese officials. China never wanted refugees from neighbouring countries, he said on August 24. Before 1994 there was strong fighting here and people tried to take refuge in China. They instantly sent them back. At that time, no one knew about that situation because of the lack of media organisations. Now the world knows that Kachin refugees are in China so they didnt respond immediately but accepted them with certain rules. Thats their countrys policy so I do not want to comment on that case. A spokesperson from Maijayang-based humanitarian group Wunpawng Ninghtoi (The Peoples Light) said that most of the IDPs were sent back to Maijayang, as per the agreement reached with the KIO. The group estimates there were about 10,000 IDPs in China before the closing of some camps last week. We know that [China] does not have any policy to receive the refuges or sign with our government. But still they should look at this from a humanitarian perspective. No one wants to stay [in China]. Thats not their home, the spokesperson said. The leaders of humanitarian organisations active in the area said they were upset and angry over the Chinese governments decision. We are very concerned about the [welfare of the] IDPs, said Daw Khon Ja, co-coordinator of the Kachin Peace Network, who last week travelled to Maijayang to provide assistance. We feel insulted by the actions of Chinese authorities this is not the actions of a good neighbour. IDPs are taking refuge temporarily because of the insecure situation [in Kachin State]. China should not treat them like this. Two members from the IDPs and Refugees Relief Committee (IRRC) who visited some of the camps as IDPs were being evicted said they encountered about 100 Chinese officials, including police who had threatened to destroy the camps if the IDPs did not leave. IRRC chairman U Doi Pi Sa said the IDPs wanted to wait until the end of the rainy season to return to Myanmar but the Chinese authorities refused their request. Among the IDPs there were old people and children, and also those who are sick. They were in a really difficult situation because they had to move, U Doi Pi Sa said. I think they want to send back all the IDPs at the end of this month, he added.

Bandoola Transport imports 100 taxis

BANDOOLA Transport has imported another 70 cars to operate as taxis with the new AA registration prefix, a spokesperson said last week. The 70 Toyota Beltas will begin roaming Yangons streets for passengers soon, said managing director U Myo Myint, a retired colonel. The company, which is a subsidiary of army-owned Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd, has already imported 30 Toyota Corollas for use as AA taxis and they began operating on July 16, he said. The 100 cars were imported through the Ministry of Commerce and we are arranging licence numbers and checking other documents at the Road Transport Administration Department. Those who apply to be taxi drivers with us must meet five criteria, he said. Applicants must be aged under 50, have had a taxi licence for at least three years, pass a physical and psychological test, have passed middle school and pass a road rule test at Thiri Myaing driving school. Bandoola Transport also operates 500 Parami meter taxis. Thiha Toe

Political science school holds 12th graduation

By Yhoon Hnin Phyu POLITICAL training school Bayda Institute last week marked the graduation of its 12 th batch of students with a ceremony at its Kyeemyindaing township office. The ceremony was attended by deputy editor of Democratic Wave, Mone Ywa Aung Shin, and U Han Thar Myint from the National League for Democracys education committee. The school has nine Myanmar teachers, while six foreign teachers also helped teach the 12th batch. The school offers the classes free of charge, and most students are National League for Democracy members. Classes are limited to 25 to 30 students and closely analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the 1947 and 2008 constitutions, said director U Myo Yan Naung Thein. The next class will open on September 15 and we are trying to encourage young people from different political parties to join because we dont encourage only one party we want to support the whole democratic system. The institute also provides lodging and meals without charge, he said. Students are selected after an interview based on their attitude, discipline, and previous participation in politics. Our institute tries to balance the proportion of skillful teachers with the number of students. The balancing ratio of teachers and students is important for a school. For example, government universities have many buildings and students but they dont have enough teachers so that is one reason why we have a problem. He said Bayda was one of several new political science schools that had opened since the establishment of the pioneering civil society organisation Myanmar Egress. He said these were important for encouraging participatory democracy. In the past, most people were afraid just to say the word politics and it was very dangerous to conduct any political activities. But the present situation is changing and I am very pleased to see this, he said. Bayda Institute is trying to give knowledge about politics to the new generation to support participatory democracy.

TiMESbusiness
Myanmar set for decade of 7-8 percent growth: ADB
in turn created some of its own problems. Some of these export first polices have been a bit of a problem in terms of the exchange rate management system, Ms Park said, adding that there is a need to diversify exports to maintain stable growth. In the long term, concentrating exports on natural resources is somewhat unstable in terms of maintaining economic stability. There are lessons to be learned from other countries about managing forest resources not just regionally but globally, said Mr Kamayana, who noted Indonesias reforestation and forest management programs as examples of sustainable growth. Mining as well, said Mr Kamayana, I know of plans for a huge open pit coalmine in Bangladesh that is very carefully thought out so they take care of the communities around them and redevelop the area the areas that have been depleted of coal resources. ADB cites climate change and associated environmental concerns as factors that have the potential to impede Myanmars economic growth. The report cites findings by Germanwatch, a Berlin-based organisation that monitors climate change, which ranked Myanmar as the second most affected country in terms of extreme weather events that occurred between 1990 and 2008. However, before Myanmar takes the first step towards becoming a middle income country, it must first address the US$500-million debt owed to ADB. Mr Kamayana said that discussions with the government to develop a viable solution are underway, which will enable the suggested growth programs to begin. He expressed confidence that the issue will be resolved in the near future. The Manila-based ADB reopened its office in Yangon earlier this month, after ceasing operations during the late 1980s. Mr Kamayana said ADBs decision to resume operations in Myanmar was based on an assessment of reforms and the positive signs from shareholders, the largest of which are Japan and the United States. ADB is also considering expanding its presence to Naw Pyi Taw later this year.

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By Tim McLaughlin MYANMAR could become a middle-income nation by 2030 and benefit from a growth rate of 7-8 percent during the next decade, according to a report released by the Asian Development Bank. However, the projections contained in Myanmar in Transition: Opportunities and Challenges are dependent on implementing a green development plan and adopting policies that have had a positive impact in neighbouring countries. The report was released on August 21 and identifies multiple areas for growth and development, in addition to outlining potential obstacles to democratic and economic reforms. The country has high potential for rapid growth and development given its rich natural resources, abundant labour force, and strategic location between the regions two economic giants China and India, the report says. Multiple references are made to the potential benefits of gleaning insights from surrounding nations that have experienced rapid growth during what is sometimes dubbed the Asia Century. Many lessons can be drawn from the development experiences of Myanmars neighbours and can help guide its economic transition to achieve strong and inclusive growth while avoiding social instability and ensuring environmental sustainability, the report states. ADBs assistant chief economist, Ms Cyn-Young Park, and the head of ADBs extended mission in Myanmar, Mr Putu M Kamayana, emphasised the need to consider the pros and cons of every growth development program from the outset. The report states that although Myanmar has an estimated 7.8 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas, only 21 percent of electricity is generated by gas-fired plants. Most of the natural gas extracted within Myanmar is sold to other countries, which constituted 43pc of Myanmars exports in 2009. However as the report highlights, this is an increase from 6.3pc in 2000. The export first approach that Myanmar has adopted for natural resources has provided the country with much needed capital but has

Customers look at a Honda Insight at Sakura car showroom in Yangon recently. Pic: Boothee

Old car, permit prices rising again, say traders

By Aye Thidar Kyaw AFTER months of steady declines, prices for used cars and import permits are on the way back up, car traders said last week. They say a pause in the governments overage car import substitution program, coupled with rumours that importers would be able to buy even newer vehicles, have pushed prices upward. The Ministry for Commerce announced in early May that citizens with foreign currency bank accounts held at state-run banks could import cars made between 2007 and 2010 with engines of 1350 cubic centimetres or less in capacity without a permit. Foreign currency accounts with private banks have since been added to that program, with popular small cars, such as Toyota Vitz, Suzuki Swift and Honda Fit, selling for between K11 million and K20 million. The earlier car import substation policy, which was unveiled in September, had limited imports to cars made between 1995 and 2006. However, owners of the many car sales centres that have opened since September asked the government in May to amend the import substitution policy to allow them to import newer vehicles. U Kyaw Nyunt, a trader at Yangons Hantharwaddy car trading zone, said the More page 20

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Economists urge caution with IFIs

By Aye Thidar Kyaw AFTER an absence of more than 20 years, major international financial institutions (IFIs) are again operating in Myanmar, providing advice to the government on agriculture, financing, health and education, telecommunications and energy. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) never really left Myanmar and has been doing Article 4 and 7 missions continuously. The fund is also providing technical advice on exchange rate and financial market reforms, while the Asian Development Bank [ADB] and World Bank are focusing on microfinance, loans and aid programs. ADB and World Bank opened a shared office at Inya Lake Hotel in August. Myanmars government still owes hefty debts to both organisations US$500 million to ADB and $400 million to the World Bank and will not receive any new loans until the arrears are cleared. IMF, World Bank, ADB and other institutions have all urged the government to dramatically increase spending on health and education and reduce defense expenditures. The ADB said Myanmar has the potential to become a middle income nation by 2030, predicting gross domestic product (GDP) to grow up by about 6 percent this financial year and 6.2pc in the next financial year, during a press conference on August 21. The ADB tipped per capita income to triple by 2030 (see separate story on P15) if reforms already underway in the country continue. However, economists warned that the government needs to keep an eye on these institutions if it wants to reproduce the development achieved by Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore. In particular, the government should maintain political and economic stability, improve its infrastructure and human capital, diversify its economy into industry and services but reduce the role of the state in production. US economic consultant Rick Rowden said the best way to From page 19 car trading zone, said the hottest selling vehicles are those eligible for immediate substitution pazuat prefix or the next batch, balachaik, which is widely expected to follow after the window for pazuat-plate cars finishes in August. There is strong demand for cars with balachaik-prefix plates, which is pushing prices upward because there are

World Bank officials during a press conference in Yangon earlier this month. Pic: Ko Taik understand the intentions of these institutions is to look at the countries that have the highest percentage of votes on their executive boards of directors to determine what industries would likely be of commercial interest to businesses from those nations. He said businesspeople would be able to lobby executives on those boards of directors to create favourable conditions for them that might contribute to Myanmars economic development. But in other cases the shortterm commercial goals may conflict with what is best for longterm economic development of Myanmar, he told The Myanmar Times by email. Despite what aid donors may claim with their rhetoric and public relations discourse, they are politically driven by shortterm commercial interest of their dominant board members, so it is very important to point out that it is up to Myanmars leadership to develop a common vision about what is needed for Myanmars long-term economic development, he said. Mr Rowden said he thinks that the domestic leadership must not shy away from using industrial policies such as trade protection, subsidised credit, subsidies, grants for research and development, and technology policy to take short- , medium- and long-term steps to build a domestic manufacturing base to add value to its exports. This is imperative if Myanmar wants to follow in the steps of Singapore, South Korea and China, and not end up like Nigeria, he said. Moreover, the political leadership must map out its long term goals and stick to them, even if provided with conflicting advice from IFIs, he said, adding that these organisations will probably council to government to deregulate, liberalise and privatise and get the government out of everything. It is popular to say that [a given countrys] industrial policy is bad and wrong, this is what [they] will advise here too. Thats why I think their assistance will be a problem, I think it will be important to reject some advice and instead develop an industrial policy to build a domestically-owned manufacturing base over time, he said. The issue is far more important and central than distractions like rates of GDP per capita or short-term natural resource exploitation, he said. They [IFIs] should be advising about specifically what kind of reform to finish in due course, and how to implement them, instead of talking generally, he said. Economist U Khine Htun, a former consultant with UNDP Myanmars policy unit, said: Im positive about the international financial institutions being in Myanmar and we also have a chance to benefit from our abundant natural resources and encourage foreign investment. But these resources will mean nothing if we dont take our chances to develop, he said. He added that a major hurdle to Myanmars industrialisation was the scarcity of electricity. This country is thirsty even though it is floating on a raft, he said of the electricity shortage He said that if the industrial sector could not be upgraded quickly, the government needs to streamline the agriculture sector and try to balance medium- and long-term development of the two. centres are working with traders and brokers at Hantharwaddy to sell their vehicles because they dont want to hold too much stock at once, he said. Meanwhile, a Ministry of Commerce official said cars worth up to K10 million would be imported from Thailand soon. He added that the cars could be charged a customs duty of 5 percent, compared to the 30-40pc normally levied because they will be imported under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement. However, because the country of origin is Japan, not Thailand, officials were still discussing how much tax would be charged. Although officials announced [on the Ministry of Commerce website] that ASEAN and ASEAN relate countries [including Japan] will be charged lower customs duty they are still discussing the tax rate, he said.

comparatively few of these cars available, he said. By late August the price of import permits had climbed to about K8 million, up from K7-7.5 million in early August, and K5 million in July. However, the highest

price of about K16 million was reached in late April, just before the announcement concerning small capacity cars. The precipitous price fall left some buyers who had ordered cars at the peak of the market to absorb large losses, traders said. U Htun Aye, a spokesperson for Shwe Yamon car sales centre in Mayangone township, said the government should consider a new approach to allowing people to import cars. The policy is strange people are allowed to buy cars through showrooms but they are also allowed to import from trading companies, which is not always reliable. I think that perhaps the whole system of import permits should be scrapped, he said. U Htun Aye said the system left everybody, including buyers, sellers,

traders and sales centre owners, vulnerable because prices could not be predicted. People should be able to buy cars however they like, if they can afford to. This should not depend on the governments policy, he said Showrooms should be able to sell cars made later than 2006 but now were not in a position to do all we can for customers, he said. The government has allowed car sales centres to accept consignments of second-hand vehicles from Japanese firms, which can then be returned if they go unsold. However, some centres have reportedly been forced to accept major losses in recent months because they pre-paid for cars. Another Hantharwaddy dealer said the consignment system is not effective. Plenty of car sales

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FMI, Yoma to open dept store

By Myat Nyein Aye FIRST Myanmar Investment Co announced an agreement to form a joint-venture partnership with Parkson Retail Asia Ltd and Yoma Strategic to open a Parkson shopping mall in Yangon, in a move that is sure to shake up the existing retail market. The shopping mall is set to be open by March 31 next year at FMI Centre on Bogyoke Aung San Road in Pabedan township, according to a Yoma Strategic press release dated August 14 issued by chief executive officer Andrew Rickards. The store is likely to cover about 43,000 square feet on the first four floors of FMI Centre. The board of Yoma Strategic believes that the proposed joint venture company with Parkson Myanmar and FMI will present an opportunity to gain exposure to the retail sector in Myanmar, the release says. This is at a time when consumer spending in Myanmar is expected to rise in tandem with increased economic activity. Mr Rickards said the opening of the store represented a great opportunity for Yoma Strategic. Consumer spending is on the rise in Myanmar given the increasing level of economic activity and the increased level of confidence for the future, he said. This partnership with one of Asias leading department store operators is a great opportunity for Yoma Strategic to gain exposure to the retail sector in Myanmar. The Parkson brand is well recognised in Southeast Asia and having them as our partner will ensure that our departmental stores in Myanmar are run professionally, he said. We look forward to working together with them towards an exciting future, Mr Rickards added. Parkson Retail Asia Ltd is a Southeast Asia-based departmental store operator with a network of 54 stores in Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. The press release says Parkson Myanmar will hold 70pc of the joint venture while Yoma Strategic and FMI will hold 20pc and 10pc respectively. The companys initial paid-up capital will be US$3 million, with Yoma Strategics $600,000 share sourced from internally generated funds, the press release says.

MAPCO share sales to start late August

MYANMAR Agribusiness Public Corporation (MAPCO) will begin selling shares at K10,000 each following a meeting to explain its future plans at Strand Hotel August 26, a company official said last week. The company will trade agriculture products such as rice and paddy domestically and internationally. It will also invest in companies that value-add agriculture products, infrastructure and transport to develop the nation, said the companys head of research, planning and investor relations. The company will be formed after receiving approval from the Directorate of Investment and Companies Administration under the Ministry for National Planning and Economic Development, he said. The company received permission to form on April 7, The Myanmar Times reported in mid-April. MAPCO will have 15 central executive committee member and its managing director is U Ye Min Aung, who is also a member of the Myanmar Rice Industry Association. Entrepreneur U Chit Khine is the companys chairman. People are becoming more interested in the stock market than they have been in recent years, so we have been planning to establish this public company to list on the exchange, the company official said. Citizens will be able to buy shares in our company from as little as K10,000 up to K1 billion. We will form an audit group to ensure the company acts in a transparent fashion, he said. He added that 800 people had pre-registered to buy stock. Min Zaw

A pedestrian walks past FMI Centre in Pabedan township earlier this month. Pic: Yadanar

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Job watch
Job Vacancy
NTT Communications is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world.(ranked 31st in the Fortune Global 500 list of 2011), is seeking individuals for the following candidates are encouraged to apply. Position Title : Sales Engineer Staff- 1 post 1) Work experience in pre-sales or engineer 2) Work with Telecommunications company or related 3) Good command in Japanese would be advantage 4) Basic Computer literacy especially MS Office software. Please submit your application letter with CV with a recent photo and copies of educational certificates to; NTT Communications(Thailand) Co., Ltd 6th floor, Dusit Thani Bldg., 946 Rama IV Road, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand/ E-mail: sakurai.me@ntt.co.th

Assorted cans of beer sit alongside Myanmar Beer at a supermarket in Yangon last week. Pic: Yadanar

issioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Myanmar is seeking qualified local applicants to fill the post of: 1) Field Safety Associate (GL-6, TA), Yangon (1 position) 2) Finance Associate (GL-6, TA), Yangon (1 position) 3) Senior Administrative Assistant (GL-5, TA), Yangon (1 position) 4) Field Associate (Programme /Admin) (GL-6 LICA), Bhamo, Kachin State (1 position) with frequent and extended visits to other operational areas. The detailed Terms of Reference for this position are available on request from UNHCR offices in Yangon, Maungdaw, Sittwe, Mawlamyine, Hpa-an, Myeik, Taungoo, Loikaw, Myitkyina and Bhamo. Closing date: 31.08.2012 www.unhcr.org

The Office of the United Nations High Comm-

Untapped and untaxed illegal beer imports flooding market

By Maung Aung Naing MYANMAR loses about K24 billion about US$27 million a year in taxation to illegal beer imports, sources said recently. Since December 23, 2011 importers have been able to legally import a host of food and beverages from abroad that were previously banned. Goods including chewing gum, cakes, chocolate, liquor, beer and cigarettes remain ineligible for import but still freely flow into Myanmar across its borders. Walk into any convenience store or supermarket and you will see cans and bottles of Heineken, Chang or Singha sitting alongside beers produced domestically and usually priced cheaper than the local competition. Myanmar Brewery Ltd paid K47.09 billion in commercial tax in the 2011-12 financial year, making it Myanmars biggest commercial tax payer, according to figures published by the Ministry of Finances Internal Revenue Department. Dagon Beverages Ltd also paid K11.72 billion, meaning the two companies contributed K58.81 billion into the countrys coffers. A country earns its money through foreign grants and loans, taxation, incomes from stateowned enterprises and the sale of bonds, so taxation is important for the country, said an economist. If goods are smuggled into the country without being properly taxed it hurts domestic manufacturers and costs the government money in lost taxation. It also hurts the image of the government because it means that some officials are collaborating with importers to allow the goods through, he added. There are nearly 30 different beer brands illegally imported and sold in Myanmar, including Chang and Singha, both of which are made in Thailand; as well as Dali and Tsingtao, which are made in China. The volumes of those four brands sold in Myanmar are double the amount produced by Mandalay Brewery. The illegal importation of beer is allegedly organised by one person, who receives the orders and distributes to more than 245 sub-dealers countrywide. A beer wholesaler said: Domestic beer makers pay tax to import raw materials, pay their workers, pay commercial tax and then income tax on top of that. None of these taxes are levied on illegally imported beer, he said. As a result, consumers usually pay less to buy a bottle or can of Singha than they do for Myanmar or Mandalay beer. Illegally imported beer goes untaxed here, so we can sell them cheaply. Consumers almost always choose the cheaper option, particularly when it comes to beer, he added. A senior Myanma Investment Commission official said no foreign company had offered to set up a brewery in Myanmar in the recent past and would be unlikely to in future unless there was a clampdown on illegal imports. Since illegal beer imports are untaxed its more lucrative for foreign beer companies to import rather than invest here, so they will not come, a marketing expert said. He added that the country lost about K24 billion annually for beer alone, adding other banned commodities would likely double that figure. Only if the government collect the taxes its owed can it perform its responsibilities to the public and pay its employees. But those who should be enforcing the law are greedily diverting the states revenues into their own pockets. Contraband is contraband wherever it is and these items are being sold blatantly in big superm arkets everywhere, said a lawyer. Those who have to make arrests do not and those who are supposed to prevent illegal imports do the same. If the country is to develop properly law enforcement officers are required to be dutiful, he added. A local beverage proprietor said: Local companies do more than pay their taxes they are also making a social contribution. By contrast, illegal importers reap all the profits they get and never pay any locals apart from the people who help them to smuggle the goods. This type of trading only benefits foreign companies and the smugglers, he added. When illegally imported beer and liquor is intercepted its auctioned by the Customs Department. And the smugglers win the auctions, which defeats the point, a veteran merchant said. Intercepted goods should be destroyed, not sold off again, he added. Favoured entry points for illegal imports include MyawaddyMae Sot, Kawthoung-Ranong, Tachileik-Mae Sai, and MuseShweli. An economist said: Illegal beer imports alone cost the state a huge amount of lost taxation its not a good sign that it amounts to K24 billion. The ministries concerned, as well as the trade administration department, border trade officials, Internal Revenue Department, police, food and drugs administration, Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and local beer and liquor manufacturers should work together to seek a solution. Translated by Thit Lwin

U.S. Embassy seeks English Language Instructor for American Center English Program The U.S. Embassy seeks to hire an English Language Instructor for the English Language program at the American Center (AC). Under the supervision of the Director of Courses, teaches English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses and electives at the AC; works individually and with colleagues to develop and deliver course materials, syllabi, and exams. Provides guidance to students on an individual basis, advises student clubs, and plans and participates in extracurricular activities, sometimes in coordination with outside organizations. Participates in teacher training workshops and seminars. Qualifications Requires: 1. A University degree in education, economics, law, social sciences, arts or any related field. 2. Minimum three years experience teaching EFL/ESL or equivalent previous teaching experience in related field. 3. Native-fluent English proficiency in speaking reading, and writing. 4. Must have knowledge of teaching methodologies, English language resource materials, American history and culture. 5. Must have cross-cultural teaching skill, leadership, and strong communication & interpersonal skills, as well as basic knowledge of Microsoft Office 2007 applications (Word, Outlook). Job announcement at http://burma. usembassy.gov/job_opportunities.html Eligible candidates may submit applications to the U.S. Embassy's Human Resources Office, P.O. Box 521, GPO, Yangon not later than September 4, 2012

Rice federation to assist flood-hit farmers

MYANMAR Rice Federation (MRF), formerly the Myanmar Rice Industry Association, has established a team to help farmers affected by the floods that have inundated many regions in August, an official said last week. The Emergency Early Respond Team (EERT) will assist farmers and other people affected by the flooding by providing seed and other inputs, the MRF official said. About 600,000 acres of paddy have been affected nationwide, said Dr Soe Tun, an EERT member. EERT has already provided 30,000 baskets of paddy seed in Ayeyarwady Region, K20 million in cash and 1700 bags of rice, the official said. The minister for ministry of agriculture and irrigation offered to provide support to flooded area through a disaster dun, said Dr Soe Tun. Myanmar Agricultural Service will donate a further 16,000 baskets of seed for relief, Dr Soe Tun said. More than 33 million acres of paddy were planted in Ayeyarwady Region this monsoon but at least 260,000 acres have been affected
by the flooding and some 50,000 acres must be replanted, according to EERT data. Bago Region has been hit harder, with nearly 10 percent of its paddy flooded some 100,000 acres of the 980,000 planted. For the whole nation flooded paddy fields, nearly 200,000 acres have been damaged by the floods. It takes two baskets of seed to sow 1 acre of paddy, which means we need at least 400,000 baskets of seed. But we have only collected about 30,000 baskets of seed so far, said Dr Soe Tun. Myat May Zin

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Japans deficit shows global market strife

By Miwa Suzuki TOKYO Sagging export markets in Europe and Asia left Japan with a much worsethan-expected trade deficit, figures showed August 22, ringing alarm bells over the parlous state of the global economy. The rumbling debt crisis in Europe and slowing demand in Asia until recently a bright spot on the economic horizon are taking their toll, with analysts sounding warnings that things are getting even more serious. Japans trade with the rest of the world in July showed a shortfall of 517.4 billion yen (US$6.5 billion), the largest ever deficit for the month and nearly double the 275 billion yen ($3.5 billion) deficit that had been forecast. The figure also marked a drastic reversal of Junes numbers, when Japan recorded a small but respectable surplus of 60.3 billion yen ($758 million). The data showed the recent trend in which weakness in China and Europe has been putting major downward pressure on Japans trade is getting even more serious, said Takahiro Sekido, Japan strategist of Global Markets Research at Bank of TokyoMitsubishi UFJ. The latest figures indicate that they are not just risks anymore but a reality, he told Dow Jones Newswires, adding the result may encourage the Bank of Japan to take pre-emptive action to shore up the economy, where exports play a vital role. He said he expected the next monetary easing moves by the Japanese central bank to come in late October, when it is slated to release a semiannual outlook report. Overall exports slid 8.1 percent to 5.31 trillion yen ($66.7 billion) with shipments of electronic parts falling, even as automobile exports rose. By region, exports to the European Union plunged 25.1pc year-on-year amid the debt crisis. Imports from the EU rose 10.6pc, leaving Japan with a deficit of 95.2 billion yen with the embattled economic zone. Exports to China fell 11.9pc against a 3.3pc rise in imports, making Japans deficit with its biggest trading partner nearly double that in June at 250.1 billion yen. Japans combined exports to other leading economies in Asia South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore also fell a sharp 14.2pc. US-bound shipments rose 4.7pc, slower than the 15.1pc rise in June, while imports turned up 7.6pc. Mizuho Securities Research and Consulting senior economist Norio Miyagawa said exports to the United States were not as strong as we had expected while those to Europe and Asia remain subdued. Japans trade would continue to show a deficit as well see more increases in imports due to higher energy prices he said, but added a pick-up seen in the US economy provided some hope. Japans overall imports rose 2.1pc to 5.83 trillion yen ($73.2 billion) on the high cost of liquefied natural gas. Japan has struggled to meet its energy needs and turned to pricey fossil fuel alternatives as nuclear reactors have gone offline amid public distrust of the technology following the tsunami-sparked crisis at Fukushima in March 2011. AFP

Oz mining minister declares boom over

SYDNEY Australias resources minister on August 23 declared the nations mining boom over after BHP Billiton delayed a major project as Chinas easing and European woes hit commodity prices. Youve got to understand, the resources boom is over. Weve done well A$270 billion [US$283.6 billion] in investment the envy of the world, Martin Ferguson told ABC radio. It has got tougher in the last six to 12 months. Look at Europe, the state of the European and global economy. Think about the difficulties in China. The commodity price boom is over and anyone with half a brain knows that. Analysts have warned of growing headwinds in Australia due to the commodity slowdown, with Deutsche Bank last week saying the miningpowered economy was at risk of slipping into recession in 2013 as the value of its exports tanks. Australias central bank expects mining and energyrelated spending to peak as planned was at risk. But Gillard insisted that mining would continue to buoy Australias economy, with projects worth hundreds of billions of dollars yet to come online, despite commodity prices appearing to have peaked. We will continue to see decisions made. The mining boom, the amount we are earning from exporting mining, will be with us for a long time to come. BHP, the worlds largest miner, said on August 22 it would delay and explore a less capital-intensive design for the A$20 billion Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine as it reported its first profit slump in three years. Cooling in China, whose economy grew 7.6 percent in the second quarter of this year, its slowest pace in more than three years, and ongoing turbulence in Europe saw BHPs annual profit dive 35pc to US$15.42 billion. The decline came as prices for a number of its key products, including iron ore and coal, plunged while its own costs rose. AFP

The commodity price boom is over and anyone with half a brain knows that.
sometime in 2013-14, quicker than expected, due to global uncertainty. Prime Minister Julia Gillard was grilled on Fergusons comments in parliament, with the opposition seizing on them as proof that Canberras return to a budget surplus in 2013 this nation earn a great deal of prosperity and wealth from exporting resources, she told lawmakers. We will continue to see billions of dollars invested in our resources sector, we will continue to see the opening of new projects and we will continue to see investment

Trade Mark CauTion

NOTICE is hereby given that del Monte Corporation a company incorporated in the State of Delaware U.S.A. and having its principal office at One Maritime Plaza, San Francisco, California 94111 U.S.A. is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following trademark: -

MILK-BONE
(reg: nos. iV/7750/2009 & iV/7134/2012) in respect of: - Foodstuffs for animals Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademark or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for del Monte Corporation P.O. Box No.26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 27th August, 2012

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A Bangladeshi worker demolishes a house made with bricks that once laid the foundation of one of the worlds oldest cities in Mahasthangarh. Pic: AFP

China home prices rise in more cities

SHANGHAI Chinas newhome prices rose in the largest number of cities in 14 months in July after interest-rate cuts and incentives for firsttime buyers, complicating the governments efforts to stimulate economic growth while curbing property speculation. Prices climbed from a month earlier in 49 of the 70 cities tracked by the government, the National Bureau of Statistics said on its website on August 18. That was the most since May last year and compared with 25 cities in June. Prices fell in nine cities and were unchanged in 12. Buyers, buoyed by two interest-rate cuts since June, have returned to the market even as the government pledges to maintain real estate curbs to make housing more affordable. The risk of a rebound in the property market may deter the Peoples Bank of China from reducing rates further or cutting banks reserve requirement ratios to boost funds in the financial system and support lending after new credit slumped in July. Rising property prices are constraining aggressive policy action from the central bank, said Zhang Zhiwei, chief China economist at Nomura Holdings in Hong Kong. The government will introduce more policies to contain a property bubble, including the extension of a property tax to more cities, he said. An inspection last month ordered by the State Council found recent increases in prices and easing policies by local authorities among problems that need particular attention, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported on August 17. China may expand a property tax trial and raise the threshold for home pre-sales if housing prices rebound too fast, Shanghai Securities News reported on August 20, citing unidentified sources. Chinas home prices have bottomed out, Johnson Hu, a Hong Kong-based property analyst at CIMBGK Securities Research, said in a phone interview. The central government may start to strictly implement the current curbs. New policies will depend on the trend of home prices. With the home purchase restrictions in place, its very unlikely housing prices will rebound strongly. Chinas economy expanded 7.6 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, the slowest pace in three years, as Europes debt crisis crimped exports and the governments property crackdown cooled domestic demand. The slowdown may extend into a seventh quarter, with Deutsche Bank cutting its growth estimate for the three months through September to 7.5pc from 7.9pc. I definitely dont think there will be clampdowns, because frankly the government is very happy with the fact that prices have stabilised and started to go up, John Saunders, Asia chief executive officer of MGPA, a private-equity real estate investment firm, said in a Bloomberg Television interview on August 20. I dont expect there to be huge growth in property prices, not in the near term at least, because theres still a degree of concern and nervousness. The latest report adds to evidence the housing market is picking up after the PBOC cut interest rates for the first time in three years on June 7 and announced a second reduction less than a month later. Bloomberg News

Recycling threatens ancient city

By Kamrul Hasan Khan MAHASTHANGARH, Bangladesh When Abdus Sattar built his house in Mahasthangarh village in northern Bangladesh, he used materials that once laid the foundations of one of the worlds oldest and greatest cities. I just shovelled into the ground, got these bricks and used them in my new house, Sattar, 38, said. All three rooms of the house were made of the old bricks we found here within the village boundary. Mahasthangarh sits on what was once the ancient city of Pundranagar, built 2500 years ago and, at its height, a renowned seat of learning whose monasteries attracted monks from China and Tibet and trained them to spread Buddhist teachings throughout South and East Asia. The oldest archaeological site in what is now Bangladesh, the ruins of the fortified city are a major tourist attraction, but experts fear there will soon be little left for visitors to see. The stripping away of sections of the ruins by residential encroachment and the casual looting of artefacts has threatened to erase the remains of a city that stood for millennia. In May, the Global Heritage Fund, which promotes the preservation of historic architectural treasures around the world, listed Mahasthangarh among Asias top 10 most endangered sites facing irreparable loss and destruction. After a Bangladesh court handed down an order against illegal squatters early this year, houses like Sattars began to be demolished, but archaeologists say much of the damage already done is now irreversible. The villagers destroyed some of the ruins so badly sometime in the 4th century BC and came to prominence during the great Mauryan dynasty that held sway over much of the Indian subcontinent until 185 BC. Its golden period stretched from the 4th to the 7th century when, as part of the Gupta and Pala kingdoms, it was one of the largest cities in the world and a major centre of Buddhist teaching and studies. The fortified area was still in use as late as the 18 th century, but its influence had waned and it mostly using excavated materials many villages sprang up in adjoining areas of equally important archaeological interest. The houses were built before the authorities could take a serious stand on conservation, Sadequzzaman said. We were late to wake up. Had we tried to stop this before, we could have saved many valuable artefacts. Mahasthangarhs modern-day residents, such as Sattar, believe they have been unfairly treated and deny that they took over the land illegally. My three children were born here, Sattar said, pointing to the bulldozed remains of his home. If we were illegal encroachers, why did they allow us to build the house in the first place? Sattar said his father purchased the plot from a farmer and argued that scavenging on the site had always been an accepted way of making a living. Hundreds of houses were built from these old bricks. We didnt steal them, they are everywhere here. Everyone does it. Nobody barred us from doing it, he said. Families have always picked things like beads, stones, coins that come to the surface after heavy rains. They are like endless resources, they never end, he added. AFP

The villagers destroyed some of the ruins so badly that its now impossible to say what exactly was on this site.
that its now impossible to say what exactly was on this site, said Shafiqul Alam, former head of the governments archaeology bureau. Many of the mounds described in cartographic sources have since disappeared, said Alam. Despite the court order, the destruction continues ... and villagers steal antiquities and bricks from the ruins to sell them in the market, he added. Antiquities found at the site suggest it was founded

We are currently recruiting Trainees for Cross Training at Sedona Hotel Yangon with the purpose of nurturing multi skill hoteliers. We will be training to trainees for the following departments: (1) Front office Department (2) Housekeeping Department (3) Food & Beverage Department a. F & B Service b. Food Preparation (Kitchen) Requirements:- Trainee must be: - - - Myanmar National Age over 18 years but not older than 25 Minimum education level: Matriculated Fluent in English

Hotel Trainee Recruitment

was eventually abandoned and consumed by the surrounding vegetation. The site was rediscovered in 1879 by British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham. The chief government archaeologist at the site, M Sadequzzaman, said encroachment began about 50 years ago and acknowledged that the early warning signs of serious degradation were ignored. While some 500 houses were built inside the ancient city walls themselves

Ikea to build new district in German city

BERLIN Swedish furniture giant Ikea announced plans on August 22 to build a new district with shops, flats and office space for thousands of people in the northern German city of Hamburg. We want to build a new city district for the benefit of Hamburg, Harald Mueller, head of the firms property subsidiary Landprop, told the local paper, the Hamburger Abendblatt. Mueller said they were searching in Hamburg, a major port city, for a plot of at least 5 acres (2 hectares) to build on, in conjunction with the city authorities. The Hamburger Abendblatt said the project would run along similar lines to a planned development in eastern London for which Ikea is preparing to build about 1200 flats, offices, hotels and shops. The firm, which specialises in inexpensive furnishings that consumers assemble themselves, a fortnight ago announced a 1-billioneuro (US$1.25 billion) move into the hotel sector, opening at least 100 hotels in Europe. Construction of the hotels will be funded from revenues from the Ikea brand, which the company recently valued at 9 billion euros ($11.25 billion), but will not bear the company logo and be operated by a hotel management company. AFP

Duration: 1 Year Others: hotel will provide uniform and Duty meal during Training Period. No Training Fee is required. Only Limited Trainees will be recruited. Interested candidate shall submit an application letter, CV with a recent photo, copies NRC and Labour Registration card, educational certificates, local police criminal clearance form and other testimonials to above address not later than 15 September 2012. Only short listed candidates will be called for interview. Address: No. (1), Kabaaye Pogoda Road, Yankin Township, Yangon. Tel: 666900.

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US existinghome sales, prices rise in July, says body

WASHINGTON US existing-home sales rose in July and prices climbed the most in more than six years, an industry group said on August 22 in a fresh sign of stabilisation in the depressed housing market. Sales of previously owned homes increased 2.3 percent to an annual rate of 4.47 million in July, and were up 10.4pc from a year ago, the National Association of Realtors said. NAR said July sales rose in every region but the West, where inventory was very tight. Nationwide, the median price for all housing types, including single-family homes, apartments and townhouses, was US$187,300 in July, NAR said. That was a gain of 9.4pc from July 2011, the biggest year-on-year jump since January 2006, just before the housing bubble popped, helping to send the economy into recession. July marked the fifth consecutive month of annual price rises as the housing sector slowly begins to recover. While mortgage interest rates at historic lows have helped breathe life into the moribund market, NAR said lending criteria remained overly stringent. The market is constrained by unnecessarily tight lending standards and shrinking inventory supplies, so housing could easily be much stronger without these abnormal frictions, NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement. Yun noted that all home-price measures were now showing positive movement and that is building confidence in the market. The higher median price naturally means more housing contribution to economic growth, he added. Michael Zoller, at Moodys Analytics, noted that sales were higher in July but remain below what they were earlier in the year. AFP

Yangon City Development Committee will soon open a second bridge (left) to North Dagon township. Pic: Kaung Htet

Bridge to boost N Dagon market

By Noe Noe Aung THE opening of a new bridge alongside Baeli Bridge in North Dagon township could spur sales interest in the area, real estate agents said last week. After a brief period of strong speculation that saw property prices in the area triple in late 2011, demand for land in North Dagon has been dormant for at least three months, agents said. The property market in North Dagon has been unusually calm for at least three months, said U Moe Thet Khine from Kaung Than Real Estate Agency. I think the market has been so quiet in North Dagon is that land prices had become exorbitant and nobody was willing to pay that much. Also, the change to property sales taxes in mid-August could also have deterred potential buyers. Im hoping that the new bridge will make it easier to get to North Dagon and encourage people to start buying properties again, U Moe Thet Khine said on August 23. He predicted that demand could rise by up to 20 percent but added that prices could not go any higher. Prices have already reached the maximum level I think is possible, he said. But Im hoping there will be more trading after the bridge is opened, he added. He added that the price of standard 2400-square-foot plots of land had selling for 800pc more than they were two years ago. Two years ago you could buy a 2400-square-foot piece of land for K5 million easily but today a similarly sized plot costs K40 million. Prices have been steady for the past three months, he added. U Min Min Soe of Mya Pan Thakhin Real Estate Agency in Lanmadaw township said the new bridge had the potential to reinvigorate demand for the township, which is located to the northeast of the city. Opening a new bridge can bring some hope to the property market in North Dagon because it should make it easier and faster to get there, he said. U Min Min Soe added that sales activity was muted in Yangon following the August 11 announcement that buyers who could not provide evidence of their income would be required to pay a tax equal to 30pc of the propertys value, plus a 7pc stamp duty. He added that it was impossible to find 2400-squarefoot pieces of land in North Dagon township for less than K20 million. Yangon City Development Committees Road and Bridge Department began building the bridge in early 2011 and the project is nearly completion.

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Oz science tugs heart-strings

By Amy Coopes SYDNEY Do humans really wear their hearts on their sleeve? An ambitious Australian neuroscience project aiming to translate emotional impulses directly into music is hoping to find out. Canadian artist Erin Gee describes it as human voices in electronic bodies, and there is a definite futuristic feel to her collaboration with the University of Western Sydneys medical school. A fingerprint scan is required to gain entry to the labs where her first subject, Ben Schultz, 27, is strapped to a bed, connected via a complex maze of wires to monitors not unlike those seen in a hospital. Neurophysiologist Vaughan Macefield plays with a needle attached to a wire feeding directly into Schultzs leg, listening carefully for changes in the white noise crackling from a speaker in the corner. Thats the sound thats being picked up from the nerve, Gee explains. Thats the translation of whats happening electrically. Schultz said the needle was uncomfortable when it was moved but was not painful. Tapping into a very precise part of the nerve will allow Macefield to eavesdrop directly on the brains signals to the body as Schultz is shown a series of images designed to elicit emotion, such as mutilation and erotica. And that is where the music begins. While we cannot read Bens mind and tell you why hes feeling emotions, the technology exists today that we can actually definitively tell you that he is feeling emotions, and we can tell you exactly how much emotion hes feeling, Gee said. I can bottle Bens emotions and save them for later. Along with the nerve reading, Schultzs blood pressure, breathing speed, skin sweat and heart activity are being recorded and fed into Gees computer, where custom-made software converts them into a chorus of chimes and bells. The experiment will be repeated with several other subjects so Gee and Macefield can fine-tune their methods and sounds for a live emotional symphony performance that promises to be unlike any other attempted before. Two actors attached to the various monitors will perform an emotional score Gee is not quite sure what it will look like yet, but it will require them to summon a series of emotions. The music their feelings produce what happiness sounds like for instance will be performed by small robotic pianos that will also flash lights as different moods are detected. The team has chosen actors as subjects because they routinely need to show emotion on demand. It will be like seeing someone expertly playing their emotions as they would play a cello, said Gee, whose first show is scheduled for Montreal next year. Macefield said the research would feed into the field of

Researcher Vaughan Macefield (left) triggers nerve impulses from actor Ben Schultz during an experiment at the University of Western Sydney on August 8. Pic: AFP affective computing, which deals with machines that can understand and respond to human inputs. Computers that can connect directly to the brain, allowing users to search for information simply by thinking about it, are currently in development and Macefield said he was interested in how machines could help people. Many mental illnesses and disorders are associated with heightened or blunted emotional responses and Macefield said technology could have therapeutic benefits. Children with autism disorders, for example, struggled to understand the emotions of others or to express themselves, and Macefield said Gees robotic technology could be used to teach them how to identify feelings by externalising and exaggerating them into forms like music. It may well be that by amplifying peoples emotions they can read them better; it may be that by amplifying their own emotions that people can read them better, he said. AFP

Daiwa sees cloud future for Myanmar

system can be conveniently used as one-stop data hub for its users that is protected by the highest system security standard, a Daiwa spokesperson said. In government cloud computing, hosted infrastructure appears like an internal data centre for governments, while being provided by an external source, according to Manish Bahl, a vendor strategy analyst at market and technology research company Forrester Research, who has looked at the use of cloud models in governments across the Asia Pacific region. Singapore has been lauded as a leader in the field of government cloud usage. Telecoms company SingTel secured a tender to create a cloud system for its government in May. Although showing positive signs, Myanmar has a long way to go before it approaches anything near the technological state of the tiny Southeast Asian nation. The United Nations E-Government Survey for 2012, a report that assessed e-government development, ranked Myanmar 160 out of the 190 UN member countries surveyed. Myanmar had an e-participation index of just 0.2703, well below the 0.4877 world average. Numerous Myanmar government agencies did not have websites until this year. Though some have been launched they remain rudimentary a symptom of the countrys larger internet issues. Only 0.03 percent of the population has broadband internet subscriptions. In contrast, Singapore took 10th spot in the 2012 world rankings with a score of 0.8474. Asia as a whole is well represented in the rankings, with three of the worlds 20 e-leaders from the continent. South Korea ranked number one in 2010 and took the top spot again in 2012. Daiwas project will hopefully reverse Myanmars backward slide, which has seen it fall 19 spots between 2010 and 2012, according to the report. Daiwa believes that the cloud approach is the right one to address Myanmars unreliable electricity supply, which is especially problematic in the dry season when hydropower, which supplies most of the power, is limited. By making the most of the cloud, it becomes possible for more users to enjoy wider services with less equipment (hardware). Less equipment means less money and less power required for operation. The cloud will be designed to be a best-fit for various local needs and conditions, the spokesperson said. Mr Bahl agrees that the cloud system is a good fit for Myanmars unique situation and could serve as starting point for even larger IT development. Since Myanmar has just started opening up to the world, its a great opportunity for the country to bypass fragmented ICT infrastructure and transition to more advanced and centralised virtual private cloud infrastructure that will help the country centralise its infrastructure while reducing costs and improving efficiency all without compromising on security, data privacy, and control, said Mr Bahl. Cloud systems however are not without their detractors. Earlier this month Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak made waves

By Tim McLaughlin MYANMAR will look to overcome its infrastructure shortfalls by using a cloudbased computer system to link government and public offices when it begins its extensive IT overhaul later this year. Japan-based Daiwa Securities Group will lead the US$380-million project announced last month that aims to move Myanmar from the computing dark ages onto a level equal with some if its more tech-savvy neighbours. The cloud system is aimed to be linked with public offices, banking systems and other institutions so that the

Trade Mark CauTion

astraZeneca aB, a Company incorporated in Sweden, of SE-151 85 Sodertalje, Sweden, is the Owner of the following Trade Mark:-

in the computing industry when he openly criticised the recent shift towards cloud systems saying that he saw, horrendous problems in the coming years while speaking at an event in Washington. Although Mr Wozniak did not elaborate in great detail, he cited problems that could arise with ownership and control issues as cause for his concerns. The UN also pointed to security as one of the potential problems with the governments adopting this new technology, stating, Among the main challenges for large-scale adoption of cloud-based government services are the integrity of service, data security and privacy, and regulatory environment in most countries around the world, which will need continued reform in governance systems and a continued focus on strengthening institutional linkages.

HeaLTH ConneCTS uS aLL

reg. no. 9354/2009 in respect of intl Class 5: Pharmaceutical preparations in the fields of oncology, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, inflammation/ infection, gastrointestinal diseases and central nervous system diseases. intl Class 10: Surgical, medical and dental apparatus and instruments, artificial limbs, eyes and teeth; orthopedic articles; suture materials. intl Class 44: Medical services; advisory services relating to healthcare. Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Mark will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for astraZeneca aB P. O. Box 60, Yangon E-mail: makhinkyi.law@mptmail.net.mm Dated: 27 August 2012

Faster internet on trial: deputy minister

By Htoo Aung OVER the past month, internet speeds have allegedly doubled in designated transmission areas of Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay as a result of a free service upgrade trial the state-run New Light of Myanmar reported on August 16. Deputy Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraphs U Win Than said during an Amyotha Hluttaw session that the higher speed service, which began on July 15, will be provided to remaining townships on a step-by-step basis. Calculations to accommodate a potential reduction in ADSL fees are also being made. Twenty-four-year-old Ko Tun Tun Aung told The Myanmar Times that as an IT journalist, he uses the internet every day to keep up to date with content posted on government websites and social media networks. When the internet connection is slow, I rely on Facebook because its content is the quickest to access, he said. Ma Khin Khin, a 25-year-old software programmer from Pabedan township, said: I use the internet on my mobile phone every day. I began using the internet in 2005 and Ive noticed a change in connection speeds over the years its pretty fast now. Yatanarpon Teleport and Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications are the nations two major internet service providers, with other companies such as Red Link Communications also selling internet services. However a telecommunications law that is expected to be passed in the near future that will allow foreign companies to invest in Myanmars telecom sector. U San Min, the owner of Life.net internet caf in Kyauktada township said the easy availability of the internet on mobile telephones since mid-March is reducing the number of people who visit his caf. Mobile-based internet costs K2 a minute though GSM phones and K4 for WCDMA connections. In April, an MPT official said the government planned to boost internet speeds by connecting to the global SEAME-WE 4 cable via Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraphs U Thein Win said during an ICT Development workshop on August 18 that Myanmar will install a 4G network before the Southeast Asia Games late next year, the New Light of Myanmar reported the following day.

Mass killer Breivik gets 21 years jail

Briefly
TRIPOLI, Lebanon A Sunni sheikh was killed in the north Lebanon city of Tripoli on August 24 as fresh clashes erupted between pro- and anti-Syrian factions after a tenuous truce, reports said. Sheikh Khaled al-Baradei, 28, was killed when fighting broke between residents of an anti-Syrian Sunni Muslim Qobbeh district and those of a neighbouring pro-Damascus Alawite district, the reports said. MOSCOW Russias human rights ombudsman said on August 23 that he regarded the sentences handed to Pussy Riot members as excessive and he could lodge a complaint if their appeal to a higher court is unsuccessful. I consider the sentence excessive, Vladimir Lukin told a news conference, the Interfax news agency reported. Earlier report, P. 31. TRIPOLI More than 100 tanks have been seized from a militia loyal to Libyas ousted leader Moamer Kadhafi that posed as revolutionaries in the Tarhuna region, the interior ministry said on August 23. The discovery of the tanks and the arrest of the militias leader in an operation on August 22 came during an investigation into twin car bomb attacks that killed two people in Tripoli on August 19. JERUSALEM Israels foreign ministry on August 23 summoned South Africas envoy to lodge a formal protest against Pretorias decision to place Occupied Palestinian Territory labels on goods from Jewish settlements. The South African cabinet on August 22 directed its trade minister to issue a notice requiring that such products are marked to inform consumers that the origin is not Israel. KATHMANDU A Nepalese farmer who was bitten by a venomous snake took revenge by sinking his teeth into the reptile and killing it, police said on August 23. I was very angry after the snake bit into me, Mohamed Salmo Miya, 55, told the Nepali-language Annapurna Post. Then I followed the snake, grabbed it and bit it to death, said Miya who was recovering at home after treatment. AFP

TiMESWORLD
OSLO Norways mass killer Anders Behring Breivik was found sane and sentenced to 21 years in prison on August 24, but in a final provocation said he was only sorry he had not killed more people. Breivik, who killed 77 people in a bomb attack and massacre that shook the nation to the core, said he wanted to apologise to all militant nationalists in Norway and in Europe for not having killed more people. He was cut off midsentence as his microphone was silenced by the court. The sentence, the maximum allowed in Norway, can be reviewed and extended indefinitely if the far-right extremist responsible for Europes deadliest peacetime gun rampage is deemed a continued threat to society. Breivik, wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and a grey tie, smiled as the verdict was read out in court. He told the marathon sevenand-a-half-hour session that he would not appeal the prison sentence, reiterating that he did not recognise the courts legitimacy. He had wished to be found sane so that his Islamophobic and anti-multicultural ideology would not be considered the rantings of a lunatic. In my view this sentence and judgement is illegitimate, the 33-yearold said. At the same time I cannot appeal against the judgement because by appealing I would legitimise the court. The prosecution, which had asked for him to be sent to closed psychiatric care, also said it did not plan to appeal, which is likely to spell the end of the case. On July 22, 2011, Breivik started his rampage when he set off a van bomb in Oslo that killed eight people and then killed 69 people, mostly teenagers, in a shooting frenzy at an island summer camp near the capital. A five-member panel at the Oslo District Court unanimously found Breivik guilty of acts of terror, ending a spectacular 10-week trial for Norways worst postWorld War II massacre. The ruling is unanimous, presiding judge Wenche Elizabeth Arntzen told the court, packed with emotional survivors and relatives of victims. He is sentenced to prison for 21 years, with a minimum of 10 years. Knut Storberget, who was Norways justice minister at the time of the attacks, hailed the sentence, telling television channel TV2: Its a good basis for him to stay in prison for the rest of his life. Its the heaviest sentence he could get. AFP

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Images taken by cameras on board NASAs Mars rover, Curiosity, during its first test drive last week since landing on the Red Planet. Report, graphic, P. 28. Pix: AFP/NASA/JPL-Caltech.

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Rape row Republican snubs poll race pull out demand

WASHINGTON The US lawmaker whose controversial remarks about rape sparked a furor said on August 21 he would not quit his race for a Senate seat, despite Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romneys demand to do so. The firestorm over congressman Todd Akins comments about legitimate rape has dominated campaign headlines and put the sensitive issue of abortion back into the spotlight ahead of the Republican convention in Tampa, Florida. A panel has approved an anti-abortion amendment as part of the Republican platform at the convention and the divisive pro-life issue is a minefield for Romney, who lags behind President Barack Obama among women voters. Fearing a monumental backlash that would harm efforts by Romney to reverse that polling trend, Republican leaders closed ranks and essentially ordered Akin to go. Todd Akins comments were offensive and wrong and he should very seriously consider what course would be in the best interest of our country, Romney, who will challenge Obama in the November 6 election, said in a terse statement. Today, his fellow Missourians (four former US senators) urged him to step aside, and I think he should accept their counsel and exit the Senate race. But while Akin apologised, the staunchly pro-life conservative said he wasnt going anywhere, and a Missouri deadline for him to quit the race passed late on August 21 without him dropping out. I believe there is a cause here, Akin said on former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabees radio show, adding he was getting a great deal of grass roots support. Akin triggered the furore on August 19 when he said women rarely conceive as a result of a legitimate rape because their bodies have the capacity to prevent such a pregnancy. The comments came just as Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan were looking to gain momentum ahead of this weeks convention. It was not immediately clear just how much harm Akin has done to the Romney campaign, but Republicans fear Akins gaffe will jeopardise party efforts to woo female voters and seize majority control of the Senate in November. An NBC News and Wall Street Journal poll released on August 21 showed that the Democratic ticket of Obama and Vice President Joe Biden has a four-point lead (48 percent to 44pc) over Romney and Ryan. The numbers are little changed from July, when Obama led Romney by six points, suggesting a small bounce since the Republican hopeful picked Ryan as his vice presidential candidate earlier this month. Akin tried to sound repentant in a new campaign ad seeking forgiveness from voters. Rape is an evil act. I used the wrong words in the wrong way, and for that I apologise, he said. AFP

Curiosity on Mars
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NASAs Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity will try to determine if microbial life once existed on the Red Planet

Mission: Two-year survey of Mars, analyze sediment layers Look for clues about past and present habitable environments Launched: Nov. 26, 2011 Weight: 899 kg Cost: $2.5 billion
Phoenix Landed: May 2008 Pathfinder* Sept 1997 Opportunity Jan 2004 MARS Viking 2 Jul/Aug 1976

Viking 1 Jul/Aug 1976

Curiosity Aug 6, 2012 Spirit Jan 2004

Previous landing sites for rovers and landers

Source: NASA

Curiosity goes for a drive

LOS ANGELES NASAs Mars rover Curiosity had its first test drive last week, leaving wheel tracks near its landing spot now dubbed Bradbury Landing in honour of late science fiction author Ray Bradbury. Curiosity today had its first successful drive on Mars. We have a fully functioning mobility system on our rover, Matt Haverly, the lead rover planner at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, said on August 22. The US$2.5 billion craft which landed in Gale Crater on the Red Planet on August 6 drove about four metres (yards) forward, before turning right at a 90 degree angle and moving backwards a few metres. More tests will be conducted before Curiosity begins its full mission to search for signs of life on the Red Planet. We are 16 days into a two-year mission, said Pete Theisinger, Mars Science Laboratory project manager at the JPL. We havent exercised the sample gathering capability, which is a key, key, key element of the rovers science mission, Theisinger added. So, as good as its gone we have a long way to go before this mission reaches its full potential. NASA said it had approved the Curiosity teams proposal to rename the touchdown site in tribute to Bradbury, the author of The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451 who would have turned 92 on August 22. He died in June. AFP

Military chief fires salvo at Obama critics

WASHINGTON US military chief General Martin Dempsey denounced former officers on August 21 for waging a campaign against President Barack Obama, arguing that soldiers had a duty to stay above the political fray. Dempsey voiced his disapproval of a group of retired military members and CIA officers who have accused Obama of disclosing sensitive national security details including information about the raid last year that killed Osama bin Laden to help secure his re-election in November. Asked if the groups criticism was valid or useful, Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he would not comment on the substance of their allegations. But he added: As to the latter, is it useful? No, its not useful. Its not useful to me. The military had a unique role that required political neutrality, said Dempsey, who spoke to reporters aboard his plane while returning to the United States from Afghanistan and Iraq. And one of the things that marks us as a profession in a democracy, in our form of democracy, thats most important is that we remain apolitical. Thats how we maintain our bond and trust with the American people, Dempsey said. The group of former Navy SEALs and other retired officers who have criticised Obama and call themselves OPSEC for operational security, insist they are not a partisan organisation but have genuine concerns about national security leaks. Dempsey acknowledged that OPSEC comprised officers who had retired from the armed forces, but he said he believed the duty to stay out of party politics still applied. AFP

Trade Mark CauTion

NOTICE is hereby given that Yan Wal Yun Co. Ltd, a company under the laws of Thailand and having its principal office at 767 Soi Wat Phai Ngeon, Wat Phai Ngeon Road, Kwaeng Tungwatdon, Khet Sathorn Bangkok 10120, Thailand is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following trademarks: -

(reg: no. iV/3380/2002)

(reg: no. iV/3384/2002)

The above two trademarks are in respect of: thin soy sauce, soy sauce with mushroom, black sweet soy sauce, black soy sauce, soy bean paste, soy bean paste with chilli, oyster sauce, mushroom vegetarian sauce, seasoning sauce, chilli sauce, sweet chilli sauce, sweet and sour plum sauce, shrimp chilli paste, soy sauce, red bean curd, sukiyaki sauce, sour sauce, fish sauce, siracha chilli sauce, tom yam paste, tomato sauce, steak sauce, Thai sweet chilli sauce, oyster flavoured sauce, sea food soy sauce, Japanese soy sauce - International Class 30 Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademarks or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for Yan Wal Yun Co. Ltd, P.O. Box No.26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 27th August, 2012

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NEW YORK German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are the worlds most powerful women, Forbes magazines annual survey has found. Following the two stateswomen in the 2012 rankings was Brazils President Dilma Rousseff. The list, released on August 22, covers women in fields as diverse as politics, business, media, entertainment and nonprofits, their rankings determined by calculating wealth, media presence and overall impact. The 100-strong list at www.forbes.com/powerwomen includes 25 CEOs overseeing US$984 billion in revenues. The women come from a total of 28 countries, with an average age of 55. Sixteen women enter the list for the first time, including singer Jennifer Lopez, former US Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, Meg Whitman of HP and Marissa Mayer of Yahoo. Lady Gaga, the pop singer, makes it to 14 and at 26 years old is the youngest. The oldest, Britains Queen Elizabeth II, who is 86, ranks only at number 26.

MyanMar tiMes

Israeli army chief in Merkel, Clinton top Forbes list veiled threat to Iran
JERUSALEM Israeli army chief, Lieutenant General Benny Gantz, warned on August 22 that those who believe they can eradicate Israel will face the brunt of Israeli power, in a veiled threat to Iran. These days, the state of Israel and its residents are being threatened. These threats indicate a mistaken evaluation of our strength and capabilities, he said at a ceremony in memory of fallen soldiers. Those who believe they can eradicate Israel and act on these beliefs will face the brunt of the IDF power, he added, said a military statement. Gantz said the Israeli army was ready and prepared along our countrys borders to thwart any such threats. Gantzs remarks came days after Irans supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the cancerous tumour of Israel was the biggest problem confronting Muslim countries. In a speech marking Eid al-Fitr, the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Khamenei said the big powers have dominated the destiny of the Islamic countries for years and... installed the Zionist cancerous tumour in the heart of the Islamic world, reported Irans official IRNA news agency. The previous week, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also told an annual anti-Israel protest in Tehran that the Jewish state was a cancerous tumour that would soon be excised, drawing Western rebukes. Khamenei and Ahmadinejad have long used the word tumour to portray Israel as an illegitimate state in the Middle East that will inevitably disappear. Their expressions have often met with condemnation from world leaders. Tensions between Israel and Iran are taut because of threats by the Jewish state to attack nuclear facilities in the Islamic republic to prevent it reaching the capability to produce nuclear weapons. Israel and its ally, the United States, accuse Iran of seeking to develop an atomic arsenal. Tehran denies this, and says its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful. Its military chiefs warn they will destroy Israel if it attacks. US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, meanwhile, said diplomacy can still solve the crisis, adding that it had relayed the message to Israel. We are focused on trying to have this dual-track policy of diplomacy backed by pressure work. And we are still focused on that, she told reporters on August 22. Her remarks came as UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon said on August 22 that he would attend a Non-Aligned summit in Tehran this week, despite protests by Israel and calls by the United States to shun the event. Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Ban this month he would be making a big mistake if he attended the summit. AFP Hillary Clinton. Others in the top tier include US First Lady Michelle Obama at seven, and Indian President Sonia Gandhi at six. The first female executive editor of The New York Times, Jill Abramson, is at five, while influential philanthropist Melinda Gates is ranked fourth. For Merkel, the top spot comes for the second year in a row and reflects her role in trying to resolve the European Unions financial crisis. She is the Iron Lady of the European Union and the lead player in the euro zone economic drama that continues to threaten global markets, Forbes said. Clinton, the magazine says, has had a formidable past 12 months and is set Angela Merkel. Pix: AFP to resign at the end of they year. Another major US political figure, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, makes nine on the list. She is also the first female head of that department. This years Power Women exert influence in very different ways, and to very different ends, and all with very different impacts on the global community, said Moira Forbes, president of ForbesWoman. Whether leading multibillion-dollar companies, governing countries, shaping the cultural fabric of our lives, or spearheading humanitarian initiatives, collectively these women are changing the planet in profoundly powerful and dynamic ways. AFP

Brazil fines Monsanto for seeds propaganda

BRASILIA A Brazilian court fined US biotech giant Monsanto US$250,000 on August 22 for what a judge said was the companys misleading advertising concerning genetically modified (GM) soy. Monsanto released an advert lauding GM seeds in 2004 a time when their use in Brazil was banned suggesting that they benefited the environment. But Judge Jorge Antonio Maurique in Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul state, slammed the commercial as abusive and misleading propaganda, dubbing the scientific benefits of Monsantos product as very questionable. Monsanto can appeal the court ruling but a representative said the company was awaiting official court notification of the ruling before considering its next steps. The ban on GM seeds has been lifted and 85 percent of Brazils soybean crop (25 million hectares or 62 million acres), is GM, making Brazil the worlds second producer and exporter, after the United States. AFP

Trade Mark CauTion

JCB Co., Ltd., a company incorporated under the laws of Japan, and having its principal place of business at 5-1-22 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 1078686, Japan, is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following Trademark:-

Trade Mark CauTion

NOTICE is hereby given that SMiLePHan CoMPanY LiMiTed a Company incorporated in Thailand and having its principal office at 432 Soi Phrayamonthat 35-9, Sub-district of Bangbon, District of Bangbon, Bangkok 10150, Thailand is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following trademark: -

(reg: no. iV/7150/2012) in respect of: - Biscuits, candies, caramels (candy), chewing gum, jelly, potato chips, chips, chips (cereal products), cookies, malt biscuits, corn (milled), corn (roasted), corn flakes, popcorn, peppermint sweets. Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademark or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for SMiLePHan CoMPanY LiMiTed P.O. Box No.26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 27th August, 2012

reg. nos. 478/2007, 8300/2009, 6396/2012 used in respect of:intl Class 9: Integrated circuit chips; Computer programs, including downloadable software; Computer programs recorded on data media; Magnetic encoded cards; Integrated circuit cards [smart cards]; Integrated circuits; Electronic machines and apparatus, and their parts; Telecommunication machines and apparatus; Computer software used for electronic payments via a computer network; Portable telephones; Computers; Card readers; Point-of-sale terminals. intl Class 16: Booklets; Bookmarkers; Books; Calendars; Catalogues; Maps; Passport holders; Magazines; Periodicals; Newspapers; Posters; Printed matter; Publications; Stationery; Wet tissue papers; Tissue papers; Pocket memorandum books; Memorandum books; Paintings and calligraphic works; Photograph stands; Stickers. intl Class 35: Advertising and publicity; Advertising agencies; Advertising by mail order; Systemization of information into computer databases; Importexport agencies and providing information thereon; Mediation of contracts for purchase and sale of products; Providing information on commodity sales; Marketing research; Providing information on marketing research; Auctioneering; Providing information on auctioneering; Issuance of trading stamps; Providing information on employment agencies; Providing information on rental of copying machines and word processors; Providing

information on financial statement preparation; Providing information on arranging newspaper subscriptions for others; Sales Promotion for others; Secretarial and clerical services; Agencies for conclusion of credit card merchant agreements; Order-reception and ordering services for others; Data entry and data processing services; Telephone answering services; Issue and dispatch of bills and accounting statements; Compilation and processing of statistical data and information. intl Class 36: Credit card services; Providing information of credit card statements; Debit card services; Issue of pre-paid cards; Debt collection agencies; Acquisition and transfer of monetary claims; Financial clearing; Money exchange; Factoring agencies; Financing services; Loan services; Electronic funds transfer; Surety services; Installment loans; Hire-purchase financing; Brokerage for hire-purchase; Brokerage for issue of travelers checks; Agencies for collecting gas and electric power utility charges, telephone charges and public utility charges, and providing information relating thereto; Rent collection; Lending against security; Savings banks; Financial evaluation regarding insurance, banking and real estate; Financial analysis; Financial consultancy; Providing financial information; Issue of tokens of value; Agencies or brokerage for trading of securities; Providing stock market information; Insurance brokerage; Insurance premium rate computing; Insurance consultancy; Providing insurance information; Insurance underwriting; Credit bureaux; Company credit investigation; Charitable fund raising; Rental of card-readers, card-writers and payment processing machines and equipment used for credit cards or debit cards; Agencies for recruitment and management of credit card members and merchants(member stores) on behalf of credit card issuers. Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said Trademark will be dealt with according to laws. u nyunt Tin associates, Intellectual Property Law Firm Tel: 951 375754, Fax: 951 254321 Email: info@untlaw.com For: JCB Co., Ltd. Dated: 27 August, 2012.

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Grim conflict finds expression in dark humour

BEIRUT Faced with a bloody conflict that has gripped their country for the past 17 months, many Syrians have opted for humour as a weapon to mock both Bashar al-Assads regime and their own daily struggles. Dear defectors, the Syrian revolution is taking place in Syria, not in Turkey, read banners at several protests, mocking defectors who have chosen to keep their distance from the battlefield after fleeing north across the border. And the defection to Paris of the regimes former golden boy, Manaf Tlass, prompted protesters in Kfar Nabal village in northwest Idlib province who have become wellknown for their witty slogans to raise a banner reading: The Charles de Gaulle Brigade led by Brigadier General Manaf Tlass has seized control of the Champs Elysees! All aspects of the conflict are fair game for increasingly dark Syrian jokes. Residents of Homs, often mocked by the rest of the country for their so-called naivety and lack of intellect, won plaudits nationwide for their resolve against regime forces when their town was hammered by the Syrian army, to the point that their city was nicknamed the Capital of the Revolution. But, so the joke goes, their supposed naivety was a problem for authorities because whenever they imposed a curfew, residents would flock onto the streets to check it out. Or: In Homs city, a resident plays with a rocket. When his friend warns him to be careful because it might go off, he reassures him theres nothing to worry about because the army will simply fire some more. Other jokes play on Homss reputation as a conservative city: A couple from Homs decide to visit Aleppo, Syrias commercial capital, before it became the site of brutal battles between rebels and the regime. They walk through Aleppos streets and after two hours without hearing any explosions or seeing any demonstrations, the husband tells the wife: You can take off your veil now, there mustnt be any men here. More than anything else, defections have become a favourite of rebel humour. The recent defection to Jordan of Riad Hijab, prime minister at the time, sparked jokes that Jordanian authorities have the following signs at border crossings: Jordanians, Arabs, Foreigners, Diplomats, and Deserting Syrian Officials. AFP

Briefs
Were not going, say prosecutors
STOCKHOLM Swedish prosecutors on August 23 ruled out travelling to London to question Julian Assange over alleged sex crimes even though the WikiLeaks founders lawyer said he had key information relating to the matter. There is nothing new. We are still waiting for Mr Assange, Helena Ekstrand, spokeswoman for the prosecutors office, told AFP when asked about the comments of Assanges lawyer Baltasar Garzon.

Syria ready to discuss Assad exit

DAMASCUS Syria said last week it was ready to discuss the departure of President Bashar al-Assad as part of a negotiated settlement to the increasingly ferocious conflict. The surprise comments on August 21 by a Syrian envoy visiting Moscow emerged after Russia bluntly told the West not to meddle in Syria in the wake of US President Barack Obamas warning to Damascus over its chemical weapons arsenal. As far as his resignation goes making the resignation itself a condition for holding dialogue means that you will never be able to reach this dialogue, Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil said after talks in Moscow. But he added: Any problems can be discussed during negotiations. We are even ready to discuss this issue. Political sources in Damascus said Jamil was sent to Moscow to discuss a possible plan for a presidential election in Syria in which all candidates would be allowed to stand, including Assad. The exiled opposition

A rebel fighter returns fire from a loyalist sniper in Aleppo on August 21. A Japanese reporter was shot dead in Aleppo the previous day, becoming the fourth foreign journalist to be killed while covering the conflict in Syria. Pic: AFP umbrella group, the Syrian National Council, said it was studying the formation of a transitional government, but did not elaborate on whether it could include regime figures. The United States reacted with scepticism. We saw the reports of the press conference that the deputy prime minister gave. Frankly, we didnt see anything terribly new there, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. We still believe that the faster Assad goes, the more chance there is to quickly move on to the day after. The West has long demanded Assads departure, accusing him of butchering his own people during a 17-month conflict that began as a peaceful uprising but has deteriorated into a brutal fight between regime forces

and armed rebels. Syrias traditional allies Russia and China have blocked UN resolutions on the conflict, rejecting what they see as foreign attempts at regime change, leaving the international community deeply divided over how to end the conflict. Activists say more than 23,000 people have been killed since March 2011, while the UN puts the death toll at 17,000 and says hundreds of thousands more have fled or been made homeless in a major humanitarian crisis. Obama had put Assads regime on notice on August 20 that although he had not ordered military action at this point, Washington would regard any recourse by Damascus to its deadly arsenal as crossing a red line. There would be enormous consequences if we start seeing movement on the chemical weapons front or the use of chemical weapons, he told reporters. Syria admitted in July that it has chemical weapons and could use them in case of any external aggression but not against its own people. AFP

Egyptian editor freed from custody

CAIRO Egyptian newspaper editor Islam Afifi was freed after a few hours in custody on August 23, a security official said, in the wake of a decree issued by President Mohamed Morsi that scrapped preventive detention for alleged publishing crimes. Afifi is facing charges of inciting disorder and spreading false news. It was the first time Morsi, who was inaugurated on June 30 and stripped the military of legislative powers in August, had issued a decree with the force of law, a presidential spokesman was quoted as saying by the official MENA news agency.

Trial next month for Kadhafis son

TRIPOLI Slain leader Moamer Kadhafis son Seif al-Islam will go on trial next month in the Libyan town of Zintan, a prosecution official said on August 22, despite an International Criminal Court warrant. The ICC in The Hague had issued a warrant for Seifs arrest on charges of crimes against humanity during the conflict which overthrew his father last year. Activists have raised concerns that Seif, 40, could face the death penalty if tried in Libya but the authorities there have insisted he stand trial in his home country.

Trade Mark CauTion

Johnson & Johnson, a corporation incorporated in the United States of America, of One Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.A., is the Owner of the following Trade Marks:-

Zuma warns mining firms as tensions linger over killings

MARIKANA South African President Jacob Zuma warned mining firms last week that they could lose their licences if they failed to provide decent housing for workers, as tensions lingered over the deaths of 34 miners during a wildcat strike on August 16. Zuma issued the warning on August 22 after meeting striking miners at the Lonmin platinum facility at Marikana, where police had gunned down the 34 armed workers. The meeting came as hundreds of workers at the nearby Royal Bafokeng Platinum downed tools, demanding higher pay. The worlds top producer Anglo American Platinum also admitted receiving a broad list of demands from its employees. Zuma said the mining industry had assets valued at $2.5 trillion excluding coal and uranium should be able to pay its workers a better wage. In fact it should not be such an industry that has the lowest paid worker, given the wealth they have, he said during a memorial lecture to honour a former leader of the ruling African National Congress. He also noted that the government issued a directive to improve housing conditions for mine workers two years ago, but an audit conducted at mines in the North West provinces Rusternburg platinum belt showed only half were in compliance with the mining charter. In one case, a company is housing 166 workers in a hostel block with just four toilets and four showers to share among them, the president said. Sanctions for noncompliance with the charter include the cancellation of mining rights or licences, Zuma said. Earlier, Zuma paid his second visit to the Marikana mine since the brutal police crackdown on August 16. This is painful to all of us. It is not acceptable for people to die where talks can be held, Zuma told about 2000 workers at a field. But I do feel your pain and have come personally to express that. I am certain that the commission of inquiry will get to the bottom of what happened here. A judicial commission is investigating the Marikana police shootings, which shocked South Africa in the deadliest day of protest since apartheid. Police are undertaking their own investigation, while the independent police watchdog is also probing the police action. AFP

reg. no. 1183/2004 in respect of Pharmaceutical, namely, a neurological preparation.

Dried seahorses seized in Peru

LIMA More than 16,000 dried seahorses destined for illegal export to Asia, where the animal is sought for its supposed healing properties, were seized in Perus capital, Lima, on August 23, authorities said on August 23. Seahorse powder sells for about US$6000 a kilo, said Colonel Victor Fernandez, from the police unit that made the seizure. Seahorse fishing has been banned in Peru since 2004, and is punishable by two to five years in prison. AFP

reg. no. 3661/2004 in respect of Analgesic preparations administered transdermally. Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Marks will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for Johnson & Johnson P. O. Box 60, Yangon. Dated: 27 August 2012

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Russia warns against Pussy Riot hysterics

The probe is currently Seeking to deflect MOSCOW Russia warned the West against widespread criticism that ongoing, search activities hysterics over the Pussy the Moscow court merely are being conducted, a Riot sentencing last week fulfilled a Kremlin wish, police spokesman told AFP. as police said they were Lavrov said the judge had He declined to provide hunting members of the acted independently and further details. Five women in all pulled punk band still at large noted that Putin himself after the stunt mocking had called for leniency for o n b r i g h t l y c o l o u r e d balaclavas on February the three women. President Vladimir Putin. On a recent visit to London 21 and belted out a punk There is still the possibility of filing an appeal and the before the verdict Putin had prayer in Moscows Christ lawyers for the young girls also said he was hoping the Saviour Cathedral plan to do so, Russian the court would make the calling on the Virgin Mary to remove Russian strongman Foreign Minister Sergei right ruling. Interfering with the courts Putin. Lavrov said on August 20 The three put on trial during a visit to Helsinki in work is inadmissible. We can were detained in March, his governments first while the other two official reaction to the free. sentencing. Our clients will not ask remained the trial, the During Lets not draw any prosecution referred to rash conclusions and go for a pardon. them as unidentified off into hysterics, the participants. countrys top diplomat Earlier on August 20 the only have a personal opinion said. His comments came after on the verdict, Lavrov said. jailed trios lawyer said they He added that a number would not seek clemency three members of Pussy Riot were found guilty on of European countries also from Putin, who was elected August 17 of hooliganism had strict punishments for president for a third term motivated by religious what he said was blasphemy shortly after the cathedral hatred and sentenced to in places of worship, with up performance. Our clients will not ask for two years jail after they to three years imprisonment performed an anti-Putin in Germany, two years in a pardon, Nikolai Polozov song in Moscows leading France and Finland and six told AFP. Literally this is what they said: Let them go months in Austria. cathedral in February. R u s s i a n a u t h o r i t i e s to hell with their pardon. The West decried the Polozov said however the court ruling against Maria meanwhile said earlier on A l y o k h i n a , N a d e z h d a August 20 they had launched defence team planned to T o l o k o n n i k o v a a n d a new criminal investigation appeal to a higher court as Yekaterina Samutsevich, against members of the soon as they received a copy calling it disproportionate band who remained free of the lengthy verdict. AFP after their stunt. and excessive.

Consolata Melis at her home in the village of Perdasdefogu, on the Italian island of Sardinia, on August 21, the day before she turned 105. Pic: AFP

Sardinian siblings set a record

ROME The Melis siblings on the Italian island of Sardinia are officially the worlds oldest with nine brothers and sisters clocking up a total of 818 years between them, newspapers reported on August 21. The oldest sibling, Consolata, turned 105 on August 22, and has nine children, 24 grand-children and 25 great-grandchildren, the reports said, adding that the longevity of the siblings had been recognised as a Guinness World Record. The reports said the Guinness certification followed a seven-year review around the world. The Melis are from the village of Perdasdefogu in the southeastern corner of the island, which has some of the oldest people in the world. The next oldest are Claudia (99), Maria (97), Antonio (93), Concetta (91), Adolfo (89), Vitalio (86), Vitalia (81), and Mafalda (78). Claudia still attends mass every week and Adolfo runs a bar. Luca Deiana, a professor of clinical biochemistry at the university of Sassari in Sardinia who has studied some 2500 centenarians on the island since 1996 said the longevity of its inhabitants was due to various factors. On the one hand it is about genetics, about inherited longevity... but there is also the bounty of the land and the local fruit, particularly pears and prunes, he was quoted as saying by Corriere della Sera. He also said strong local family traditions contributed to long life. AFP

Drought planning urged

GENEVA, Switzerland The worst effects of drought could be avoided if countries had a disaster management plan to confront the problem, the UN World Meteorological Organisation said on August 21. With world food prices six percent higher now than at the start of the year and approaching the 2010 record, its time for countries affected by drought to move towards developing a policy, said Mannava Sivakumar, director of the WMOs Climate Prediction and Adaptation Branch. Despite repeated droughts throughout human history and their long-term impact compared with other natural disasters, Australia is the only country in the world to develop a risk management policy for drought, Sivakumar said. Planning for drought needed to include implementing earlywarning systems and putting in place systems to help poor farming communities avoid the worst effects of extended dry weather, Sivakumar said. This would ensure that they would have some crop instead of no crop, he said. AFP

FM sacked as stunt fallout continues

MINSK Belarus strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko on August 20 fired his foreign minister as part of a sweeping reshuffle that follows a diplomatic crisis in ties with Sweden after a stunt involving teddy bears. Lukashenkos office did not immediately explain the decision to replace Sergei Martynov with the powerful presidential administration chief Vladimir Makey. Makey has headed the presidential administration since 2008 a post with sweeping powers because of Lukashenkos full control of both foreign and domestic affairs in the nation of 10 million. Makey is on a list of dozens of Belarus officials who have been barred entry into the European Union because of a violent crackdown on post-election protests in December 2010. The EU was angered earlier this month when Minsk expelled the ambassador of Sweden and ordered out all its diplomats after a Swedish public relations firm arranged an airdrop of teddy bears carrying messages on human rights. Analysts have questioned Lukashenkos motives in making the reshuffle and doubted that it would herald an improvement in ties with the West. Makeys appointment cannot possibly radically help relations with Europe because he is on the European no-entry list, said independent foreign policy analyst Roman Yakovlevsky. Belarus had been on a course to improve relations with European powers as it headed into 2010 presidential election that Lukashenko was certain to win against a divided field and had promised to make fair and open. But election-night violence and the arrest of hundreds of protesters halted the brief diplomatic thaw and left Belarus without billions of dollars in aid that Germany and Poland had promised in case of a more democratic ballot. Belarus authorities responded by cracking down more strongly on human rights organisations and withdrawing its envoys from some European countries in protest at their repeated expressions of concern. AFP

Trade Mark CauTion

NOTICE is hereby given that S.C. Johnson & Son, inc. and having is principal office at 1525 Howe Street, Racine, Wisconsin 53403, United States of America is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following trademark: -

Trade Mark CauTion

alza Corporation, a corporation incorporated in the United States of America, of 700 Eubanks Drive, Vacaville CA 95688, U.S.A., is the Owner of the following Trade Mark:-

Trade Mark CauTion

orienT Tokei kaBuSHiki kaiSHa (also trading as orienT WaTCH Co., LTd), of 4-4, 2-chome, Soto Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan, is the Owner of the following Trade Mark:-

r idS eC T
(reg: nos. iV/598/1995 & iV/12224/2011) in respect of: Preparations for killing weeds and destroying vermin; insecticides; fungicides; herbicides - Intl Class: 5 Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademark or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for S.C. Johnson & Son, inc. P.O. Box No.26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 27th August, 2012

d-TranS
reg. no. 6826/2004 in respect of Transdermal patches for testosterone hormone therapy and for the treatment of pain. Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Mark will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for alza Corporation P. O. Box 60, Yangon Dated: 27 August 2012

orienT Sar Coating

reg. no. 8474/2012 in respect of intl Class 14: Watches and clocks, their parts and accessories. Fraudulent imitation or unauthorised use of the said Trade Mark will be dealt with according to law. Win Mu Tin, M.A., H.G.P., D.B.L for orienT Tokei kaBuSHiki kaiSHa P. O. Box 60, Yangon E-mail: makhinkyi.law@mptmail.net.mm Dated: 27 August 2012

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Climate change ruins the whale tails

By Juliet Eilperin POINT HOPE, Alaska Fermented whales tail doesnt taste the same when the ice cellars flood. Whaling crews in this Arctic coast village store about two metres (six feet) of tail skin, blubber and bone underground from spring until autumn. The tail freezes slowly while fermenting and taking on the flavour of the earth. Paying homage to their connection to the frozen sea, villagers eat the delicacy to celebrate the moment when the Arctics ice touches shore. But climate change, with its more intense storms, melting permafrost and soil erosion, is causing the ice cellars to disintegrate. Many have washed out to sea in recent decades. The remaining ones regularly flood in the spring, which can spoil the meat and blubber, and release scents that attract polar bears. Theyre thawing and filling up with water, Point Hope Mayor Steve Oomittuk said as he lifted a small wooden door to a cellar, surrounded by plastic sheets shielding the remaining snow cover from the sun. This spring, residents had to take some meat and blubber out and make room for it in their freezers at home. When you store it in a freezer, it tastes different, Oomittuk said. More quickly than any other place in the United States, the Alaskan Arctic is being transformed by global warming. The effects

The residents of Point Hope, a village of 850 people, lived in sod houses like this until the mid-1970s. Pic: The Washington Post/Juliet Eilperin permitting for the states northernmost borough and oversees climate change issues. The Arctic sea ice, which shrinks during the summer and grows in the winter, decreased by a total of 54.65 million square kilometres (21.1 million square miles) in June, the largest loss on record for the month since satellite records began, said the National of mugaliq, a combination of slush, ice and snow that is harder to work on. Point Hope, population 850, ends in a slender stretch of land jutting into the Chukchi Sea. The communitys heritage is clustered in this part of the sparse landscape for a reason: The seas bounty once sustained a local population of more than 5000. But that proximity to Siikauraq Whiting, who is headquartered in Kotzebue, said she and other residents are committed to defending their community and way of life. The last thing Im going to say is were a people of the past, she said. We still exist. A dozen villages, however, are declaring defeat and trying to relocate. Every year, the river encroaches farther and farther into Newtok, a village of 354 people that rests on melting permafrost on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. During the past 16 years, its garbage dump and main barge landing have eroded into the water. Newtok officials have identified a relocation site 14.5 kilometres (nine miles) away on higher ground on Nelson Island, but they have not received federal funding for the move. The villages tribal administrator, Stanley Tom, has started training villagers to build homes on the new site, but he said they are still waiting for federal permits and funding. fiscal 2010, on top of the $500,000 she secured for the town of Shishmaref in fiscal 2005. Meanwhile, the federal government is studying what can be done. Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Hayes announced on July 30 that a federal interagency group on Alaska will work with the Arctic Research Commission to create a central hub of scientific information to inform public decisionmaking. It also will launch an effort to evaluate the environmental, social and economic impact of Arctic infrastructure development, given the changing climate. When it comes to permafrost loss, what can we do about that? What we can do is better understand it, Hayes said. Whats most important now is scoping out the extent of the issue. The Department of the Interiors Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperatives program is using computer models to project everything from where polar bear mothers will den this winter to how a changed by detonating six nuclear bombs nearby. A lot of this stuff is trustbuilding, Martin Robards, director of the Wildlife Conservation Societys Arctic Beringia Program, said of current efforts. Aggie Henry, a housing security official in Point Hope, smiled when asked about possible federal assistance. The federal government is not here. The Coast Guard is miles and miles away, she said, looking out onto the Chukchi Sea. Our heritage and our culture and tradition is very important to us. We will have to adapt to it. She said she is worried about the bowhead whales, bearded seals and walruses stored in the dark holds of her communitys remaining ice cellars, each one about four metres (13 feet) square and 3.05 metres (10 feet) deep. Fortunately, the flooding this year did not harm the whale tails saved from the spring hunt five in all. So this autumn, Point Hope residents will carry them to city hall, clean off the

figure out whats happening Were trying towhat will happen to the land. to the land, and
of climate change are threatening a way of life. The dilemma for the federal government and state and local officials is whether to try to preserve, if it is even possible, the heritage of the Inuit villages, their ice cellars, sod ancestral homes and cemeteries ringed with spires of whalebones. Or spend the hundreds of millions of dollars it would cost to move even one village. Point Hope, with a 4500year history, has much to lose. Its not just a matter of culture and history but of survival. Households in Alaskan Arctic villages rely on hunting and fishing for most of their food consumption and those activities depend on sea ice. The importance of catching their own food is evident in the aisles of the Alaska Commercial Co, a supermarket on Bison Street in Kotzebue. Milk costs US$9.99 a gallon and a jumbo pack of drumsticks is $21.77. You get a sense of our dependence on subsistence hunting, John Chase said, referring to the prices. He handles land use Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Overall, summer sea ice has declined 40 percent since 1979, according to satellite imagery. The hunters in Kotzebue, 290 kilometres (180 miles) south of Point Hope, struggled during this years bearded seal hunt. The slushy ice made it hard to find a firm place to stand and many of the seals were submerged in water and harder to shoot and retrieve. This years ice was really bad. It makes it harder to see them. Some of the ice was brown and dark, said Karmen Monigold, 36, who has been hunting since she was 20. Our food security is being threatened, not just by climate change, but by offshore development. When I think of my boys, they may not be able to hunt like I do. In the town of Barrow, the northernmost community in the United States and 532 kilometres (330 miles) north of Point Hope, the men and women who build trails on the ice so they can harpoon whales and pull them onto a solid surface now complain the ocean is also why it is losing ground. The North Slope Borough that encompasses Point Hope and Barrow has spent about $2 million building an 83-metre (275-foot) rock revetment near Point Hopes runway to guard against erosion, and the Army Corps of Engineers spent $433,000 to restore an evacuation road that was damaged by storms and is the main alternative to the airstrip. The community also makes a line of defence out of gravel each summer. We pile up this gravel and try to stop the erosion, Oomittuk said, looking out at the steep piles of brown gravel as the waves lapped against them. We see the things that are changing with the climate change, the offshore development, the ice moving out there, the destructive fall [autumn] storms, he said. This summer, the town of Kotzebue put the finishing touches on a $34 million sea wall funded mainly by the federal government to protect its beach from powerful autumn storms and erosion. Northwest Arctic Borough Mayor

When food was scarce, you had to ferment everything you had left. Its all about survival.
Our village is sinking very fast, and we are now flood-prone, Tom said. The government is so slow, theyre taking their leisure time. . . . Where is the money? The funds that Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, sees as essential to remote communities survival are considered bad earmarks by many in Washington, she said. Nonetheless, she was able to direct $2 million to her states coastal erosion program in landscape will shift species distribution in Alaska by mid-century. Were trying to figure out whats happening to the land, and what will happen to the land, said Greg Balogh, the programs coordinator. But there is a history of mistrust between Alaskan native villagers and the federal government. People in Point Hope remember Project Chariot, an aborted federal plan in the 1960s to create a new harbour

blubber they are wrapped in and cut them up. Whaling captains will be served first. Residents will bring buckets to take some home. Its green and slimy and nice, with a good taste, Oomittuk said. It has a strong smell. You have to be born to it. To us, this is what we grew up with. When food was scarce, you had to ferment everything you had left, he said. Its all about survival. The Washington Post

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for whatever happens in Brotherhood immediately prepared to play by a set of blamed the Mossad, Israels rules grounded in reality Egypt. The country faces daunting intelligence organisation, and key principles. They must respect the economic challenges; it will for the Sinai attack that need significant outside killed the Egyptian soldiers rights of minorities and assistance and private s o m e t h i n g t h a t t h e women; they must accept investment. Morsi and the Brotherhood knew to be political pluralism and the space for open political Brotherhood are seeking untrue. W h a t c o n c l u s i o n s competition; and they must outside support for their r e n a i s s a n c e p l a n t o should be drawn about an respect their international revitalise the economy; after organisation that cannot obligations, including the they resisted the conditions admit the truth? That terms of Egypts peace f o r a n I n t e r n a t i o n a l insists on living in its own treaty with Israel. The record to date is not Monetary Fund agreement reality? If nothing else, its clear good: News reports suggest when they were not in power, Morsi and the Brotherhood that the Brotherhood is that more than 100,000 now appear eager to not wedded to its ideology and Coptic Christians have left only gain the loan but also cannot admit anything Egypt; there have been new to borrow more than the that might call its basic efforts to intimidate the US$3.2 billion that the philosophy into question. But media, and Morsi has moved IMF was prepared to offer the United States and others armoured forces into the should not accommodate Sinai without first notifying conditionally. In this respect, Morsi and t h e B r o t h e r h o o d s the Israelis a requirement the Brotherhood seem to alternative reality. This of the peace treaty. The Obama recognise reality. administraBut in another tions position important The United States and others needs to be clear: r e g a r d , If this behaviour they appear should not accommodate the continues, US determined to deny it. Brotherhoods alternative reality. support, which will be essential Consider that for gaining Morsi denied sending Israeli President is not to say that we have international economic aid Shimon Peres a response to agree on everything. and fostering investment, to a note that Peres had P o l i c y d i f f e r e n c e s a r e will not be forthcoming. written him after news of the understandable but it is Softening or fuzzing our correspondence provoked a not acceptable to deny reality response at this point might backlash in the Brotherhood and foster a narrative and be good for the Muslim over Morsi having any such policies based on untruths Brotherhood, but it wont be good for Egypt. contact with Israel. What and fictions. The Washington Post Morsi and the Muslim makes this particularly (Dennis Ross, a counsellor noteworthy is that Peress Brotherhood should know office did not release Morsis this. Egypts president and at the Washington Institute letter publicly until after people should also know for Near East Policy, was checking with the Egyptians that the United States is a s p e c i a l a s s i s t a n t t o to make sure it was okay prepared to mobilise the President Obama on the t o d o s o . T h e o u t r a g e international community, Middle East and a senior among the Brotherhood a n d g l o b a l f i n a n c i a l director on the National led Egypts president to institutions, to help Egypt Security Council staff from p u b l i c l y d e n y a f a c t . but that we will only do July 2009 to December Similarly, consider that the so if Egypts government is 2011).

MyanMar tiMes

Searching for reality in Morsis Egypt

COMMENT
by Dennis Ross
A NEW reality and an alternative reality are shaping up in Egypt. President Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood appear firmly in control. Morsi seized on the killing of 16 Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai early this month an embarrassment for the military and particularly the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to remove the most senior military leaders from office. He also unilaterally amended the March 2011 constitution declaration and gave his office executive and legislative powers. In short, with no hint of resistance from the military, Morsi has imposed civilian leadership on Egypt. Many see Morsis move to control the SCAF he sacked Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi; military chief of staff Sami Anan; and the heads of Egypts army, navy and air force as finally giving Egypts revolution the chance to remove key remnants of the Mubarak regime and fulfill its promise. Others, particularly nonIslamists, are more prone to see recent actions as the Muslim Brotherhood removing any checks on its power. Given some of the other moves that Morsi and those around him have made, there is reason to be concerned. Morsi has

President Mohamed Morsi has surrounded himself with members of the Muslim Brotherhood or its sympathisers. What conclusions should be drawn about an organisation that cannot admit the truth, asks Dennis Ross. Pic: AFP appointed a new minister of information, Salah Abdul Maqsud; he, too, comes from the Muslim Brotherhood and actively supports the move to replace 50 leading editors and journalists. Charges have been filed against the editor of the independent opposition newspaper al-Dustour for insulting the president. It is probably no accident that the state medias tone has changed markedly since the reshuffle of the military leadership and is far more favourable toward Morsi. None of this means that Egypts path of change is foreordained. It does mean that the president, who has largely surrounded himself with members of the Muslim Brotherhood or sympathisers, dominates all of Egypts institutions of power. He and the Brotherhood will find it hard to escape responsibility

The dust that brings a cruel and agnonising death

But asbestos is a patient killer: Yet nearly one in three homes PRIESKA, South Africa Death knows the small town of Prieska is still contaminated, show it can lie dormant for decades. Imagine walking along a dirt government statistics. all too well. Environmental scientist Rob road that is contaminated with A poisonous legacy of South Africas years as a global blue Jones estimates asbestos exposure asbestos fibres and a vehicle drives asbestos hub, the Grim Reaper has is killing up to 52 people a year in past. The dust that you inhale is snaked through here for decades, the Northern Cape, while nearly full of microscopic asbestos fibres, wiping out families and striking 90 percent of 36 communities he said Jones. The same scenario applies down neighbours with deadly surveyed had one or more sites to sweeping the garden, house, ranked as severe risk. precision. This is really a national working in the garden, etc. The In most of the houses in our street, there is someone who has environmental emergency that exposures are almost constant. On the wall of a homely cafe, died of asbestosis or mesothelioma, should be dealt with. It is analogous said Chris Julius, 58, who was to Libby, Montana in the US and not too far from where the old diagnosed with asbestos cancer Wittenoom, Australia, said Jones, mill lay, is a black-and-white three months after his mother-in- who has studied contamination p h o t o g r a p h w h i c h s h o w s a giant dust cloud above the tiny levels for the state. law died next door. Wittenoom was shut down by settlement. A former teacher, Julius never It is an image that haunts worked at the towns mill or in doctor Deon Smith who moved the nearby hills where mining the area 28 years ago. started in the late 1800s It has a very, very poor to We see about 10 cases a year, along rich deposits known as the countrys asbestos prognosis.Theres no cure. new cases of mesothelioma, he told AFP. mountains that run along the It has a very, very poor vast Northern Cape. But he has mesothelioma, an Australian authorities in 1966 prognosis, he said. Theres no aggressive lung cancer whose and Libby has received millions of cure. Mesothelioma does not dollars for rehabilitation. diagnosis is a death sentence. Yet, while South Africa once discriminate. It targets poor locals It felt like I was going to the electric chair, said Julius, who produced 98pc of the worlds blue who never worked on the mines, lives 100 metres (yards) from asbestos, the government has yet to former mill bosses and entire where the now-demolished mill to act with the same urgency for households. One such family are the its dozens of toxic communities. once spat dust over the town. The older generation in Prieska Cilentos. Only two siblings are I still feel the same. I live from one day to the next. I cant really tells of playing obliviously on still alive after having watched plan. Its very difficult for me to soft dumps as children, with no their parents, two brothers and say goodbye, I cant even discuss warnings from mine bosses or two sisters die. Wearing a hoop earring and it with my wife. For her, its just authorities. Documented accounts point to fibres being dusted off Jimi Hendrix t-shirt, Nicholas as emotional an issue. lives with a permanent oxygen Locals were once pitted against fruit picked from trees. While still possible to stumble tube piped into his nose and mining firms in David and Goliathstyle class action battles which across a pile of fibres lying in the can only walk a few steps before having to rest. open, those days are over. were settled about a decade ago. Rehabilitation is estimated at 249,000 rands (US$31,000) for each house plot and 1.2 million rands a square kilometre (0.3 square mile) of contaminated roads. It is taking some time because the remediation activities involve different stakeholders and at this moment the action plan is being finalised, said spokeswoman Roopa Singh. For the sick, the towns legal settlement made no provision for latent illness and the government does not pay compensation. Locals largely do not qualify for trusts set up for other mines, such as the Asbestos Relief Trust which had paid out 3555 claims by March. Rehabilitation is crucial because someone exposed today may only get an asbestos related disease say 40 years later, said Jim te Water Naude, a doctor at the trust. The most likely to suffer are children, and those exposed environmentally. With the companies long gone, the buck now stops with the state which is accused of paralysis by analysis. Other than study the problem, no real efforts have been initiated to date (to my knowledge), said Jones. Asbestos does not rot; it never goes away on its own. It is only safe when it is completely removed from the potential of human disturbance, he said. AFP

Nicholas Cilentos, 60, who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, needs to breathe oxygen around the clock. Pic: AFP I knew I am going to get sick but I didnt expect it to be permanent. Im suffering a lot, I didnt know Ill be suffering so much. I learned to accept it, I mean there is nothing else I can do, the gaunt 60-year-old told AFP. All the people are talking about this sickness and why is the government not doing anything, he added. In June, the Department of Environmental Affairs said nearly 5000 out of some 23,000 households and 400 kilometres (248 miles) of road surfaces were polluted in the Northern Cape. Out of 45 schools surveyed, 26 were affected including four in Prieska.

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Gu handed suspended death sentence

HEFEI A Chinese court last week handed the wife of disgraced political leader Bo Xilai a suspended death sentence for murder in a case that has rocked the Communist party ahead of a 10-yearly power handover. Gu Kailai was found guilty of murdering British businessman Neil Heywood, a crime to which she had confessed, and given the death penalty with two years reprieve, court official Tang Yigan told reporters after a brief hearing on August 20. Zhang Xiaojun, an employee of the Bo family charged with helping Gu to poison Heywood, was found guilty and sentenced to nine years in jail while four police officers were convicted of attempting to cover up the murder. Tang said the court had suspended Gus death sentence because she suffered from psychological problems and because Heywood had threatened her son, but he gave no indication of how long she would serve. Suspended death sentences are typically commuted to life in prison in China, although the amount of time served varies. The law states that a death sentence for murder cannot be commuted to less than 20 years in jail, but legal experts say there have been cases where the courts have ordered shorter sentences. Pictured on state television, her hair short and wearing a plain white shirt and black jacket, Gu told the court she accepted the outcome, which reflects particular respect to the law, the truth and life. Gu confessed during her trial earlier this month in the eastern Chinese city of Hefei to killing 41-year-old Heywood by pouring poison down his throat, saying that he had threatened her son after a business deal went sour. The case brought down her husband Bo, a charismatic but divisive politician, and exposed

Key players in Chinas political scandal

A fallen political star, his wife jailed for murder, and the death of an English businessman
Bo Xilai Former mayor of Chongqing Stripped of his post in March in a dramatic fall after being widely tipped for national leadership Placed under investigation for corruption in April Orchestrated an aggressive crackdown on organised crime and corruption in Chongqing 2009-2010, scores of senior officials amongst those arrested Neil Heywood Believed to have had commercial dealings with Bo and Gu going back several years Poisoned in a Chongqing hotel last November, his death was initially reported as a heart attack Allegedly threatened Bos son after a business deal went sour Aug 9 Aug 10 Wang Lijun Former Chongqing police chief Sought asylum at the US consulate in Chengdu in February after accusing Gu of involvement in the murder of Heywood Currently under investigation Bo Guagua 24-year-old son of Gu and Bo Believed to be in the United States after completing a masters degree at Harvard April 10 Gu Kailai Lawyer wife of Bo Xilai Placed under investigation in April for Heywoods murder Confessed to the murder in her trial this month Handed a suspended death sentence August 20 Allegedly invited Heywood to Chongqing for a meeting, plied him with drink, then poured cyanide into his mouth

Timeline of events
Nov 2011 Feb 6, 2012 Heywood found dead Wang seeks asylum at a US consulate, leaves next day Wang reportedly placed under investigation Bo sacked from Chongqing party post British government asks China to investigate Heywoods death Bo placed under investigation for corruption Gu investigated for Heywoods death Gu goes on trial for murder Four senior Chongqing police officers admit in court to covering up the killing of Heywood to protect Gu Gu found guilty, handed suspended death sentence

Mar 2

Mar 15

Mar 26

Aug 20

deep divisions in the ruling Communist party before a generational handover of power due to start later this year. Bo had been tipped for promotion to the elite group of party leaders that effectively rules China until the allegations against his wife burst into the open, and he is under investigation for corruption. Britain said it welcomed Chinas move to investigate Heywoods death last November, which was

initially attributed to a heart attack, although it did not explicitly comment on the verdict. Even before the hearing began state-run news agency Xinhua had said the evidence against Gu was irrefutable, leading many analysts and media commentators to question whether she would be given a fair trial. We welcome the fact that the Chinese authorities have investigated the death of Neil

Heywood, and tried those they identified as responsible, Britains embassy in Beijing said in a statement. We consistently made clear to the Chinese authorities that we wanted to see the trials in this case conform to international human rights standards and for the death penalty not to be applied. Two British diplomats attended Gus trial a rare concession in

China, where trials involving high-profile political figures are often held in secret. Political analysts say leaders are eager to draw a line under the controversy, although the verdict on August 20 will likely shift the spotlight back to Bo, who has not been seen since April and is thought to be under house arrest. Bo enjoyed strong public support during his tenure as party chief of the southwestern city of Chongqing for a tough anti-corruption drive, but his Maoist-style red revival campaign alienated moderates in the Communist party. He also flouted convention by openly lobbying for a spot in the partys top decision-making body, the Politburo Standing Committee. Wang Lijun, the former Chongqing police chief who first raised questions over Heywoods death, is also expected to face trial, but it remains unclear whether Bo himself will be implicated. Sources who attended Gus trial say that there was no reference to Bo. Xinhua said Gu invited Heywood to Chongqing for a meeting last November, plied him with wine until he became drunk and then poured cyanide mixed with water into his mouth. The report said she acted after Heywood threatened the couples son Bo Guagua, 24. Chinese web users posted angry reactions to the suspended death sentence, with many saying Gu was given special treatment as the wife of a former political leader. More than a million posts on Gu could be seen on Sina Weibo a microblog similar to Twitter, which is banned in China after she was spared immediate execution. Bigwig gets death sentence with reprieve for murder, while common people get immediate execution. Wheres the justice? posted one Sina Weibo user. AFP

Chinas show trial of the century raises many questions

LONDON The trial, conviction and suspended death sentence of Gu Kailai, the wife of purged Chinese leader Bo Xilai, has called into question not only Chinas legal system, but the very unity of the Communist Party leadership. Let us begin with the many questions raised at the trial. For starters, Gu claimed that she killed the British businessman Neil Heywood only to protect her son. But, given Gus power as Bos wife, she could have had someone like Heywood jailed or expelled from China at the snap of her fingers. No need for cyanide. Still, she not only admitted her guilt, but seemed to embrace it as a sort of historical necessity. In order to uphold the sanctity of the law, she told the court, I am willing to accept and calmly face whatever judgment I am given, and I also expect a fair and just judgment. Not since Stalins show trials of the 1930s has a defendant so effusively praised a judge who seemed bound to condemn her at a trial where no witness or evidence against her was presented. The bitter irony of Gus high-speed trial is that she was a true believer in Chinas legal system. Indeed, after a victory in an American court, Gu, a lawyer, wrote a book in which she claimed that China provides the fairest method of trial. She continued, Chinese lawyers would not quibble over the meaning of each little word. Once they are sure that you murdered someone, you will be arrested, judged, and executed by firing squad. Indeed, Gu was an avatar of the Maoist form of legality that China has

COMMENT by Ma Jian
But, with the Tiananmen Square incident of 1989, the authorities clamped down on the professions autonomy. The Party reasserted control over every aspect of justice through a core department: the Communist Party Central Committees Political and Legal Affairs Committee (PLAC). This totalitarian organ has no known address, yet it manages Chinas police, prosecutors, courts, Had Wang Lijun, the former Chongqing police commissioner and close ally of Bo Xilai, not feared for his life and fled to the United States consulate in Chengdu, Gu would still be helping Bo to rule the city. Wang is no saint. Before he bec ame Bo s police commissioner, he was the director of the Field Psychology Research Center, where the condemned were executed and their live

After all, when it came to the public-security organs, the courts, and the prison system, Gu always had the final say. She acted as her husbands adviser for cracking down on crime and corruption, and was responsible for sending two people including the PLAC secretary in Wushan County to prison. In fact, a few days after killing Heywood, Gu donned a major generals uniform (which could have belonged to her father, General Gu Jingsheng), convened police

Chinese lawyers would not quibble over the meaning of each little word.
maintained long after Maos death. Having failed the entrance examination to Peking University, Gu was nonetheless granted an exception and admitted to read law soon after the Communist Party restored the law departments. Before that, she sold pork in a Beijing market, where she earned the nickname, Yi dao zhun, meaning that she could hack off a desired slice of meat with one blow. Gu was one of the first lawyers to receive her licence. and justice ministry, and appoints their leadership. All lawyers fall under its remit. Most important, all local PLAC secretaries simultaneously lead the local public-security bureau. Small wonder, then, that the artist Ai Weiwei could be detained in secret, Liu Xiaobo could be sentenced to 11 years in prison for starting a petition, and Li Wangya could commit suicide while in custody. But even this monolithic system of control is porous. organs removed. Wangs paper, A Study of Organ and Receptor Transplantation after Execution by Injection, earned him the Guanghua Innovation Contribution Award. In the paper, he credits our achievements to the thousands of transplantations. Given his familiarity with the brutality of the Chinese system, Wang no doubt understood that, after falling out with Gu and Bo, the US consulate might be the only place he could find safety. officers in Chongqing, and falsely claimed that she had received a secret order from the Ministry of Public Security to protect Wangs personal safety. The uniform, perhaps, was intended to intimidate the Chongqing police. But, in a strange and unexplained twist, Wang was whisked from the consulate to Beijing, where he presented the Party leadership with the evidence that brought about Bos downfall and Gus arrest.

But revealing the skeletons in Bos closet also meant revealing the secret world of the red aristocracy. So Wang can expect no leniency at his trial, which will most likely end with a commuted death sentence and forced labour. In order to protect the red aristocracy, the PLAC made no mention during Gus trial of her myriad economic crimes. So, in the PLACs rewrite of history, Heywood was murdered so that Gu could protect her son, Bo Guagua. And Wang did not defend Chinas honour by revealing Bos and Gus criminality, but aired his stories to hostile foreign forces. Only through his punishment can popular indignation be contained. But the Bo Xilai and Gu Kalai affair may only be a prologue, because the only clear truth to emerge from it is that the Party leadership is fractured. The wolves are now turning on each other. Project Syndicate (Ma Jian, a Chinese writer who lives in exile in Britain, won the 2002 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award for Red Dust: A Path Through China. His most recent novel is Beijing Coma).

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Report airs warning on Chinas rural wealth gap

SHANGHAI Chinas rural inequality is nearing danger levels as hundreds of millions of people shun farming for better paid city work, causing a widening wealth gap, a report said. The state-linked Centre for Chinese Rural Studies said inequality within rural areas was growing given the difference in incomes between those who farmed and those who flocked to cities as migrant workers. Although most migrant workers live in cities for most of the year, they are officially registered as rural residents. The difference in rural residents income is getting bigger and pressure on living expenses is increasing, the centre said in a statement reported in state media on August 22. Chinas growing wealth gap is a major concern for authorities keen to avoid public discontent that could lead to social unrest in the rapidly developing country of 1.3 billion people. The centre estimated the Gini coefficient a commonly used measure of inequality was 0.3949 for rural residents last year, nearing what it called the danger level of 0.40, the statement said. The Gini coefficient measure varies between 0, reflecting complete equality, and 1, which indicates complete inequality. The release marked the first time the centre had compiled an estimate, so no comparative figure was available. China has not released a Gini coefficient for the country as a whole for more than a decade, putting the figure at 0.412 in 2000, amid worries over the widening income gap. An official said in January that data on high income groups was incomplete to explain why the government had again failed to issue the statistic for 2011. Rural residents who work as migrant labourers in cities earn twice as much as those who farm for a living, the state-run Xinhua news agency quoted the centre as saying, but gave no figures. As a result, incomes as a whole for rural households were rising sharply, with average cash income jumping more than 14 percent to about 38,894 yuan (US$6174) last year, the Xinhua report said. Deng Dacai, deputy head of the centre, said the Gini coefficient for all of China was likely well above 0.40, Xinhua reported. The authors of the study could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. The government-backed Chinese Academy of Social Sciences estimated Chinas Gini coefficient at nearly 0.47 in 2005. China should already have the statistical foundation to issue the nationwide Gini coefficient, said Wang Jianmao, an economics professor at the China Europe International Business School in Shanghai. The key is whether its willing to issue it. AFP

Briefs
Imbroglio over protest note
TOKYO Japan on August 23 refused to take back a letter sent by its own prime minister after Seoul said it would not accept delivery of the note, amid a row over disputed islands. South Korea said earlier in the day it would return the protest from Yoshihiko Noda without answering it, for fear any move to acknowledge the missive would bolster Tokyos claim to islands that both sides say they own. That sparked an angry response from Tokyo, which accused its neighbour of contravening diplomatic norms.

Australia in respect call to Beijing on US troops

SYDNEY China must respect Australias sovereign right to have United States Marines deployed in its north as Washington enhances its presence in the Pacific, Foreign Minister Bob Carr said on August 22. Australia last year agreed to host up to 2500 US Marines in the Northern Territory, a significant strategic shift by Washington which irritated China. Carr told the Australian Financial Review the decision was not aimed at China. Just as Australia has taken a balanced view of Chinas rapid military modernisation, China should recognise Australias sovereign right to reframe its alliance with the US as part of its own defence policy, he said. We are interested in developing new architecture with China but are relaxed about the timing. Moreover, I have always said Australia should not have to choose between the US and China. The deployment of US Marines to Darwin, which began in April, has irked Beijing, which has said the Marines presence is proof of a Cold War mentality. But Canberra has argued there was nothing inconsistent with its growing relationship with China, its top trading partner, and its military alliance with the United States. Australia has previously emphasised that strong and peaceful ties between Beijing and the US were key to regional stability. Speaking about Australias relationship with China and the US in a speech late on August 21, Carr urged resistance to the idea it represented a binary choice. He said both the Chinese and Americans insisted their relationship was very good, adding that there was economic self-interest in the relationship. The prosperity of China and America would be undermined by a period of military conflict or frozen relations, he said. AFP

Dictators daughter to seek South Korean presidency

SEOUL South Koreas ruling party overwhelmingly voted for the daughter of an assassinated dictator to be its presidential candidate last week, the first time a major party has chosen a woman to run for the post. Veteran politician Park GeunHye who also lost her mother to a gunman secured a landslide 84 percent of the vote on August 20 to easily defeat four male challengers at the primary of the conservative New Frontier Party. Opinion polls show her as favourite to win the presidency in the December 19 vote. Park, 60, narrowly lost to Lee Myung-Bak in the partys 2007 primary. Lee went on to become president but the countrys leaders are limited to a single five-year term. Beaming broadly, Park accepted a bouquet of flowers from party leaders and promised to secure the presidency and create a country full of dreams and hope. She reiterated a commitment to economic democratisation, in a country with a growing wealth gap and high youth unemployment, and said she would work to improve welfare schemes and create jobs. Park promised to make a clean and transparent government, eradicate corruption that has tarnished Lees administration, and safeguard the nation against external threats. At this time of crisis, we need a prepared leader, she said, adding nation into an economic juggernaut, but is also reviled by some for human rights abuses. Park Geun-Hyes mother was also killed by a gunman, a pro-North Korean agent who shot the first lady in 1974 in a botched attempt to assassinate the president. An opinion survey in JoongAng Ilbo newspaper on August 20 gave her 38.8pc support, followed by 27.1pc for software mogul Ahn CheolSoo, an independent who has not officially declared his candidacy. Moon Jae-In, the likely candidate of the left-leaning main opposition Democratic United Party, was third at 8.6pc. The party will select its candidate next month. However, the survey showed Park leading Ahn only narrowly in a twoway race. Supporters praise Park for what they see as her calm and principled leadership. Opponents portray her as aristocratic and aloof. Its not easy for her to win broad support because of her conservative image, Kookmin University professor Cho Choong-Bin told AFP. Many younger voters do not expect any major change in economic policy and cross-border relations if she becomes president, he said. Ruling party sources quoted by Yonhap news agency said there will now be a concerted effort to increase Parks public exposure to improve her image and showcase her policies. AFP

Retrial ordered for surgeon

SYDNEY An Australian court last week quashed an Indian-born surgeons manslaughter convictions over the deaths of three patients, saying there had been a miscarriage of justice in his trial. Jayant Patel, dubbed Dr Death by the Australian media, was jailed for seven years in July 2010 after a jury found him guilty of criminal negligence resulting in the deaths of three patients and permanent injury to a fourth. The High Court on August 24 dismissed the convictions and ordered a retrial, saying the way prosecutors changed their case during the trial rendered much of the evidence irrelevant.

Park Geun-Hye responds to applause after being elected last week as the ruling New Frontier Partys candidate in presidential elections in December. Pic: AFP she would open a new era of peace and cooperation in Northeast Asia. Park is the daughter of Park Chung-Hee, who seized power in a coup in 1961 and was assassinated by his own spy chief in 1979. Her father won wide respect for transforming the poor war-ravaged

Singapore casino fines reach $1m

SINGAPORE Singapores two casinos have been fined more than US$1 million since they opened in 2010, mostly for violating laws aimed at deterring locals from gambling, official data showed on August 23. The mark was passed after the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa casinos were on August 22 fined S$357,500 ($287,199) and S$140,000 respectively by Singapores Casino Regulatory Authority, it said on its website.

NZ minister ridicules tobacco ad campaign

The branding on our ahead. However, tobacco WELLINGTON British an advertising blitz aimed American Tobacco (BAT) at winning support for its packs has been created over companies adopted the many years and it belongs same tactic in Australia and launched an advertising cause. The campaign which to us... the government were defeated last week in campaign in New Zealand on August 22 opposing plans to includes print, radio and shouldnt be able to just a landmark ruling. Health Minister Tony introduce plain packaging, television advertisements, take that away, he said, in a move the government a l o n g w i t h a w e b s i t e declining to reveal the R y a l l d i d n o t b e l i e v e BAT would sway public immediately dismissed as agreedisagree.co.nz has budget for the campaign. Rush said there was no opinion. the slogan: We agree a waste of money. I dont know why theyre New Zealand announced that tobacco is harmful. proof that plain packaging in-principle support for We disagree that plain reduced smoking and it wasting their money, he said. plain packaging They can take in April and has whatever actions they enthusiastically I dont know why theyre wasting their money. want... but I think welcomed worldNew Zealanders first legislation in could backfire by fuelling have moved on from being Australia forcing tobacco packaging will work. B A T N e w Z e a l a n d an illegal market in tobacco influenced in this way. to be sold in drab, uniform packaging with graphic general manager Steve products and forcing down Theres a lot of support for what the government is Rush said plain packaging prices. health warnings. Its u n s o u n d doing with tobacco. However, the proposal infringed on his companys The public consultation will not be formally adopted intellectual property and set p o l i c y a n d p o t e n t i a l l y in New Zealand until the a dangerous precedent that counterproductive, he on plain packaging ends in October, with a final government finishes public could eventually spread added. Rush refused to rule out decision expected a few consultations on the issue, to other products such as legal action if the plan went months later. AFP prompting BAT to launch alcohol.

Intimidation alleged in crackdown probe

BANGKOK New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch on August 23 accused Thailands army chief of trying to intimidate investigators probing the militarys role in a deadly crackdown on opposition street protests in 2010. The watchdog said Commander-in-Chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha had pressured the Justice Ministrys Department of Special Investigation over its probe into the deaths of more than 90 people, mostly civilians, in the 2010 unrest. AFP

Time out
By Zon Pann Pwint MOVIE director Wine said last week that he has started research to make a documentary about U Thant, A Myanmar diplomat who served as secretary general of the United Nations from 1961 to 1971. Wine said one of the messages he wanted to get across in his film was the value of reading as a gateway to knowledge. U Thants hobby was reading. He read books with zeal. His love of literature and reading helped him become an outstanding person, the director told The Myanmar Times. I want young people to enjoy reading, so the documentary will be an effort to get the message across to young people that reading can help people lead a better life. Last month Wine travelled to U Thants native town i n Pa n t a n a w t o w n s h i p , Ay e y a r w a d y Re g i o n , t o interview residents about the late diplomat. There will be two sides to the documentary: footage of U Thant while he was alive, and a narrative by his daughter Daw Aye Aye Thant along with interesting interviews. But the exact presentation will depend on the availability of footage, he said. He said that some movie clips of U Thant are protected by Myanmars N a t i o n a l S e c u r i t y L a w, and therefore require government permission to use, but added that it was important to include as much original footage as possible in the movie. People want to see the documentary as if they are watching a film. Photos alone cant appeal to the audience. They dont want to feel as if they are reading a book. Moving pictures of U Thant will make the documentary more compelling, Wine said. He said the documentary will also place great emphasis on U Thants two five-your tenures as UN secretary general. He also said that Daw Aye Aye Thant will play a central role in the film, and her son, Thant Myint-U, is also likely to be featured. Material from U Thants early life, from his birth to the time before he went to the UN, might be difficult to obtain. But the UN archives hold many materials from his time as secretary general, Daw Aye Aye Thant told The Myanmar Times. The part of the documentary that covers his career as UN secretary general will be fairly conspicuous, and it will float the watchers boat, she said. His childhood and student life will be hard to re-create because of lack of materials, but because he was my father I can fill in details about his nature and disposition, as well as our familys feelings about him. She said that while her father was alive, she never realised how important or famous he was as a person. I simply treated like him as my father. He never talked about doing good things for the citizens of the world. Thats why I didnt know how important he was at the time. Every day, he lived simply, ate and visited together with us like an ordinary family, Daw Aye Aye Thant said. He also never acted like he was too busy. I only came to learn about his burdens when I read about them in books. But back then I appreciated him very much because he respected the

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Wine researches U Thant doc

Literature org holds logo comp

By Zon Pann Pwint THE newly formed Myanmar Literature Admirers Society is inviting entries for a contest to create a logo to represent the aims of the organisation. The logo, which can be designed using any artistic medium, must represent the preservation and spread of Myanmar literature, and the winner will be awarded K300,000. The Myanmar Literature Admirers Society is was provisionally formed on July 19 and is still in the process of registering as an official organisation. Society secretary U Aung Soe Oo said the organisation was formed because many people dont pay enough attention to the rules of Myanmar grammar and word order when they write in journals, magazines, newspapers and books. Our task is to correct these flaws on paper, to make people realise the importance of grammar and word order, he said. The society consists of literature enthusiasts, and plans to hold a class to teach students how to make concise translations of novels from foreign languages into Myanmar. Contest entries can be submitted to 188, Seikkantha Road, Kyauktada township, Yangon. The deadline for entries is August 31.

U Thant (second left) and his family in 1957. Pic: supplied needs of everyone, even if it was just a small thing. Daw Aye Aye Thant said U Thants old house in Pantanaw was damaged during the Kayin-Bamar War, just a few months after Myanmar gained independence in 1948. The land was sold the following year. I went to Pantanaw last month with Wine, and we found three former students who had attended Pantanaw National High School when U Thant was teaching there. They are now over 90 years old, and they told us their early recollections of my father, she said. U Thant served as a t e a c h e r a t Pa n t a n a w National High School and became headmaster in 1931. Wine said that some of the people he interviewed were quite old and had poor memories of U Thant. But I interviewed them as well as I could, especially his former pupils, the director said. I will continue interviewing people who knew him, including former ambassadors who worked at the UN and U Win Tin, a senior member of the National League for Democracy. Wine added that he is trying to get into the habit of spending many months conducting research and preparing for filming, something that most Myanmar directors avoid in their rush to complete their film projects as quickly as possible. I expect research for this film to be completed next January, he said. Daw Aye Aye Thant said the documentary will be distributed around the world for use as an educational tool, with subtitles in different languages. She added that she expected it to be completed by 2014.

Talent show looks for contestants

By Lwin Mar Htun PRODUCERS of the local talent-search program Eain Met Sone Yar (Where Dreams Meet) said earlier this month that they are scouting for young singers to take part in the contests third season, which will soon be broadcast on Channel 7. The first two seasons each attracted around 70 aspiring singers, of which 10 were selected to appear on the televised contest. In the first two seasons, the competition was limited to individual contestants However, season three will feature singers performing as a group. Groups must comprise two to five performers, and the musical genres can include pop, rock, R&B, hip-hop or acoustic. Channel 7 will provide a band if a contestant does not have their own group. To be eligible for selection, applicants must be between 18 and 30 years of age. Entry forms are available for K3000 at Myanmar Radio and Television on Pyay Road in Yangon. The closing date for applications is August 30.

Video gaming magazine to hit market in Sept

By Pinky VIDEO gamers in Myanmar will have a new way to while away their time when the first issue of Gamers magazine hits store shelves in Yangon and Mandalay next month. The Myanmar-language monthly magazine is the brainchild of eight video gaming aficionados who saw a market for a publication aimed at fellow gaming addicts searching for information on new products and playing techniques. While we were playing games we faced lots of problems, Hein Htet, who will be in charge of marketing and networking for the magazine, told The Myanmar Times. We couldnt find much technical information, and even if we found it online it was in English so it wasnt very useful for Myanmar gamers. So last year we came up with the idea to publish this magazine so everyone could easily find information about games. At a press conference held in Yangon on August 20 to announce the launch of the magazine, operations manager Htet Win Lwin said the aim of the publication was to fulfill the desires of gamers. There are a lot of intelligent gamers here, and we hope this magazine will be a good guide and will be useful for helping them participate in national and international competitions, he said. According to information provided by the publishers, each issue of Gamers will feature more than 60 pages of articles with colorful pictures printed on highquality paper. The first six to seven pages of each magazine will provide insight into well-known games, as well as news about upcoming releases for different systems, including PCs and PlayStation. This will be followed by reviews of online games such as Diablo 3, Defense of the Ancients 2 and World of Warcraft. Information on gaming products will also be included, as well as lists of recommended stores in Myanmar and other countries where gamers can buy accessories. Useful technical articles, such as how to set up the best gaming system on a limited budget, will also be featured. The last section of the magazine will showcase interviews with national and international gamers, as well as recommendations from readers. Future issues will also include more articles contributed by readers. Gamers magazine, which will see initial distribution in Yangon and Mandalay, will be priced at K2500 to K3500 an issue.

The founding fathers of Gamers magazine pose at a press conference at Central Hotel in Yangon on August 20. Pic: Yadanar

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Performance keeps audience enthralled into the wee hours

By Nyein Ei Ei Htwe DANCER Phoe Chit and his troupe surprised audiences during shows at the National Theatre in Yangon on August 17 and 18, by packing the stage with an unwieldy number of performers and combining traditional orchestral music with modern pop songs. The music was supplied by the Myanmar Pyi Kyauk Sane traditional orchestra and local singer Diramor, who performed his own music as well as pop classics such as Michel Jacksons Beat It and Black or White. Heavy rain did not deter large numbers of elderly fans from coming to the theatre, and there were even some younger people in the audience, perhaps attracted by advertisements claiming that the performances would provide a rare opportunity to experience the real Myanmar. The shows were billed as zat pwe, or all-night performances that combine melodrama, slapstick comedy and traditional dance. On the night I attended (August 17), proceedings started with a group of boys and girls holding candles in palms of their hands while performing a gentle dance in homage to the Buddha. This was followed by a dance by well-known spirit medium Ko Gyi Kyaw, who was joined onstage by a dozen men dressed in nat-medium style. By this point the audience was fully engage with the performance, and the interest was only heightened when Phoe Chit himself appeared, along with a crowd of dancers wearing outfits representing the different ethnic groups of Myanmar. The performers sang a song in appreciation of General Aung San, written b y S h a n Tu n ( M y a n m a r Sar), and then the back of the stage was illuminated by a huge projection of a series of portraits of the independence leader. The theatre was suddenly filled with the sound of Aung Sans voice as excerpts from some of his speeches spilled from the sound system, an unexpected development that had the audience buzzing with approval. Then the Myanmar flag was raised onstage and Phoe Chits group sang the national anthem, during which the theatregoers stood to pay their respects. Official business out the of way, performers took the stage for a dance that depicted rural customs and the lives of Myanmar cowpokes, accompanied by traditional flute music. The elderly people in the audience went plumb loco, clapping vigorously in remembrance of long-lost youth spent in the Burmese outback. This was followed by

Phoe Chit performs at the National Theatre in Yangon on August 17. Pic: Ko Taik an opera titled The Sky of Manipura written by Chit Oo Nyo, and featuring performances by Phoe Chit, famous actors from the local film industry and many, many others. The hour-long story was about irreligious behaviour during the early Bagan era, and how people of pure heart were able to broaden their minds and find the truth in the midst of debauchery. The opera was a major spectacle, with more than 400 performers as well as props representing boats, cows, horses and even elephants. There was so much going on, it was difficult to decide where to focus attention on the stage. Battles were depicted, and the performance included not only dancing and acting, but also circus-like acrobatics that held the audience in thrall for the duration. There was a 15-minute break, and the second half of the zat pwe started with a dual dance featuring Phoe Chit and actress Aye Myat Thu, and supported by many dancers and more than 40 jesters and comedians. By this point it was past 1am, and this fragile reporter had to go home and take a rest before waking up early for work the next day. But Im sure the rest of the performances held the audiences attention just as tightly as had the first six hours.

Skaters lack space to shred in Yangon

By Pinky FOLLOWING the demolition of Thuwunna Skate Park by a private businessman in May, Yangons skateboarders have been left with two unappealing options: to use the ill-equipped City Centre Skate Park or risk the dangers of the roads. Thuwunna Skate Park was built several years ago and was operated by Eagle Garden Restaurant, whose owner allowed skaters to use the park for free, or at least he sold the property to another businessman earlier this year. Disgruntled skateboarder Ye Wint Ko said the skate park was bulldozed at night apparently to make way for a car showroom and because the skaters were given no prior warning, they were surprised to be confronted by a pile of rubble when they turned up the following morning. The dismayed youth searched for answers about the parks demise, asking staff at Eagle Garden Restaurant and others in the area, but their efforts were in vain as no one would give them the real story. As a result, some skaters have moved to Yangons only other skateboarding facility, City Centre Skate Park, which opened last year in Latha township. But with its ratty plywood ramps and odd location, it doesnt have the appeal of the defunct Thuwunna park. We dont feel comfortable there, Ye Wint Ko said. People stare at us strangely when they pass by on their way to City Centre Shopping Mall. Ye Wint Ko is a member of a skateboarding organisation known as Speed Ring Skate Club, which used to offer summer skating lessons for youngsters at Thuwunna Skate Park but now has no place to teach gnarly shredding skills to the next generation. Thu Wai, who joined the skateboard group in 2006, told The Myanmar Times that the public is largely unfamiliar with the sport, whereas in many other countries, both in Asia and the West, skateboarders receive sponsorships, are provided with generous facilities, and can take part in regularly scheduled competitions at the national and international levels. Moreover, in other countries skateboarders are visible in high numbers on (mostly) smooth streets and footpaths, he said. Yet we still lack space and there isnt even a proper skate park, Thu Wai said. I hope the time will come when there is enough public support to hold skateboarding competitions in Myanmar. The ultimate dream of the skateboarding group is for the Ministry of Sports to establish an official skateboarding federation, which could lead to Myanmar skaters organising their own contests and taking part in international competitions Speed Ring Skate Club has about 30 members, but many of them dont skate much during monsoon season because there is no skating facility in Yangon with a roof to keep the elements at bay. Member G Nue Thint, who started skateboarding when he was in secondary school, said that despite the obstacles, nothing would deter him from pursuing his passion for the sport. But I dont want the next generation to only be able to skate on the roads, he said.

Libraries honour famous authors

By Zon Pann Pwint THE Myanmar Libraries Foundation is planning to build a library in honour of writer Shwe U Daung in his native village of Man Kyee Tone, Shwebo district, Sagaing Division. We will visit the native town of writer Shwe U Daung to determine whether any of his relatives still live there, and to meet the residents and find out if they wish to build the library and offer land for its construction, said U Maung Maung, president of the foundation. If there is already a library in Man Kyee Tone, we will consider the possibility of renovating the building and renaming it Shwe U Daung Library, he said, He added that the foundation was asking for donations of books by Shwe U Daung to keep in the library, and was also seeking monetary donations to support construction. Shwe U Daung (1889-1973) was a writer, translator and editor. He translated books such as Charles Dickens Great Expectations and Alexandre Dumas The Three Musketeers into Myanmar language, and also wrote a series of detective stories inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. U Maung Maung said that dedicating a facility to Shwe U Daung was part of an ongoing plan to establish libraries in the home towns of Myanmars literary giants. On July 22 the foundation opened the Thakin Kodaw Hmaine Library in Warlae village along the Yangon-Pyay Highway in Bago Region, at a cost of more than K200 million. In 2004 the Myanmar Libraries Foundation started a project to build self-supporting libraries in villages throughout the country. Such libraries have now been established in 50,000 villages across Myanmar. He added, however, that libraries built in honour of famous writers should be more substantial than the simple buildings with walls of bamboo matting and metal roofs like most of the libraries we constructed for the [self-supported libraries] project. The head office of the Myanmar Libraries Foundation is located at No 228, Thein Phyu Road, Botahtaung township, Yangon.

Ye Wint Ko gets rad at City Centre Skate Park in downtown Yangon on August 7. Pic: Ko Taik

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George Orwell blasts top 1pc in diaries

By Craig Seligman GEORGE Orwell died in January 1950, two years and a month after finishing 1984; he was only 46. More than six decades later, his complete diaries are being published in the United States for the first time. Why did it take so long? A typical entry, from October 1939, offers a hint: Rather cold, violent wind. Picked up the first ripe walnut today. There are very few, however. Spread the manure. Hoed leeks. Spring cabbages have not taken root very well, owing to the drought. Uprooted the onions, which are very poor. Many readers may not be aware that Orwell was a small farmer. But as I read one weather and crop report after another, all I could think of was the Woody Allen parody that begins, Venal & Sons has at last published the long-awaited first volume of Metterlings laundry lists. So, then, do these diaries matter? They matter a lot, for two long sections. The first records Orwells researches into the lives of the poor. In 1931 he worked as an itinerant hop picker, faking a Cockney accent to fit in. Five years later he travelled to the coal-mining areas of northwest England, making entries on the awful food Lancashire method of eating tripe (cold with vinegar) horrible the blackening coal dust, the bad smell of the houses and the terrible conditions in the mines. The book that resulted, The Road to Wigan Pier (1937), combined his report on the miners misery with his defence of socialism and became one of the works that would make Orwell a hero to the anti-Stalinist left. In an introduction, the late Christopher Hitchens points out that the book became the target of a successful Communist campaign to defame it (and him) for saying that the working classes smell. The second great stretch comprises the diaries Orwell kept before and during World War II. They re-create, vividly and rivetingly, the fog of war. May 30, 1940: There is good reason to think that the invasion of England may be attempted within a few days, and all the papers are saying this. June 16, 1940: It is impossible even yet to decide what to do in the case of German conquest of England. Angrily quoting Lady Oxfords complaint to the Daily Telegraph that most people have had to part with their cooks and live in hotels, he sets down a sentence that resonates in 2012: Apparently nothing will ever teach these people that the other 99 percent of the population exist. In August 1941 Orwell began working for the BBC (something halfway between a girls school and a lunatic asylum), a job that led him to observe, All propaganda is lies, even when one is telling the truth. I dont think this matters so long as one knows what one is doing, and why. Even in the midst of the blitz (he writes of sheltering in a doorway in Piccadilly from falling shrapnel, just as one might shelter from a cloudburst), he is disgusted by political falsehoods: We are all drowning in filth. As for civilian casualties: In a years time youll see headlines in the Daily Express: Successful Raid on Berlin Orphanage. Babies Set on Fire. Orwells achievement grew out of seemingly modest virtues: decency; good, hard sense; and clean, clear prose. Yet they added up to something monumental. His garden reports may be skimmable, but the diaries as a whole do exactly what you would expect: They confirm his greatness. Diaries, edited by Peter Davison, is published by Liveright. Bloomberg News

A view of the outdoor graffiti art exhibit 5Pointz in Long Island City, New York, on August 15. Pic: AFP

New York graffiti haven braces for gentrification

By Sebastian Smith NEW YORK Graffiti artists are used to escaping cops, jumping from roofs and dodging trains, but New York painters who turned an abandoned factory into a street art legend now face their real nemesis: gentrification. 5Pointz in the borough of Queens is one of the citys most arresting sights a huge building plastered in brilliantly coloured, skilfully executed graffiti works that have won international acclaim. Taggers, as theyre known, are invited to paint legally at 5Pointz, watched by an audience of graffiti cognoscenti, tourists and passengers on the number 7 subway train rattling every few minutes along an overhead line. But after two decades of brightening the drab neighbourhood, 5Pointz is slated to vanish in early 2013, replaced by New Yorks latest luxury, high-rise apartment buildings. Site owner David Wolkoff, who long supported the graffiti free-for-all, says progress is unstoppable, and many will welcome exchanging a graffitiencrusted hulk for shiny residential towers. But 5Pointzs disappearance will mark the end of a unique New York experiment. Its one of the most fabulous places in the world, said Banga, a well-known French street artist, sweat pouring off his arms as he sprayed a complicated piece on one of the few remaining blank patches of wall. Its the most prestigious place. Ive never seen anything like it, he said. I get a feeling of freedom and people can appreciate my work. Were harming no one. Wolkoff says that after nearly 20 years of helping street artists, he wants them to move on. We believe they enlivened the building and gave it great character. Weve really enjoyed having them, he said. However, everything progresses. The city is progressing. As a businessman its an opportune time to take advantage of that growth. That will mean two towers of more than 40 floors each and a total of nearly 1 million square feet of developed space, with apartments getting a stunning view of Manhattans skyscrapers. The building will have a tremendous amount of amenities: indoor pool, big gym, yoga room, spinning rooms, media Graffiti is an inherently uncertain, temporal business, so, in a sense, the death of 5Pointz might be expected. But artists say the building has transcended its raw street roots, achieving the status of a bona fide gallery or even museum for a popular art form. At the end of the day, this is a place where people come for cultural enrichment, said Andre Pinard, a market researcher who follows the graffiti world. Perusing the walls, a visitor will find works by graffiti luminaries like Stay High 149, Cope2 and Tats Cru, some of them coming from as far away as Brazil and Japan. Theres a sense of history, a visitor, Jay Diaz, 31, said. I wish [the building] could stay up. Its like any gallery. While regular New York graffiti artists many would call them vandals risk fines and even jail every time they spray walls, the denizens of 5Pointz enjoy a more comfortable existence. Theres a rebel vibe. Dear ARTWORLD, when we inherit the EARTH, YOU arent invited. Love, MY Generation, reads one painted slogan. But the tour groups, corporate team building opportunities and sales of graffiti-emblazoned baseball caps and other merchandising, tell another story. Graffiti has become a business. Banga remembers the thrill of painting illegally the adrenalin, the fear of dying all the time but at 42 and with children, says, I dont do that anymore. I sell canvasses, he said. Still, for young street artists, the more elemental lure of graffiti will survive 5Pointzs disappearance. I remember first time I was on a roof I was scared. I cried, said a young man whose tag was Peal GI. But you get a rush. Youre climbing, youre breaking the law. Its wild. AFP

never seen anything like it. I get a feeling of freedom and people can appreciate my work. Were harming no one.

most Its theplace. Ive prestigious

rooms, billiard rooms, party rooms and outdoor space for the tenants to barbecue or hang out, Wolkoff said. With only final approval pending and plans to start demolition before next summer, there seems little chance of 5Pointz getting a reprieve. Wolkoff promises to retain echoes of the graffiti haven, with gallery space and art walls in a pedestrian area. But the wild style days are over. It cant be all, it cant be 100 percent of the building, it cant be two 47-storey towers with graffiti all over it, he said.

soCialite
August 27 - September 2, 2012
Casabella Mid Year Great Sale
the

40
MyanMar tiMes

Guest

Tuu Tuu Myint Thein, Daw Marlar, guest and Nay Aung

Daw Marlar and Daw Tin Tin Yee

Casabella staff

Khine Thin Kyi

Park Royal Bridal Show 2012

Royal Kumudra Hotels Event

H.E Mr.Jose Carlos da Fonseca Junior Model and May Phyu Phyu

Mr.Aung Naing Tun, H.E Mr.Jose Carlos da Fonseca Junior, Mr.diaz Triana, Mr.Sinha Ragesh and Ma Mie Mie Oo

Chillies Magazine Launch

Khine Hnin Wai

Chit Snow Oo

Model

Yu Thandar Tin

Nandi Wint Naing

Aung La Ar T Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein

Men In Black Fashion Shop Opening

U Nay and guests

Wint Yamone Hlaing

Okkar Htet

Khin Yu Pa

Kham Ei Ei Mon

Ma Lu Pank Nge

Ma Pwint and guests

Ms Clare Cherrg Ma May Thu Zaw Performers

41
the

soCialite
August 27 - September 2, 2012
Thai Airways International Flight TG-302 Lucky Draw

MyanMar tiMes

Staff Members

Mr Kn Ratapong Yanyong

Staff, Mr Kun Ton Tiranasarn and Mr Kn Ratapong Yanyong

SOCIALITE started another exciting week of buzzing around Yangons electrifying WITH NYEIN EI EI HTWE party scene by dropping by the opening ceremony for Elite International School on August 16. Later that day she swung by a lucky draw program at Yangon International Airport to inaugurate Thai Airways Internationals Flight TG-302, followed by a press conference at Park Royal Hotel to introduce the locally produced Forever Mandalay drama series. The next day she popped by Casabellas head office at 9 Mile for the exciting Mid Year Great Sale, and August 18 found Socialite enjoying festivities at the Daiso branch opening at Capital Hyper Mart, as well as the Park Royal Bridal Show 2012. In the midst of all this, she also managed to squeeze the Chillies magazine launch and Men In Black fashion shop opening into her busy schedule.

SOCIALITE

Daiso Branch Opening

Staffs from Thai Airways International

Ko Aung Naing

Ma Han Suu Yin Raschke and Ko Lucas Ye Win Raschke

Elite International School Opening

Mr RoLando, Ma Mya Thida, Ma Yin Yin Wai and Ko Than Naing Win

Forever Mandalay Drama Series Press Conference

Han Linn Thant

Nyein Min

Moh Moh Myint Aung

Nay Aung

May Thinzar Oo

Ju Juu K

Khin San Win

May Mee Kyaw Kyaw

travel
Days Flight Dep Arr Days Flight Dep Arr
THUR W9 144 08:50 10:15 W9 012 08:50 10:35 K7 223 6T 402 08:55 10:55 08:55 10:55

42
www.mmtimes.com/2012/flight/flight.pdf

August 27 - September 2, 2012

DOMESTIC FLIGHT SCHEDULES

Days Flight Dep Arr Days Flight Dep Arr
THUR W9 011 07:30 09:20 YJ 201 11:00 12:10 YH 729 11:00 12:10 AW 761 11:00 12:25 K7 224 14:00 15:15 YH 731 14:30 15:40 W9 015 15:15 12:10 FRI W9 011 07:30 09:20 YJ 751 11:00 12:10 SAT YH 727 11:00 12:10 AW 751 11:00 12:25 K7 224 14:00 15:15 YH 731 14:30 15:40 AW 791 14:30 15:55 W9 109 15:00 15:55 YJ 601 SAT 15:00 16:25 FRI

Days Flight Dep Arr

TUE W9 307 07:00 08:25 6T 611 07:30 08:55

Cambodias Card
By Nick Boulos IT wasnt the greatest first impression Id ever made. Arriving at the small, dusty Cambodian village of OKey, where dogs scampered around the handful of bamboo houses, I smiled and waved at the mother and daughter sitting in the shade of a banana tree. The young girl stared at me. Then, lip trembling, she burst into tears. Dont take it personally, my guide, Lok, reassured me. She hasnt seen very many Westerners. Although the mighty jungleclad temples of Angkor have put Cambodia firmly on the tourist map, very few visitors venture to the countrys remote and mysterious southwest region. Until recently, the Cardamom Mountains were simply offlimits. War raged in these quiet emerald peaks, named for the heady spice that grows here, until the mid-1990s. The area was the last stronghold of Khmer Rouge rebels who retreated here after the 1979 collapse of Pol Pots brutal regime. For more than a decade, bloody battles continued to break out between the guerrillas and local villagers. When the guns finally fell silent, the locals had lost everything. Forced to exploit their natural resources to survive, they hunted wildlife and destroyed the forests. But despite their dark past and a back story worthy of the Hollywood treatment, the Cardamoms remain a place of astounding beauty. And with peace has come tourism. Only 1000 or so travellers a year make the journey to this region, which is a three-hour drive and a two-hour scenic boat ride from the capital, Phnom Penh. Their efforts are rewarded with world-class hiking and local interaction thats a far cry from the commercialised cultural treks found elsewhere in Asia. With the help of the Wildlife Alliance an American nonprofit organisation that works alongside national governments to promote conservation and alleviate poverty in Southeast Asia the communities here have reclaimed their destiny. Landmines have been cleared, former battlefields have become prime trekking territory, and the men who once fought the rebels now lead guided walks along deserted trails. The women, meanwhile, have opened their homes as guesthouses, with all in the community benefiting from the profits. One housewife-turnedhotelier is Ming Tha, who proudly showed me into the second bedroom of her humble home, built on wooden stilts, in Chi Phat, the main village in the mountains, where my trekking adventure began. The next morning, I strolled along Chi Phats main road, a ruler-straight avenue where petrol and potent rice wine are sold in identical plastic bottles. My guide from Phnom Penh, Lok, introduced me to Kan at the community centre that doubles as the towns only restaurant. Kan, born and raised in Chi Phat, was to lead our trek. We planned to walk about 36 kilometres (22 miles) over the next two days, although, with so many trails of varying lengths and difficulty, choosing our route proved to be a challenge. More than 140 kilometres

YANGON TO MANDALAY
MON AW 901 W9 143 6T 401 K7 222 W9 011 AW 911 W9 119 YJ 201 W9 211 W9 109 TUE W9 143 6T 401 K7 222 W9 251 YH 725 W9 011 W9 211 W9 109 06:00 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:30 10:15 10:30 11:00 14:30 15:00 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 07:00 07:30 14:30 15:00 06:00 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:30 10:15 10:30 11:00 14:30 14:30 15:00 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 07:30 11:00 11:00 11:15 14:30 15:00 06:15 06:15 06:30 07:30 11:00 14:30 15:00 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 07:30 10:30 11:00 11:30 14:30 15:00 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 07:30 11:15 14:30 15:00 07:40 08:35 08:35 08:35 08:30 11:25 15:35 12:25 15:55 16:45 08:35 08:35 08:35 08:25 08:25 08:30 15:55 16:45 07:40 08:35 08:35 08:35 08:30 11:55 15:35 12:25 15:55 16:25 16:45 08:35 08:35 08:35 08:25 08:30 12:55 12:25 13:00 15:55 16:45 08:20 08:20 08:35 08:30 12:25 15:55 16:45 08:10 08:35 08:35 08:35 08:25 08:30 15:35 12:25 12:55 15:55 16:45 07:40 08:10 08:35 08:35 08:35 08:25 08:30 13:00 15:55 16:45

NYAUNG U TO YANGON
MON W9 144 AW 902 6T 342 W9 212 K7 225 YH 732 AW 792 TUE W9 144 6T 342 YJ 762 W9 212 AW 792 K7 225 YH 732 08:05 08:25 16:30 16:55 17:25 17:25 18:10 08:05 16:30 16:45 16:55 17:25 17:25 17:25 08:05 08:25 16:30 16:55 17:25 17:25 18:10 08:05 16:30 16:55 17:25 17:25 08:05 16:30 16:55 17:25 17:25 17:25 08:05 16:30 16:55 17:25 17:25 08:05 16:30 16:55 17:25 17:25 17:25 10:15 09:45 17:50 18:15 18:45 18:45 19:30 10:15 17:50 18:05 18:15 18:45 18:45 18:45 10:15 09:45 17:50 18:15 18:45 18:45 19:30 10:15 17:50 18:15 18:45 18:45 10:15 17:50 18:15 18:45 18:45 18:45 10:15 17:50 18:15 18:45 18:45 10:15 17:50 18:15 18:45 18:45 18:45

WED W9 307 07:00 08:25 6T 611 07:30 08:55

YH 726 12:25 13:50 W9 256 15:45 17:10 W9 016 15:50 17:35 YJ 202 16:00 17:25 W9 212 16:10 18:15 AW 762 16:35 18:00 YH 730 17:40 19:05 FRI 6T 402 K7 223 08:40 10:40 08:40 10:40

THRU W9 315 07:00 08:25 6T 611 07:30 08:55

W9 307 07:00 08:25 6T 607 6T 611 07:30 08:55 07:30 08:55

SUN W9 307 07:00 08:25 6T 607 K7 426 07:30 08:55 15:30 16:50

W9 144 08:50 10:15 W9 012 08:50 10:35 W9 256 15:45 17:10 W9 212 16:10 18:15 YH 728 16:30 17:55 W9 110 17:05 18:05 YJ 752 17:50 19:15 AW 752 17:50 19:15 SAT W9 144 08:50 10:15 W9 012 08:50 10:35 6T 402 K7 223 08:55 10:55 08:55 10:55

WED AW 901 K7 222 6T 401 W9 143 W9 011 AW 911 W9 119 W9 281 W9 211 AW 791 W9 109 THUR W9 143 K7 222 6T 401 YH 725 W9 011 AW 201 W9 255 W9 015 W9 211 W9 109 FRI 6T 401 K7 222 W9 143 W9 011 W9 255 W9 211 W9 109 AW 911 6T 401 W9 143 K7 222 YH 725 W9 011 W9 119 W9 281 AW 601 W9 211 W9 109

WED W9 144 AW 902 6T 342 W9 212 YH 732 K7 225 AW 792 THUR W9 144 6T 342 W9 212 K7 225 YH 732 FRI W9 144 6T 342 W9 212 K7 225 YH 732 AW 792 W9 144 6T 342 W9 212 YH 732 AW 602

SITTWE TO YANGON
MON W9 308 08:40 10:05 6T 608 TUE 09:55 11:20

W9 011 07:30 09:20 W9 119 10:30 11:40 YJ 761 11:00 12:10 YH 729 11:00 12:10 AW 761 11:00 12:25 YH 731 14:30 15:40

W9 308 08:40 10:05 6T 612 09:15 10:40

WED W9 308 08:40 10:05 6T 612 09:15 10:40

SUN W9 011 07:30 09:20 YH 737 11:00 12:10 AW 761 11:00 12:25 K7 224 14:00 15:15 YH 731 14:30 15:40 W9 015 15:15 12:10

THUR W9 316 08:40 10:25 6T 612 FRI SAT 09:15 10:40

YH 726 12:25 13:50 W9 262 14:50 18:15 W9 120 15:50 17:25 YJ 602 16:10 17:35 W9 212 16:10 18:15 AW 762 16:35 18:00 YH 730 17:40 19:05 SUN W9 144 08:50 10:15 W9 012 08:50 10:35 K7 223 6T 402 08:55 10:55 08:55 10:55

W9 308 08:40 10:05 W9 316 08:40 10:25 6T 612 09:15 10:40

HEHO TO YANGON
MON AW 892 09:20 10:30 YJ 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 W9 012 09:40 10:35 6T 402 K7 223 09:45 10:55 09:45 10:55

SUN W9 308 08:40 10:05 6T 612 K7 427 09:15 10:40 17:05 18:25

SAT

YANGON TO MYEIK
MON K7 319 6T 707 06:30 08:35 09:00 11:05 YH 633 07:00 09:00 W9 333 11:00 13:05 TUE K7 319 6T 707 06:30 08:35 11:00 13:05

AW 222 11:30 12:55 W9 252 14:05 15:30 W9 016 15:50 17:35 W9 212 16:10 18:15 YH 738 17:10 18:35 AW 762 17:50 19:15

YANGON TO NYAUNG U
MON YJ 891 6T 401 K7 222 06:15 07:35 06:30 07:50 06:30 07:50 AW 891 06:15 07:50

SUN W9 144 6T 342 W9 212 K7 225 YH 732 AW 792

W9 120 15:05 17:15 W9 110 16:15 18:05 TUE AW 892 09:20 10:30 YJ 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 W9 012 09:40 10:35 6T 402 K7 223 09:45 10:55 09:45 10:55

AW 301 07:00 09:10 W9 333 11:00 13:05 WED K7 319 06:30 08:35

SAT

YANGON TO MYITKYINA
TUE W9 251 07:00 09:55 K7 622 13:30 16:30 13:30 16:30

YH 633 07:00 09:00 W9 031 11:15 13:05 THUR K7 319 6T 707 06:30 08:35 11:00 13:05

W9 110 16:15 18:05 WED W9 009 09:20 10:30 AW 892 09:20 10:30 YJ 892 09:20 10:30 FRI YH 918 09:35 10:45 W9 012 09:40 10:35 6T 402 K7 223 09:45 10:55 09:45 10:55

YH 917 06:30 07:50 W9 143 06:30 07:50 W9 211 14:30 16:40 TUE AW 901 06:15 07:35 YJ 891 06:15 07:35 AW 891 06:15 07:50 W9 143 06:30 07:50 6T 401 K7 222 06:30 07:50 06:30 07:50

WED K7 622

THUR AW 201 06:30 09:35 W9 255 11:00 13:55 FRI SAT W9 255 11:00 13:55 K7 622 13:30 16:30

AW 301 13:00 15:10 K7 319 06:30 08:35

YH 633 07:00 09:00 AW 301 07:00 09:10 6T 707 09:00 11:05 W9 333 11:00 13:05 SAT K7 319 06:30 08:35

SUN YH 909 AW 211 W9 143 6T 401 K7 222 W9 251 W9 011 W9 015 W9 211 W9 109

SUN AW 211 06:30 09:35 W9 251 07:00 09:55 K7 622 13:30 16:30

W9 120 15:05 17:15 THUR AW 892 09:20 10:30 YJ 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 W9 012 09:40 10:35 6T 402 K7 223 09:45 10:55 09:45 10:55

Tourism Myanmar Update

Bangkok Airways Bangkok Airways will offer three scheduled flights daily between Bangkok and Yangon starting from September 15. For more information or reservations, contact a travel agent or the Bangkok Airways Head Office, No 0305 Sakura Tower, Yangon. Tel: (+95-1) 255-122 and 255-265. Office relocation Treasure Travels & Tours Co Ltd has relocated to Kandawgyi Place Hotel, Lake View Ground Floor, Kanyeiktha Road, Mingalar Taung Nyunt township, Yangon. Phone and fax: (+95-1) 399-319, 399-320, 394841; Mobile phone: (+95-1) 501-4842, 534-2567, 73114422, 7311-4466; Email: salesmanager@treasure. com.mm, info@treasure. com.mm; Website: www. treasuremyanmar.com.

YH 917 06:30 07:50 W9 211 14:30 16:40 WED YJ 891 06:15 07:35

MYITKYINA TO YANGON
TUE W9 252 12:35 15:30 K7 623 16:50 19:50 16:50 19:50 FRI

W9 031 11:15 13:05 SUN K7 319 6T 707 06:30 08:35 11:00 13:05

AW 891 06:15 07:50 W9 143 06:30 07:50 6T 401 K7 222 06:30 07:50 06:30 07:50

WED K7 623

THUR AW 202 09:35 12:25 W9 258 14:15 17:10 FRI SAT W9 258 14:15 17:10 K7 623 16:50 19:50

W9 016 16:40 17:35 6T 306 YJ 892 09:10 10:20 09:20 10:30 TUE

MYEIK TO YANGON
MON K7 320 6T 708 11:00 13:05 11:35 15:40 YH 634 11:25 13:25 W9 334 15:20 17:25 K7 320 11:00 13:05

AW 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 W9 012 09:40 10:35 6T 402 K7 223 09:45 10:55 09:45 10:55

YH 917 06:30 07:50 W9 211 14:30 16:40 THUR YJ 891 K7 222 6T 401 06:15 07:35 06:30 07:50 06:30 07:50

MANDALAY TO YANGON
MON W9 144 W9 012 6T 402 K7 223 W9 120 YJ 202 W9 212 YH 728 AW 762 W9 110 TUE W9 012 W9 144 6T 402 K7 223 YH 726 W9 252 W9 212 W9 110 YH 730 AW 764 08:50 08:50 08:55 08:55 15:50 16:00 16:10 16:30 16:35 17:05 08:50 08:50 08:55 08:55 12:25 14:05 16:10 17:05 17:40 17:10 08:50 08:50 08:55 08:55 14:50 15:50 16:10 17:10 17:50 17:50 10:15 10:35 10:55 10:55 17:15 17:25 18:15 17:55 18:00 18:05 10:35 10:15 10:55 10:55 13:50 15:30 18:15 18:05 19:05 18:35 10:15 10:35 10:55 10:55 18:15 17:25 18:15 18:35 19:15 19:15

AW 891 06:15 07:50 YH 917 06:30 07:50 W9 143 06:30 07:50 W9 211 14:30 16:40 FRI YJ 891 K7 222 6T 401 06:15 07:35 06:15 07:35 06:15 07:35

SUN AW 222 09:35 12:55 W9 252 12:35 15:30 K7 623 16:50 19:50

AW 302 11:10 13:05 W9 334 15:20 17:25 6T 708 WED K7 320 15:35 17:40 11:00 13:05

YANGON TO HEHO
MON W9 011 W9 119 YH 727 AW 761 K7 224 YH 731 W9 109 AW 791 TUE W9 011 YH 729 YJ 761 AW 763 K7 224 AW 791 YH 731 W9 109 K7 826 07:30 10:30 11:00 11:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:15 07:30 11:00 11:00 11:00 14:00 14:30 14:30 15:00 17:30 07:30 10:30 11:00 11:00 11:00 14:00 14:30 15:15 09:20 11:40 12:10 12:25 15:15 15:40 15:55 16:40 09:20 12:10 12:10 12:25 15:15 15:55 16:10 15:55 08:05 09:20 11:40 12:10 12:10 12:25 15:15 15:40 16:40

W9 110 16:15 18:05 SAT AW 892 09:20 10:30 YJ 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 W9 012 09:40 10:35 6T 402 K7 223 09:45 10:55 09:45 10:55

YH 634 11:25 13:25 W9 032 13:25 14:35 6T 708 THUR K7 320 15:35 17:40 11:00 13:05

The Myanmar Marketing Committee (MMC), the marketing arm of Myanmar Tourism Promotion Board, aims to market and promote Myanmar as a destination to develop the Myanmar tourism industry. For more information and reference please visit our website at www.myanmar-tourism.com or contact the MMC Office at Diamond Condominium A, Room 904, Level 9, Building 497, Pyay Road, Kamaryut township, Yangon, Myanmar. Telephone and Fax: +951 523-473; Mobile: 09-502-9602 and 09-502-9603; Email: mtpb@mptmail.net.mm.

AW 891 06:15 07:50 YH 917 06:30 07:50 W9 143 06:30 07:50 W9 211 14:30 16:40 SAT YJ 891 K7 222 06:15 07:35 06:30 07:50

W9 120 15:05 17:15 SUN YJ 892 09:20 10:30 FRI

AW 302 17:10 19:05 K7 320 6T 708 11:00 13:05 11:35 15:40

AW 892 09:20 10:30 YH 918 09:35 10:45 W9 012 09:40 10:35 6T 402 K7 223 09:45 10:55 09:45 10:55 SAT

YH 614 11:25 13:25 W9 334 15:20 17:25 AW 302 17:10 19:03 K7 320 11:00 13:05

Domestic Airlines
Air Bagan Ltd.(W9)
56, Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 513322, 513422, 504888, Fax : 515102 652754 (Airport Office), Fax: 525 937

AW 891 06:15 07:50 YH 917 06:30 07:50 W9 143 06:30 07:50 6T 401 06:30 07:50 W9 211 14:30 16:40 SUN YJ 891 06:15 07:35

Asian Wings (AW)

No.34(A-1), Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Township,Yangon. Myanmar. Tel: 951 516654, 532253, 09-73135991~3.Fax: 951 532333

W9 016 16:40 17:35

W9 032 13:25 14:35 SUN K7 320 6T 708 11:00 13:05 15:35 17:40

Air KBZ (K7)

33-49,Corner of Bank Street & Maha Bandoola Garden Street, Kyauktada Tsp,Yangon, Myanmar Tel: 372977~80, 533030~39 (Airport) Fax: 372983

WED W9 144 W9 012 K7 223 6T 402 W9 262 W9 120 W9 212 YH 738 YJ 752 AW 752

YANGON TO SITTWE
MON W9 307 07:00 08:25

AW 891 06:15 07:50 W9 143 06:30 07:50 6T 401 K7 222 06:30 07:50 06:30 07:50

YH 917 06:30 07:50 W9 211 14:30 16:40

WED W9 011 W9 119 YJ 751 YH 737 AW 751 K7 224 YH 731 AW 791

Domestic
6T = Air Mandalay W9 = Air Bagan AW = Asian Wings K7 = AIR KBZ YH = Yangon Airways

Yangon Airways(YH)
166, MMB Tower, Level 5, Upper Pansodan Rd, Mingalar Taungnyunt Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (+95-1) 383 100, 383 107, 700 264, Fax: 652 533.

Subject to change without notice

Air Mandalay (6T)

146, Dhamazedi Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon Tel : 501520, 525488 (Head Office) 720309, 652753,

43
August 27 - September 2, 2012
www.mmtimes.com/2012/flight/flight.pdf
DAyS Flight
MON PG 706 8M 335 TG 306 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TUE PG 706 8M 335 TG 306 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 WED PG 706 8M 335 TG 306 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 THUR PG 706 8M 335 TG 306 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 FRI PG 706 8M 335 TG 306 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 SAT PG 706 8M 335 TG 306 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 SUN PG 706 8M 335 TG 306 FD 3771 TG 304 PG 702 TG 302 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773

damoms, full of secrets

Thatched huts have been built for overnight camping in secluded spots in the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia. Pic: Nick Boulos/The Washington Post

travel
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT SCHEDULES
DAyS Flight
SAT 8M 231 MI 511 8M 6232 3K 586 MI 517

Dep Arr
07:15 09:30 07:35 09:20 07:45 09:40 08:30 10:20 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 14:55 16:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 18:05 19:55 07:15 09:30 07:35 09:20 07:45 09:40 08:30 10:20 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 14:55 16:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 18:05 19:55 07:15 09:30 07:35 09:20 07:45 09:40 08:30 10:20 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 14:55 16:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 18:05 19:55 07:15 09:30 07:35 09:20 07:45 09:40 08:30 10:20 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 14:55 16:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 18:05 19:55 07:15 09:30 07:35 09:20 07:45 09:40 08:30 10:20 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 14:55 16:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 18:05 19:55 07:15 09:30 07:35 09:20 07:45 09:40 08:30 10:20 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 14:55 16:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 18:05 19:55 07:15 09:30 07:35 09:20 07:45 09:40 08:30 10:20 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 14:55 16:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 18:05 19:55

Dep Arr
07:55 10:10 11:30 11:30 16:40 07:55 10:10 13:20 16:40 12:25 14:45 16:05 16:05 21:15 12:25 14:45 17:50 21:15

DAyS Flight
MON TG 301 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 8M 332 PG 705 TUE TG 301 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 8M 332 PG 705

Dep Arr
01:00 07:15 07:55 09:15 10:40 15:00 16:50 17:50 19:15 19:15 20:15 01:00 07:15 07:55 09:15 10:40 15:00 16:50 17:50 19:15 19:15 20:15 01:00 07:15 07:55 09:15 10:40 15:00 16:50 17:50 19:15 19:15 20:15 01:00 07:15 07:55 09:15 10:40 15:00 16:50 17:50 19:15 19:15 20:15 01:00 07:15 07:55 09:15 10:40 15:00 16:50 17:50 19:15 19:15 20:15 01:00 07:15 07:55 09:15 10:40 15:00 16:50 17:50 19:15 19:15 20:15 01:55 08:00 08:50 10:05 11:25 15:50 17:35 18:45 20:00 20:00 21:30 01:55 08:00 08:50 10:05 11:25 15:50 17:35 18:45 20:00 20:00 21:30 01:55 08:00 08:50 10:05 11:25 15:50 17:35 18:45 20:00 20:00 21:30 01:55 08:00 08:50 10:05 11:25 15:50 17:35 18:45 20:00 20:00 21:30 01:55 08:00 08:50 10:05 11:25 15:50 17:35 18:45 20:00 20:00 21:30 01:55 08:00 08:50 10:05 11:25 15:50 17:35 18:45 20:00 20:00 21:30

DAyS Flight
WED MI 512 3K 585 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 THUR MI 512 8M 232 MI 518 MI 520 8M 234 FRI MI 512 3K 585 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 MI 520 MI 512 3K 585 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 MI 520

Dep Arr
07:55 09:10 09:10 13:25 14:20 07:55 13:25 14:20 15:20 18:50 07:55 09:10 09:10 13:25 14:20 15:20 07:55 09:10 09:10 13:25 14:20 15:20 07:55 13:25 15:20 14:20 18:50 09:20 10:40 10:40 14:55 15:45 09:20 14:55 15:45 16:40 20:20 09:20 10:40 10:40 14:55 15:45 16:40 09:20 10:40 10:40 14:55 15:45 16:40 09:20 14:55 16:40 15:45 20:20

YANGON TO BANGKOK

BANGKOK TO YANGON

SUN 8M 231 MI 511 8M 233 MI 517 WED 8M 401 SAT 8M 401

YANGON TO SIEM REAP

08:50 11:25 08:50 11:25 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 12:15 16:30 18:50 23:05 11:20 15:50 08:40 13:15 11:20 15:50 08:40 13:15 11:10 04:35 11:10 04:35 11:10 04:35 11:10 04:35 09:40 12:50 09:40 12:50 14:15 17:35 09:40 12:50 14:15 17:35 09:40 12:50 14:15 17:35 09:40 12:50 14:15 17:35 09:40 12:50 14:15 17:35

YANGON TO KUALA LUMPUR

MON 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 TUE 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851

SAT

WED 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 THU MH 741 AK 851 FRI 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851

(87 miles) of trails have been carefully carved through the mountains, with a number of thatched structures erected in clearings for camping in comfort. The prospect of trekking here was an exciting one. Its world class, said Lok, glancing toward the forested peaks that rise to heights of nearly 1000 metres (3000 feet). Home to more than 70 species of mammals, including Malayan sun bears, clouded leopards and the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins, the Cardamoms bring together 16 different ecosystems. Joined by our cook, a man of few words nicknamed Mr Crab we set off, making an exciting discovery within minutes. Scattered across the narrow trail, carving deep holes on the moist forest floor, were elephant tracks the size of dinner plates. For hours we walked through untamed nature of inexpressible beauty: giant ferns growing beside delicate and exotic plants, small gecko snakes vanishing beneath fallen tree trunks. Best of all, though, there wasnt another soul to be seen. That evening we set up camp in the heart of the forest. There was little for us to do except tie our hammocks to the bamboo pillars of a special open-sided structure erected in a small clearing. Mr Crab set about rustling up a feast. Hunched over a sizzling wok on an open fire, he fried slivers of spicy beef as night began to fall. I was keen to learn more of the local history from those who had lived through it. Like many, Kan and Lok both bear the scars of recent history. Kan, born in Chi Phat and now in his 40s, started fighting

the Khmer Rouge when he was just 15, while Lok, in his mid-30s, lost loved ones to the regime, as did countless other Cambodians. I dont seek revenge on those who killed the people in my village when I was a child, he said. My father was among the dead and my mother feared that we would all be separated, so we fled. I lost my father and my home. The next morning, I awoke to the sound of crackling firewood. Mr Crab was serving breakfast, coffee bubbling away in his well-used tin kettle. Day two of our trek had more wow factor: epic scenery and ramshackle villages hiding ancient secrets. We crossed vast plains carpeted with pale grass that crunched underfoot. Rising gently and majestically all around us were the Cardamoms. Out there somewhere was Cambodias highest peak Phnom Aural, which stands at 1802 metres (5948 feet). Its hard to underestimate the cultural and natural significance of the Cardamoms to the Cambodians. The region has been home to pockets of people for centuries, and some of their customs have long been lost. While they no longer practice them, locals continue to respect the ancient rituals of their forefathers. In the 13th century, during the height of the Khmer Empire, the deceased were not interred in the ground. A different final resting place awaited them. Bones and other remains were placed in ceramic jars and left in secret spiritual locations, some of which have recently been discovered. Kan and Lok wanted me to see one for myself, so after

meeting the locals at the village of OKey we ventured deep into the forest, to a cavernous hole at the bottom of a cliff. Sitting in mounds of sand and dust was a collection of ancient and weathered pots and jars. As we gazed at them, our mood turned sombre, yet at the same time, I felt a strange sense of excitement. Until recently, talk in villages such as OKey had been of nothing but the Cambodian governments controversial plans to mine the mountains for gold and titanium. Had the proposal gone ahead, it would have spelled catastrophe, destroying the elephant corridor and centuries of heritage. Opposition campaigners, led by the Wildlife Alliance and local environmentalists, put up a strong fight, and the plans, thankfully, were shelved last year. We returned to Chi Phat exhausted and exhilarated, but Lok had one last place to show off. I hopped onto the back of a motorbike, and we drove down a long bumpy track out of the village. We crossed a river, walking gingerly over slippery rocks near fizzing rapids, and came to a stop before a patch of woodland. This is our tree nursery, Lok said proudly. And he was right to be proud. Reversing the widespread deforestation of days gone by, the Wildlife Alliance has replanted about 2 million trees here ebony, mahogany and sandalwood. Mist lingered over the treetops; the faint chimes of cowbells rang from the distant flatlands. The past may have been dark, but the futures bright. The Washington Post

SAT

SUN MH 741 AK 851 WED CZ 3056 THUR 8M 711 SAT CZ 3056

WED TG 301 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 8M 332 PG 705 THUR TG 301 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 8M 332 PG 705 FRI TG 301 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 8M 332 PG 705 TG 301 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 8M 332 PG 705 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 8M 336 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 8M 332 PG 705

SUN MI 512 8M 232 MI 520 MI 518 8M 234 MON MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 TUE MH 740 8M 502 AK 850

KAULA LUMPUR TO YANGON

10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 17:10 18:20 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 17:10 18:20 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 17:10 18:20 10:05 11:15 17:10 18:20 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 17:10 18:20 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 17:10 18:20 10:05 11:15 17:10 18:20 08:40 10:30 14:15 15:50 08:40 10:30 14:15 15:50 07:15 10:10 07:15 10:10 07:15 10:10 07:15 10:10 08:40 09:00 08:40 09:00 12:40 13:15 12:40 13:15 08:40 09:00 08:40 09:00 12:40 13:15 08:40 09:00 12:40 13:15 08:40 09:00 12:40 13:15 10:00 12:45 10:00 12:45 17:20 17:50 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10 11:40 13:25 11:40 13:25 11:40 13:25 18:40 20:05 18:40 20:05

YANGON TO GAUNGZHOU

WED MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 THU MH 740 AK 850 FRI MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 MH 740 8M 502 AK 850

SUN 8M 711 MON CI 7916 TUE CI 7916

YANGON TO TAIPEI

SAT

WED CI 7916 FRI CI 7916

YANGON TO KUNMING
MON MU 2032 TUE MU 2032 CA 906

SUN MH 740 AK 850 WED CZ 3055 THUR 8M 712 SAT CZ 3055

GUANGZHOU TO YANGON

WED MU 2032 CA 906 THUR MU 2032 CA 906 SAT MU 2032 CA 906 CA 906

SUN 8M 712 MON CI 7915 TUE CI 7915

SAT

TAIPEI TO YANGON

SUN MU 2032

WED CI 7915 FRI CI 7915

YANGON TO KOLKATA
MON A1 228 FRI A1 228 15:50 16:45 15:50 16:45

KUNMING TO YANGON
MON MU 2031 TUE MU 2031 CA 905

YANGON TO CHIANG MAI

THUR W9 9607 14:20 16:10

YANGON TO HANOI
MON VN 956 TUE VN 956 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30

SUN TG 301

01:00 01:55 07:15 08:00 07:55 08:50 09:15 10:05 10:40 11:25 15:00 15:50 16:50 17:35 17:55 18:45 19:15 20:00 19:15 20:00 20:15 21:30

WED CA 905 MU 2031 THUR MU 2031 CA 905 SAT MU 2031 CA 905

WED VN 956 FRI SAT VN 956 VN 956

YANGON TO SINGAPORE
MON 8M 231 MI 511 8M 6232 3K 586 MI 517 TUE 8M 231 MI 511 8M 233 07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 11:30 16:05 11:30 16:05 16:40 21:15 07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 13:20 17:50 16:40 21:15 07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 11:30 16:05 11:30 16:05 16:40 21:15 07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 13:20 17:50 16:40 21:15 07:55 12:25 10:10 14:45 11:30 16:05 11:30 16:05 16:40 21:15

SUN MU 2031 CA 905 Mon A1 227 FRI A1 227

YANGON TO HO CHI MINH

TUE VN 942 W9 9607 SUN VN 942 W9 9607 14:25 17:10 14:25 17:10 14:35 16:05 14:25 17:10 14:35 16:05 THUR VN 942

KOLKATA TO YANGON

SINGAPORE TO YANGON
MON MI 512 3K 585 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 TUE MI 512 8M 232 MI 518 8M 234 07:55 09:20 09:10 10:40 09:10 10:40 13:25 14:55 14:20 15:45 07:55 09:20 13:25 14:55 14:20 15:45 18:50 20:20

CHIANG MAI TO YANGON

THUR W9 9608 MON VN 957 TUE VN 957

International Airlines
Air Asia (FD)
33, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd, Ground Flr, Parkroyal Hotel, Yangon. Tel: 251 885, 251 886.

HANOI TO YANGON

YANGON TO PHNOM PENH

WED 8M 401 SAT 8M 401 15:15 17:40 15:15 17:40

Bangkok Airways (PG)

Air Bagan Ltd.(W9) Air China (CA)

#0305, 3rd Fl, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 255122, 255 265, Fax: 255119

Silk Air(MI)

MI 517 WED 8M 231 MI 511 8M 6232 3K 586 MI 517 THUR 8M 231 MI 511 8M 233 MI 517 FRI 8M 231 MI 511 8M 6232 3K 586 MI 517

339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, 2nd Floor, Sakura Tower, Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 255 287~9 , Fax: 255 290

WED VN 957 FRI SAT TUE VN 957 VN 957 VN 943

YANGON TO GAYA
MON A1 234 13:30 14:15

56, Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 513322, 513422, 504888, Fax : 515102 Building (2), corner of Pyay Rd and Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Hotel Yangon, 8 miles, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel : 666112, 655882.

Malaysia Airlines (MH)

335/357, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 387648, 241007 ext : 120, 121, 122 Fax : 241124

Thai Airways (TG)

Room No. 1101, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Ygn. Tel : 255491~6 Fax : 255223

International
FD & AK = Air Asia TG = Thai Airways 8M = Myanmar Airways International PG = Bangkok Airways MI = Silk Air VN = Vietnam Airline MH = Malaysia Airlines CZ = China Southern CI = China Airlines CA = Air China IC = Indian Airlines Limited W9 = Air Bagan 3K = Jet Star

HO CHI MINH TO YANGON

THUR VN 943 SUN VN 943 WED 8M 402 SAT 8M 402

Subject to change without notice

Air India

Myanmar Airways International(8M)

Vietnam Airlines (VN)

75, Shwe Bon Thar St, Pabedan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 253597~98, 254758. Fax: 248175

08-02, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Ygn. Tel : 255260, Fax: 255305

#1702, Sakura Tower 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon. Fax 255086. Tel 255066/ 255088/ 255068.

PHNOM PENH TO YANGON

GAYA TO YANGON
MON A1 233 11:45 14:45

tea Break
August 27 - September 2, 2012
the

44
MyanMar tiMes

Ketchup origins trace China cuisine, economic strength

By Dan Jurafsky FAST food is Americas signature export, and one of its most pervasive: Every day another few outlets open in Europe or Asia, spreading the distinctively American diet to the world. Its ironic, then, that hamburgers, french fries and ketchup are not even originally from America, a fact that is clear from what we call them. The large German contribution to American cuisine is obvious in words like hamburger, frankfurter and pretzel, while french fries make their Franco-Belgian origins plain. And, of course, ketchup is Chinese. Yes, dear reader, the word ketchup originally meant fish sauce in a dialect of Fujian province, the humid coastal region that also gave us the word tea (from Fujianese te). As it happens, Fujianese immigration to the United States has increased in recent years, so Americans can now sample Fujianese dishes in Chinatowns up and down the East Coast, paired with the homemade red rice wine that is a specialty of the province. The history of this red rice wine is intertwined with that of ketchup but while the wine has stayed largely the same over the centuries, ketchup has undergone quite a transformation. The story begins more than 500 years ago, when this province on the South China Sea was the bustling centre of seafaring China. Fujianesebuilt ships sailed as far as Persia and Madagascar and took Chinese seamen and settlers to ports throughout Southeast Asia. Down along the Mekong River, Khmer and Vietnamese fishermen introduced them to their fish sauce, a pungent liquid with a beautiful caramel colour that they made (and still make) out of salted and fermented anchovies. This fish sauce is now called nuoc mam in Vietnamese or nam pla in Thai, but the Chinese seamen called it ke-tchup, preserved-fish sauce in Hokkien the language of southern Fujian and Taiwan. Of course, Hokkien isnt written with the Roman alphabet; ke-tchup is one of several old-fashioned Westernised transcriptions, like catsup and katchup. The word has died out of modern Hokkien, but the syllable tchup pronounced zhi in Mandarin still means sauce in many Chinese dialects. Fujianese settlers took ke-tchup with them to Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines; the word was even adopted by Indonesians (although today in Bahasa Indonesia, the language of Indonesia, kecap just means sauce). Fujianese settlers also brought along fermented

YOUR STARS
By Astrologer Aung Myin Kyaw Aquarius
Allow small problems in family relationships to quickly dissipate, without paying them much attention. Building social connections will depend on your ability to understand the motives of others. A period of good fortune is coming, bringing big opportunities that will allow you to enjoy a more comfortable lifestyle. Your love life will also keep up with all of your grand ideas. Lead yourself towards reality.

Jan 20 - Feb 18

Pisces

You have the tendency to hide your true self, which can develop into pretence. Allow your inner self to fly free and grow according to its own nature, a step that will help you develop creativity and see the truth more clearly. Cure social misunderstandings by taking on new social challenges, and by taking the time to observe in detail the behaviour of others. A small amount of knowledge about many things can be dangerous.

Feb 19 - Mar 20

Aries

Find ways to harmonise your lifestyle with cultivation of the spirit. Replace the old with the new by using modern knowledge, techniques and theories to establish a reciprocal policy according to the history of the age. You will soon bear a heavy social responsibility that has the potential to make you great and famous. Cultivate a strong and spiritual union with your beloved.

March 21 - April 19

Taurus red rice, the seasoning their chefs had long used to flavour stews and braises. The immigrants began to turn this red rice into arrack, an early ancestor of rum, by distilling the fermented rice together with molasses and palm wine. Chinese factories were established on Java and Sumatra to make both fish sauce and arrack. When Dutch and British merchants came to Southeast Asia around 1600 seeking spices, textiles and porcelain, they quickly began to buy immense quantities of arrack from the Chinese. Batavia arrack became the main ingredient in punch, the worlds first cocktail. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of arrack were exported annually. This may not come as a surprise after all, navies full of British and Dutch sailors needed something to drink, and rum had not yet been invented. What may be surprising given fish sauces heady scent and Englands reputation for bland food is that while buying all these barrels of arrack from Chinese merchants in Indonesia, British sailors also acquired a taste for ke-tchup. By the turn of the 18 th century, fish sauce and arrack had become as profitable for British merchants as they were for Chinese traders. In 1703, British merchant Charles Lockyer travelled to Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and India. His An Account of the Trade in India, a kind of vade mecum for would-be global capitalists, explains the vast sums of money to be made in Asia, and how to get rich by bargaining with the Chinese and other foreigners. Here is Lockyers advice on buying ketchup or soy sauce in China or Tonkin (Tonqueen, ie, northern Vietnam): Soy comes in Tubs from Jappan, and the best Ketchup from Tonqueen; yet good of both sorts, are made and sold very cheap in China. I know not a more profitable Commodity. The great expense of this Asian import soon led to recipes in British and then American cookbooks for cooks attempting to make their own ketchup. Theres one from a 1742 London cookbook for KATCH-UP that will keep good Twenty Years in which the fish sauce has already taken on a very British flavour, with eschallots (shallots) and mushrooms. The mushrooms that played a supporting role in this early recipe soon became a main ingredient, and from 1750 to 1850 the word ketchup began to mean any number of thin dark sauces made of mushrooms or even walnuts. Jane Austens family seemed to prefer this new walnut ketchup, and the household book kept by Janes friend Martha Lloyd while she lived with Janes family in Chawton tells us they made it by pounding green walnuts with salt and then boiling the mash with vinegar, cloves, m a c e , g i n g e r, n u t m e g , pepper, horseradish and shallots. It wasnt until the 19 th century that people first began to add tomato to ketchups, probably first in Britain. Another early recipe from 1817 for Tomata Catsup still had the anchovies that betrayed its fish-sauce ancestry. By the mid-1850s, the anchovies had been dropped, and it was only in 1890 that the need for better preservation (and the American sweet tooth) led American commercial ketchup manufacturers like Heinz to greatly increase the sugar in ketchup, leading to our modern sweet and sour formula. The Chinese origins of the national of the United States sauce arent just a fun bit of culinary trivia ketchups history offers a new way to look at global economic history. If you subscribe to a traditional Western model of Asian economics, China turned inward in 1450 during the Ming dynasty and became isolated and economically irrelevant, leading to stagnation and a low standard of living until the West finally dragged Asia into the world economy in the 19 th and early 20 th century. But the vast production and trade of ke-tchup (not to mention arrack and less delicious goods like textiles and porcelain) well into the 18th century tell a different tale. Recent scholars have shown that the Chinese governments bans on private sea trade were repeatedly rescinded, and in any case were ignored by Hokkien merchants and pirates, who continued to sail and trade illegally on a massive scale. In fact, by the time British sailors brought ketchup back to England, China was the richest nation in the world by any measure including standard of living, life span, per-capita income, military strength and produced the bulk of the whole worlds GNP Chinas control of intra. Asia trade together with its superior manufacturing technology meant that China dominated the world economy until the industrial revolution. These facts explain why the British and Dutch were so eager to get to Asia: Most of the worlds trade took place only there. But all Europe had to offer in exchange for Asias considerable luxury goods were gold and silver from American colonial mines. As Charles Mann argues in 1493, it was thus the desire for Asian exports that drove Europes intense phase of exploration and colonisation in the New Wo r l d . T h e e n c o u n t e r between Western appetites and Eastern products created our modern world-spanning interconnected civilisations, to borrow Manns turn of phrase. The story of ketchup from the fermented fish sauces of China and Southeast Asia to the sweet chutneys of England and America is, after all, a story of globalisation and of centuries of economic domination by a world superpower. But the superpower isnt America, and the century isnt ours. Think of those little plastic packets under the seat of your car as a reminder of Chinas domination of the global world economy for most of the last millennium. Slate

Your financial abilities pose a danger of provoking you into taking a materialistic view of life. Your inability to closely consider the point of view of others will add unnecessary complexity to the decisionmaking process. Learn to accept disappointment without too much bitterness.

April 20 - May 20

Gemini

The mind controls the body and can fool the body; in instances of extreme control it can even kill the body. Cultivate your subconscious, which needs to be clear in order to know and understand the value of optimism in finding your way to success. Remember that your parents are the first great teachers in your life never make their hearts feel painful or sorrowful. Strong love will challenge you.

May 21 - June 20

Cancer

You should learn to organise your actions, thinking processes and emotions, and learn to create wherever you happen to be. Nourish spiritual practice, which will highlight different aspects of your mind and allow you think clearly and correctly. Love begins at home, and allowing spirituality to flourish in your family will bring joy, love and peace.

June 22 - July 22

Leo

When interacting with people, remember that you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion. For the noble person, what is good is easy to do and what is bad is difficult; but for the corrupt person, what is good is always difficult and what is bad is easy, according to the Buddha. If you want to be a king you must first be commander of yourself.

July 23 - Aug 22

Virgo

You will be invited to share knowledge in a meeting with great people who are to be known as your spiritual teachers of destiny. A big change will occur in your professional direction, and your intellectual focus will also become different from anything you or anyone else had previously imagined.

Aug 23 - Sept 22

Libra

Your excellence is not an act but your habit. The rule for individual behaviour is to avoid doing to others what you would want others to avoid doing to you. Treat others like yourself. Your social position will become great before long. Self-management is the essence of love.

Sept 23 - Oct 22

Scorpio

One of these days is none of these days, so fix a proper date to take care of important matters. Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation. It is better to be alone than in bad company. Know that the greatest protection is self-protection. Protecting yourself means protecting others, and the same applies in your love life.

Oct 23 - Nov 21

Sagittarius

Life throws up problems to everybody in varying degrees irrespective of circumstances. Know that problems are also essential to human growth. The hardest part of achieving success and victory is convincing yourself about your own competence. Realise that the first step in achieving any success is to rid yourself of the belief that you cannot reach your goal.

Nov 22 - Dec 21

Capricorn

Nothing other than what enters your mind or what is already there can affect your outlook on life. Never open the door to fear and worry. Believe that you are always under the observation of others who are ready to respond with applause or complaints. Doubtful minds can never easily hold onto a relationship, so cultivate harmony and balance within before seeking love. For a personal reading contact Aung Myin Kyaw, 4th Floor, 113 Thamain Bayan Road, Tamwe Township, Yangon. Tel: 0973135632, Email: williameaste@gmail.com

Dec 22 - Jan 19

Computer
COmPuTER Services (On Call) Networking & CCTV installation 09-430-52564, 09- 73085511 GMAIL, facebook new account. Pls contact : 09-730-45025 I OFFICE COURSE DTP Course Graphic Design Course Internet & Email Peachtree Accounting 2005/2010. Ph : 09-448003402 START MAKING FREE video calls on your iPhone, Android, WP7, or PC! Tango works over all networks and across many devices. Download Tango at h t t p : / / w w w. t a n g o . net/r/a , or search for Tango in your app marketplace. SOFTwARE developer & PC Technician special training : From fundamental to advanced level (1) C++, Visual Basic, VB.NET & C#.NET (2) A+ hardware and networking PC-One Computer training th center. 39, 30 st. (1st flr.) Pabedan. 09-420-0 90167, 09-509-0350 ACTivE COmPuTER Systems (Training Services) (Basic) Microsoft Office (2007, 2010) Photoshop (Cs2,Cs3) AutoCad (2007, 2010)-2D3D (Advance) Microsoft Office (2007,2010) Photoshop (Cs2,Cs3) AutoCad(2007,2010)2D3D (Database) Sql2005, Sql2008 Contact: 09-730-75931, zinmyintzx@ gmail.com (Ko Zin Myint BE-IT) PROCOm (Computer Training to Home) Internet & E-mail, Microsoft Office, Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Draw, DTP. Ph : 09-420-011939. FOR Computer Services, Software Services, Website Services, IT Current Ph:09-43026443. DO you want my credit card? To buy something from online (domain name, web hosting, Google apps, files sharing services a/c, apple id, apps & any other things?). To buy something from spore (such as Laptops, phones, servers, cameras & any other things?). You want to sells something @ online? Then you want me to accept payment via PayPal on behalf of you? You can reach me via. Email: famouswin @ famouzwin.com, mobile: +65 90702565, viber: +65 90702565 (sms/voice), online: +65 90702565 (sms/voice), whatsapp: +65 90702565 (sms) SHwE SAGAR Mandalay: Computer for Kids, Basic Accounting for Job, I-Office, Advanced Excel Course, DTP Course MYOB Software, Peach Tree Software, Window Shortcut Course, Email & Internet Course Mp3, Mp4, Video Editing, Multimedia Course. Ph: 09-444-011279.

Education
MATHEMATICS If your child (KG to Grade 9) from YIS, ISM, ISY, Yangon Academy and all international schools is weak in Maths or doesnt know how to think and solve the problems, Pls contact. Daw Naing Naing Aung, B.Com

(Q) No.(6), Thuketa St, Baukhtaw, Yankin. Ph: 544594, 09-500-4993. SCHOLAR TEACHING & Guide Association founded with ME, BE & Master Degree holder with 12 years experience in teaching Public & Int'l School (Total, ILBC, CISM, YIUS, Horizon, ISM) Higher level : SAT, IGCSE, IELTS, TOFEL, Saya Bryan (M.E IT) ph: 094200 70692, 09- 2150075, Saya Min Aung ph: 09-421110832 Native American & Korean teachers also available. FOR PRimARY LEvEL International School Subjects English , Math, History , Science Geography, Social English Language Myanmar Language Dance Lessons C o n t a c t : candlelight295@ gmail. com Ph: 9190133 calling time 8:00 pm IELTS GCSE Basic, .5 &I ( 7 & Above), (Phy; Chem; Eng), Business English; We are hero-makers; Teacher Solomon: Ph09-541-7781. KANT KAw Education Centre is now accepting applications for its October Term. Limited fee waivers are available so apply now! Available courses eneral nglish :G E (Level I & II) IELTS (Level I & II) Academic Reading & Writing Civic Education Advanced English for Communication Conversation Club Study Abroad skills Building Deadline for applications: September 7, 2012. Address: (605/A), San Yeik Nyein 6th St, Kamaryut, Yangon. Ph: 01 502 884. Email: info@ kantkaw.com mYAnmAR Aabedama if you would like to ask any question about Myanmar Tradition You are welcome to contact Mg Htoo Pyae Sone Tun: 09-420109629, 09-732-46462 TEACHING Guide For Primary Student for International Schools Subjects English, Math Geography History, Social Sceince English Language Ph : 9190133 LOGFRAME/ROJECT Proposal / Report Writing & for IELTS/ TOEFL/SAT essay Contact Teacher Maisie, 8th Mile Ph: 09-5011952, 660-413, 667082 TEACHING combination of Foreign & Myanmar Style/ Skillful Teachers, Teachers who have got Teaching experience in Singapore Study Guides for Grade 10, 11 & Int'l School, GCSE, SAT, IELTS, OEFL, merican T A Native English Teacher Tr. Albert c/o 09-420070 692 Sayar Bryan, ME (IT) 09-420070692, Sayar Htet Ph; 09-215 0075, Sayar Min Aung (B.E,IT):09-42111 0832, Korean Native Maths Teacher Tr.Kim c/o 09420070692, ENGLISH Grammar for 9th and 10th Standards Ph: 09-541-3847. KAUNG mYAT B.E (petro) Grade IX, X & XI Special for Maths. Ph: 09-731-42020. gmail: K a u n g M y a t O o 2 5 1 @ gmail.com, Facebook: KaungMyatOo.

vehicles by computer and Diagnosis tester, Door to Door service. pls call us 0973022863. ORIGINAL & ART welcome to create the artwork for your product(s) advertisement via e-mail or flicking on your social network profile page. We have an option to promote your product(s) effectiveness and cost saving. For more details information you can simple send an e-mail to :originalnart@ gmail. com or 09-420075200. IOLAR Translation Service Ph: 09-4200- 31866, 229 301. Email: iolar.translation @ gmail. com .

Language
SPOkEn mYAnmAR - Effective Myanmar language home visit classes for Foreigners. Progressive Program would be supported.For details, pls contact to keencentre@gmail. com ENGLISH class at Chantha Gonyaung Condo, Tamwe . Pre reading (Phonics), Reading (Oxford reading program) Creative writing, Grammar (EFL/ESL), 4 skills (IELTS) Also available Math & Science (Singapore syllabus/ IGCSE) Call 09-5062283. FOREIGNERS for those who would like to learn Myanmar language. 10000 Kyats per hour. Ma Zar Chi Lwin, B.A (English) UFL, 09-49588579. ENGLISH Language Guide. Ph : 9190133 C/O Teacher Chaw Chaw INNOVIA - Language Solutions Baisc Myanmar language for foreigners : speaking/ reading & writing for foreigners - (From basic to advanced) one to one home teaching & classroom teaching. Call to book your class. Teach by more than 10 years of Int'l experien-ced & teaching experienced teachers. New Classes commence 1st September 2012. Ph: 09-43197761, 09401603454. Email: innovia. myanmar@ gmail.com FOR EmBASSY family and others: When you stay in Myanmar, do u want to ask to your children to learn Myanmar language? Call: 09-5146505 (Christine) SPOkEn mYAnmAR: Progressive Myanmar Language Private Classes for Foreigners. Effective Teaching Program will be supported. For details, pls contact to +959- 423 668 824. FREE EDUCATION : Sein English Academy By Hla Maung (Arakan Sein) English for journalists

(Juniors: newspapers, internet- 8 to 9:30 am) (Seniors: Time, Newsweek, Readers Digest-10 to 11:30 am) Young journalists are encouraged to join the class with recommen-dation from their respective journals. 10th standard completion certificate is required. Starting from: 4 August, 2012 (Saturday and Sunday) Duration: August, September, October Note: K 5,000 for 3 month documents Ph: 386503, 09-73008846. Add: 498, Theinbyu Rd. ENGLISH CLASSES: (1) Specialized in Public Speaking, (2) English for job interviews, (3) Everyday English for office staff, (4) For those who want to improve their English skills, (5) English 4 skills, (6) Civics, morals, attitude & manner. Limited seats of 6 students. Call - 01543942, 09-515-6769. FOR Embassy family and others when you stay in Myanmar, do you want to ask to your children to learn Myanmar language? Contact: 09-420067238 (Cyrus).

For Rent
BED ROOm for Rent : Foreigner only. 1 or 2 person. Ph: 526707, 09-517-2256. LEFT HAND Drive Car for rent (Expat use in Yangon) Contact : 09730-33776. MARK II, 1999 Model, Pearl White, 2.0 Gasoline, 111000 km, 2D/3000, Grade 4.5, Kyat 8 Lakh per month (minimum 3 month rent), Ph: 09-731-15378.

Phone Nokia N8 with all original accessories and box price - 150000 Ks 095178391. GENERATOR : (1) Denyo(Disel) 45KV, 1 No : Ks 10,000,000 (2)2DC Family (Disel) 25 KV, 1 No : Ks 3,000,000. Ph : 09-5073295, 01200133. PSP Go built in 16GB (2month used) Full game installed, with cover Condition Almost original good. Ph: 09-739-03193 (Mandalay) CHILDREN Dictionary, Encyclopedia size, Vol: 1 to 8, Good Conditions, Reasonable Prize, Contact: 09-730-53353, C/O 01-689545. A D S L ( B a g a n / M P T ) , WiMax (Bagan), McWill Ph : 09-44-800-6520 FOR SOFTwARE SALE : Travel & Tour Software System (booking), Golf Management System for Green fees, Make for Customized Software System contact: 09-73075931, Email: zinmyintzx @ gmail. com INTERNET Y-max. Ph: 09-731-75878. CDMA 800 MHz Mobile Phone (Huawei c8650), A few months used, Internet-connected, Link-To-SD software installed (able to install more applications), Micro SD 4GB, With over 600 App & Game, Already rooted, Myanmar Font installed *Ready to use for people who loves nicecondition smart phone* Ph: 09-731-30288 Email: myomyintrit7@ gmail.com, myomyint 2359@yahoo.com

General
mOBiLE HOuSE : Sales & Service center : 161,Latha St, Upper, Latha. Ph: 250880. inT'L HAiRSTYLE Chanin Store : 144, Latha St, Middle, Latha.Ph:095055508, 253414. ORGANIC FOLIAR Spray for hotels, family gardens and indoor flower plants. Door to door service. Call 09-420080585. TTD CONCRETE professional goods (Made in Thailand) : Vibrating Truss screeds, Vibrating beam screeds, Walk-behind trowels, Floor hardener, Riding trowerls, Steel trowels, Channel float (pipe), Blade, Pan. Sole Agent: DAVINCI Group Co., Ltd: 9, Bayintnaung Rd, Shwe marlar , Kamayut. Ph: 512239, 512249.

For Sale
ACER LAPTOP. Processor: Intel (R) core (TM)2. Solo CPU U3500. 1.40 Ghz. Memory 4 GB. Windows vista. Model: Aspire 4810T. 64 bit OS. Service Pack 1. Price: 130000. Ph: 09514-8155. (90% NEw) Used Apple IpodTouch 4G 32GB Black With all original accessries and box Price - 150000, Nokia N8 with all original accessries and box price - 150000 Ph : 09-517-8391 COmPOSiTE Showcase 6 No for sale. Ph: 0973005836, 09-5095505. LAPTOP Acer Aspire 4810T Processor: Intel Core 2 Solo CPU U3500, 1.40 GHz Memory: 4 GB 64 bit OS, Service Pack 1 Windows Vista. Price 130000. Ph: 09-514-8155. 6 MONTH USED Apple IpodTouch 4th Generation 32 GB Black with all original Accessories and box very good condition price - 150000, 6 Month Used

DANCE CLASS Special Attention Dance Teacher ; Hamjit Great experience teacher for dancing hip hop, rap & Tango Contact : 9190133 C/O Chaw Chaw NURTURE Intellegence in music. Professional Piano Education. Piano lesson, any level, with Teacher Christie, from the Philippines. Part-time pianist at International School Yangon. After school and Sunday classes. Delta Plaza, Shwe Gone Daing Rd, Bahan. One-to-one class. Limited students only. Ph:552-609. PROjECT Management Course will start on August 5, 2012. Four sessions on Sunday morning, ideal for busy executives who dont have time to attend regular classes. For more information, inquiries or enrollment please contact the Corporate Learning Academy (CLA) 5 Meilikha Rd, Mayan-gon. Ph: 650329, 664397 Email: cla@ myanmar.com.mm BASiC ART: Drawing & Painting (Taught in Burmese); July 30 - Sept 21; Call YWAMA (in Hledan) today! 09861 3748 ASP.nET Training Course(C# advance): HTML,CSS & Java script, ASP.Net Over view, Application Architecture, Master Page & Menu creation, State Management & Validation Control, Report, Ajax and Web Service, Microsoft SQL server 2008, Project Course. Fees 100000 ks|12 eeks|72 oursC# w h Basic:Introduction to the .Net Framework and C# .Net,Variables And Operators ,Value Types & Reference Types , Decisions And Loops, Procedures & Classes, Boxing & Unboxing, ADO.Net, Error Handling. Fees : 50000 ks|8 weeks|48 hours. Guide for School Project, SQL . Ph: 09504-2775, 09-5062812

PROPERTY
HousingforRent
BAHAn : (1) New University Avenue Lane, Condo, 7Flr, 1500 sqft , Fully furnished & furniture, 3 A/C, 1 MBR, 2 SBR, 1Ph, 8 Lakhs (2) Golden Valley, 2 Story Building, Fully furnished & furniture, 2MB, 2SB, Ph,A/ C,Good neighbor hood, 30 Lakhs, (Suitable to Rent for Foreigner), Ph: 09-43200669 (1)kAmAYuT, Inya Rd, 1 acre land, 2RC colony style, big lawn, 4 master rooms, (2) Near Pyay Rd, 0.25 acre land, 2 storey new house, phone line, nice lawn, 5 master bed rooms, (3) Bahan , golden valley, 60x120', 2 storey, 3 master bed rooms, phone line, fully furnished, US$ 3200 per month, Ph: 09-448015380. APARTmEnT : (1) Sanchaung, Minn St, 12x50 (renew, fully furnished & 2AC). 1 Bed room, 1 Kitchen. 500$ (USD) per month. Ph: 09-431-03226 (2) Latha, 22 th St, 126x 50 (renew, fully furnished, 2AC). 1 Bed room, 1 Kitchen. 600$ (USD) per month. Ph: 09-731-92603. An APARTmEnT in the condominium which is Newly built at Inya road, New University Avenue, Pyay Rd in Myawaddy Luxury Condominium in Junction Mawtin any others near to Sanchaung. Expatriates will be stay there. The owner, who wants to get full house rent; no need to pay agent fee, can contact 09-510-3966 immediately. BAHAn, (1) New University Avenue Rd, 120x100, 2 nd Storey new house, Nice and beautifully, P-furn, Ph, 8A/C, US$6500, (2) Than Lwin Rd, 0.335, RC2 storey , Ph, 7A/C, asking price US$ 3500, (3) New University Rd, 100x100, RC2, Nicely house, Ph, 7A/C, US$ 3500(4) NewUniversity Rd, 30x100, BN2 16 Lakhs, Call Maureen: 09-518-8320. DELTA PLAZA 2nd flr, corner unit, 1680 sqft 2 MBR, 1 Single Rm. all rooms windows, aircon, water heaters, ph. Pls contact: 09-5079048, 09-514-1195 ( 1 ) S / O k k A L A R PA Land 30' x 56' at Corner of Damma Date Htan St & 37 St, 13 Yat Quat, (Price 1200 Lakhs) (2) Lake Kan St, (Near to Yae Kyaw Rd)Corner Ground Flr Shophouse, 18' x 40', (Plus covered side lane 12' x 30') (Price 850 Lakhs) Ph: 09 5002133 THinGAnGYun : Freehold Land 41' x 130' Price 2500 Lakhs Tel : 09 5002133 THinGAnGYun : Land suitable for Hospital 85' x 130' , Freehold. Price : 5800 Lakhs o.n.o Tel : 09 5143339 S O u T H O k k A L A PA , Min Khaung Rd, 40 x 60. Ph: 09-730-00485 C L A S S I C CONDOMINIUM 27th St x Marchant St, 1st Flr, 1756 sqft, (34' x 46'), 14' High, Price 4000 Lakhs Ph: 09 42 007 0692 DAGON, 840/42, Corner Blk, Dagon Shwe Hmyar 1st St, Near Bohmu Ba Htoo St. Ph: 09-73135746. PABEDAn, 27th St x Marchant St, 1st Flr, 1756 sqft, (34' x 46'), 14' High, Price 4500 Lakhs Ph: 09-420070692 M I N G A L A R TA u n G n Y u n T, 506/1, Kyi Taw Housing, Kyi Taw St,(14' x 55'), Corner Room 5th Flr, 2 Bedrooms, 2 Balcony, porcelain floor, Toilet. Price - 280 lakhs. Ph: 09-214111893. LASHIO : Ward 12, 2Acres Land including the main house and 2storey building. In downtown and Very Good place for business. Price: negotiable Ph: 09-5171377, 09-515-8738 SANCHAUNG , (1) near CityMart & Yuzana Super Market) Condo 32 ft x 52 ft, 6 Flr, MB (1) SB (2) renovated/ Lift. 1600 lakhs (2) Panchan st, new building, 15 ft x 50 ft, high 12 G Flr, 700 lakhs) Ph: 09-73110110 09-508-0880 BAHAn, Natmaut Yeiktha Lane, 0.22 Acre, RC 1 1/2 storey, Ph: 543350, 09-5083097. No broker pls.

Public Notice
TTA TRADING Co., Ltd. Your Trusted Hotel Supplies Partner:174/176, 51st Upper , Pazun-daung , Yangon. (New office address) Ph: 9000448, 397757, Hp: 09-5214535, Fax: 9000448, Email: ttatrading@gmail. com STYLiST if you want to change your style with one glance you are welcome to contact : Mg Htoo Pyae Sone Tun: 09-73246462, 09-420-109629

Housing for Sale

mOnYwAR ,1 Lot no.11/10, block no. 90/92, 15St, Thanlar, 2 Between 2 & 4 street, Kywar nyo st,Pyi tharyar Qt, Meikhtilar contact. Ph :09-49231696, goodwill303164 @ gmail. com 9 MILES, Pyay Road, Bonyarna Lane (50" x 70") garden with including house (3500 Lakhs) no agent please Ph: 09-730-28726, 09421-029911)

Training

SMART (Body Fitness); Welcome to all of customer. To reduce your over weight body (Above 200lb). To get smart and healthy body. To get a healthy life. Available to discuss with experts (Excellent Training Teacher). 142, 47thSt, st 1 Flr, Bota-htaung. Ph: 09-730-17729,

Want to Hire
URGENT We are looking for the suitable place where to open the office in Bahan, Hlaing, Kamayut, Mayangon, Sanchaung.Compound or Condo, at leat 2,000. sq ft. Near to bus-stop. Pls contact to U Nyo Htun, Ph: 09 731 32 818.

Want To Buy
ADSL, WiMax, McWill . Ph : 245 415

Expert Service
VEHICLE Diagnosis Service: We test and Diagnosis all kinds of

Employment
INGO Position
A CONSORTIUM of international and national organizations comprising HelpAge International, The Leprosy Mission International, Network Activity Group, Myanmar YMCA and Golden Plain has received funding from Livelihood and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) for a 3-year livelihood /food security project entitled REVEAL Reducing Economic Vulnerabiity through an Equitable/Inclusive Approach to Livelihoods to be implemented in 15 villages each in Ayartaw Township in Sagaing Region and Mahlaing Township in Mandalay Region. We are seeking qualified and experience Myanmar national for the following position: Job Title: Field Facilitator Location: Project office in Mahlaing Township with regular visit to project villages Qualifi-cations and compe-tencies Minimum BEHS level of education. Experience in community facilitation/ community organizing using participatory methods. A sincere desire to help small scale farmers, livestock farmers and landless families. At least 3 years community mobilization/facilitation work with INGO at the community level or equivalent experience is helpful. Strong familiarity with participatory development approaches. Good problem solving and organizational skills. Understanding of village level problems. Knowledge about agriculture, fisheries, livestock/small scale income generation activities helpful. Interested and qualified candidates are requested to send a Cover Letter and Curriculum Vitae to the Human Resources Unit of HelpAge International Myanmar Country Office, No 10 Kanbawza Avenue, Shwetaungaya Ward No. 1, Bahan Township, Yangon OR by email to hr.helpagemyanmar@ gmail.com no later than 5 p.m., 4 September 2012. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview. wELTHUNGERHILFE (formerly known as GAA) islooking for an Administrative & Office Assistant (Myanmar national) for our project office in Pauk Tsp, Magway Division : University Degree, Fluent in English(spoken/ written) Very good skills in computer operation. Domination of MS word, excel & typing in Myanmar font are obligatory. Pls submit application letter, CV with 1 picture. copy of NRC registration. copy of graduation docu-ments. Work references. Name and address of at least 2 referees. Pls send applications to HR Department : 29 (A), Thirimingalar Avenue, Yankin. Ph: 662908, 09 8614873 Email: co. mmr.ygn. hr@ welthungerhilfe.de & paukwhh.pm@gnmail. com mYAnmAR Red Cross Society is looking for (1) Disaster Risk Reduction Education Training Officer (DRR Field Team), 1 Post: University degree or diploma related to the position. 2 years experience in teaching or children support programme according-ly. Communicative English languages skills (written & oral). Know how in Computer literacy & finance. (2)Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction Training Officer - 1 Post: University degree holder , 3 years experience in technical activities such as community based activities, DRR, community preparedness, etc. Computer literate in MS Office pack. Strong reporting skills (activities report in Myanmar & English). Intermediate English language skills. (3)Branch Capacity Building Training Officer (DRR Field Team). 1 Post. Qualifications and skills profile required: University degree or diploma related to the position (management, organizational development Capacity building,....). 2 years experience. Must have very good computer literacy in MS Office pack (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook Express ....). Basic English langauge skills. Pls submit: a letter of application, relevant documents & CV. Copy of recommendation letter from police Station, Copy of Labor Registration Card, Copy of health certificate & 1 passport photo (Cover letter CV documents only need to be sent via e-mail) to U Khin Maung Hla, Executive Director, Myanmar Red Cross Society, Nay Pyi Taw mrcshrrecruitment@ gmail.com before 31th August 2012, pls visit to www.myanmarredcrosssociety.org BuRnET inSTiTuTE Myanmar is seeking (1) Technical Officer (Global Fund Project: Working with men to address HIV) 1 post (2) Technical Officer (Education Project: Working for School Health, Water, Sanitat-ion & Hygiene, Community Development Program) 3 posts Detailed information can be assessed at Burnet Institute Myanmar office. Pls submit an application letter, curriculum vitae with recent passport sized photo and copies of relevant documents to HR Officer : 226, 2nd Flr, Wizaya Plaza, U Wisara Rd, Bahan (OR) Email:burnet. myanmar@ gmail.com Closing date: August 31, 2012 MEDECINS Sans Frontieres - Switzerland (MSF-CH) is seeking Nurse 1 Post: Nurse degree/ diploma recognised by National Authorities. Nursing experience (INGO experience is preferable). Computer skills. English (required) & Myanmar. Pls submit application (motivation letter, updated CV and copy of professional diplomas) to HR Officer :101, Dhamazedi Rd, Kamayut Email:msfchrangoon-web@ geneva. msf.org Closing date : 28, August 2012. MEDECINS du Monde (MDM) is seeking Harm Reduction Officer 1 post in Myitkyina: University Degree. Significant working experience in the field of Harm Reduction, HIV/ AIDS, Public Health minimum 2 years. Fluency in English (oral & written). Fluency in Kachin language (Jingpaw). Pls submit CV & a cover letter to MDM Country Coordination Office, Yangon : 47-B, Po Sein St, Bahan, Yangon. Ph: 542830, 09-73171002. Email: hr. mdm myanmar@gmail. com SOLIDARITES Int'l (SI) is looking for Senior Logistician: 3 years of professional experience in Logistics field with INGO/ NGO. University Degree or Diploma (preferably in Logistics or related area). Or related proven experience in similar area. Knowledge of IT management & MS office (excel, word, powerpoint & networking). Fluent in English & Myanmar (spoken/ written). Good writing & communication skills. Pls submit application (CV, cover letter, references) to : Win Htay, Logistics Coordinator : 44 A, Tharyarwaddy Lane, Bahan or per email: recruitment @solidarites-myanmar. org and cc to ygn.log. coordo@solidaritesmyanmar.org (thanks to use basic Excel, Word or PDF format). Closing date: 15.9.2012 SOLIDARITES Int'l (SI) is seeking (1) Deputy Administrative and Finance Manager in Bhamo, Kachin State (2)Deputy Administrative and Finance Manager in Kanpelet, Chin State: University level or equivalent in accounting/ management/ administration. 1 years experience in a similar position with NGO. Excellent knowledge of word & excel, knowledge of accounting software SAGA & HR software HOMERE is a plus. Fluent spoken & written English & Myanmar. Good writing & communication skills. Pls submit application (CV, cover letter, references) by email to: sol.ygn.hr @ gmail.com. Closing date : 30 August 2012. SOLIDARITES Int'l (SI) is seeking Cashier 1 post in Yangon: 1 year experience in INGO or private organization. University Degree or Diploma (preferably) in accounting field). Fluent spoken & written English, Myanmar. Good writing & commu-nication skills. Know-ledge of MS office (excel, word, power point). Pls submit application (CV, cover letter, references) to: HR Department : 44(A), Tharyarwaddy St, Sayar San Ward, Bahan, email to: hr. solidarites.mm@ gmail. com,sol.ygn.hr@ gmail. com. Closing date : 30.8.12 operator, travel agents, individual clients. Prepare & submit tailor make itineraries & take care of all travel arrangements as necessary. 2 years work experience in tourism related field. Should have strong sales and customer service focus. Must possess computer proficiency and good communication in English & French. Pls send a detailed C.V with recent photo, expected salary & other relevant documents to: HR Manager, 12th Flr, MMB Tower, No 166, Upper Pansodan St. Email: memecho@exotissimo. com wE are seeking enthusiastic experienced (1) M & E Designer - M/F 1 Post : BE (or) AGTI (Electrical), 5 years experience, Hotel construction field is prefer. Able to design & estimate. (2) Project Engineer (M & E) - M 1 Post: BE or AGTI (Electrical), 5 years experience, Hotel construction field is prefer. Able to take initiative, coordinate with related fields. Pls provide reference projects list, expected salary & C.V to mail: supermega97@ gmail. com (or) Super Mega Engineers Group Co., Ltd. Plot 193/197, Shu Khin Thar St., North Okkalapa Industrial Zone. Closing date: 31st August, 2012. finance. Good command in English Japanese language is the most advantage. Proficiency in Standard of Microsoft Office: ord, xcel, ower w e p point. Others: Energetic, Confident & Challenging Person, Fast Learner, Good Management skills & good presentation. All Pls submit applications in English language, with CV or Resume, photograph, personal information, educational & occupational backgrounds & others, by e-mail to :.................. 17/A3-B, Pyi Htaung Su St, Bahan. Ph: 544735. 09-730-24431. Closing date: 15 September, 2012 A nEwLY established company is seeking energetic person to join our team. Office Assistant (Female) Our expectations are: Graduate. Able to communicate in written & verbal nglish. omputer E C proficient in Word, Excel, Power Point etc. Able to use email. Work hours, week days only Monday to Friday 9am - 5am. Pls forward your CVs pls send to myanmar.slt@ gmail.com And dont forget to tell us why we should interview you! AMDA is seeking a Program Officer for Yangon Office. Contract Period: 10 months (2 months probation) and extendable : University Medical degree with 3 years programming Executive - M/F 1 post: passion in fashion, sweet s miling face, ability to sell, 1 year experience in sales. Pls send resume with one colour photo (1"x1.5") toviviennewang. vw@ gmail.com or 127(A), Sane Lei Kanthar Rd, Kamayut, Yangon. (in front of UFL University Avenue Rd) Ph: 514 325. BuSinESS Development Manager - M 2 Posts : Any Graduate. Age above 30. Willing to travel for over sea training 6 months to 12 months. Must work independently and self motivate. 2 ~ 3 years experience.Understand communication in English & prefer if candidate have knowledge in speaking Chinese language. Pls submit resume detail to: 51, Shwe Hinthar Tower (A), Rm 202, 6 miles, Pyay Rd, Hlaing . Ph: 09732-44378, 502286 SECRETARY Wanted : English 4 skills, Training / Marketing experience 5 + years priferred. Driver lic. Male only 30 ~ 40 years old, Must be deligent. Call in Eng. 250K+/mo. Ph: 09-420020876. Mr. Cliff. SMART GROuP of Companies is seeking (1) Secretary to President (Attractive Salary) - F 1 Post : Bachelor Degree or Master Degree Holder (Prefer English Major or Abroad Education). Fluent in English. 2 years experience & abroad working experience (2) Administrator - M 1 Post : Age under 30, Bachelor Degree in Administration or Management, Must have good English, 2 years experience. (3) Asst: Internal Auditor -F (1) Post : B.Com or Diploma in Accounting, Good in English (4) Event Coordinator - M/F 1 Post : Age 25 ~ 30, Bachelor Degree, Fluent in English (5) Asst: Accountant - F 1 Post: Any Graduate, Diploma in Accounting or LCCI Level 3, (4) Driver - M 2 Posts : Must have driving license (black or red) 1 or 2 years experience . Pls send CV, 2 passport photos, copy of NRC card, academic transcripts (copy) and testimonial documents to City Bank Building 4th Flr, Banyar-dala Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt , Ph : 09-861-6730, 09861-6731 inCEPTA Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is seeking(1) medical Promotion Officer - 6 Posts : graduate from any discipline (science graduate with 1-2 year experience will be preferred). (2) Product Executive - 2 Posts: MBBS/B.Pharm, 2 ~ 3 years experience will be preferred. Pls submit updated resume/ CV to 92/94, Rm#3B, 52nd St, Pazundaung , Yangon, Ph: 294859, 09-421072068, or email: rakib. incepta@gmail.com, Closing date: 30.9.12. MARKETING Staff - M: Age 22 ~ 30, Computer literate, Fluent in English, Willing to work, energetic , motivated & hard working (2) Office Manager (for Tour and Related Business)- M : Age 20 ~ 30, Any graduate, Computer literate, Proficient in English, Experience in marketing will be of advantage, Able to work secretarial procedure, hotel reservation and buying of air ticket, Able to use Email, Internet. Salary: Negotiable. Apply with CV & 1 recent photo, attached with relevant certificate E-mail: preschool. ygn @gmail.com Tel: 09505-7367 SHINSUNG Tongsang Int'l., Co. Ltd is seeking HR Manager - 1 Post : over 5 years (garment factory experience preferable). Any Bachelor degree. Fluent in English. Salary over 300,000 kyat (2) Chief Accoun-tant - 2 Posts: Over ears xperience. 5y e CPA preferable. Fluent in English. Salary around 300,000 kyat (3). General Manager : over 10 years experience (garment factory experience). Any Bachelor degree. Fluent in English. Salary over 700,000 kyat. Pls submit CV with other documents to plot nos 20~23, 32~36, Kanaung Min Thar Gyi Rd, 14st, Shwepaukan Industrial Zone North Okkalapa. Ph:09-43132872, 695607 (1)PRESCHOOL Teachers :B.A/B.Ed/ BSc. Specialization in Early Years Teaching in Child Psychology & Methodology. 1 year experience in teaching early years. Valid certificate for Early Years teachers training. Salary: Negotiable. (2) English Teachers for IGCSE A level &IELTS : BA/MA. B.Ed/M.Ed. Any interested degree holders who are proficient in English, any native speaker will be considered too. Age under 50. Salary: Negotiable. Apply with CV & 1 recent photo, attached with relevant certificates. Email: preschool.ygn@ gmail. com Ph: 09-505-7367 wE ARE seeking e n t h u s i a s t i c , experienced Legal / Tax Adviser Interested applicants should submit: A completed application form (available from the website above). Their current Curriculum Vitae. A statement addressing the Initial Selection Criteria below Initial Selection Criteria: Competent legal and/or tax professional with two years of commercial experience. Possesses or currently pursuing Accounting,Commerce Finance or Law Degree. Knowledge of Myanmar laws and regulations. Strong communication skills in English and Myanmar languages. Demonstrates excellent IT skills (MS word, excel, outlook & internet search). Exhibits honesty, reliability & a commitment to strict confidentiality. Enthusiastic, willing to learn, attentive to detail & able to work in a team. Applications should be submitted by 31 August 2012 to: Mr. Piseth PENG, Regional HR Officer: piseth.peng @ dfdl.com PERSOnAL Assistant to Marketing Division Director If your English language skill is better than most and you have keen interest to work with a foreigner from Singapore, then submit CV as soon as possible to philip@ vmgcl.com (1) R MANAGER/ Asst: H HR Manager - 1 Post : Age above 35, Degree holder are preferable (Professional Degree or equivalent). 3 years experience. (2) Chief Auditor - 2 Posts : Myanmar National, Age above 35, Degree holder are preferable (Professional Degree or equivalent). 3 years experience. (3) Brand Manager/ Executive - 2 Posts : Any Graduate or MBA is higher Degree (MBA is preferable), Age above 28, 3 years experience with Int'l. (4) Management Trainee 8 Posts : Age 20 ~ 27, Graduate with (B.Com/ B.Econ/ B.B.A/ B.B.M), Knowledge of Microsoft office software package. Pls send CV with other documents to HR Manager. Business Development Team. Creation (Myanmar) Co., Ltd: 15~18, Thamain Bayan Rd, Myittar Yeik Mon Housing, Tarmwe. Ph: 09-202-7605, Email: bdthrmanager@golden land.com.mm, wE ARE looking for tution teacher : Mathematics (inter national school syllabus), Must be teach in English, Grade - 7, Pls contact : 553863, 553759, 546975. CAFE47 is looking for well-experienced waiters & waitresses. Pls contact 09-5019500 before you come along with your CV form applications. Or contact with our manager via 651774 for detailed info. ICS Travel Group is looking for (1) Travel Consultant : 3 years experience. (2) Reservation staff : 2 years experience: good communication & inter-personal skills, fluent in spoken & written English, travel business experience, excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office, Internet & Email) , must possess ability to work under pressure, highly motivated & outgoing personality. Pls submit CV with photo and other certificates personally or per e-mail to : 11 (A), Maharmyaing St, Sanchaung. Ph: 511658, 511701, Email: zinzin@is-myanmar. com ORYx INTERNATIONAL General Svcs Co., Ltd. is seeking (1) Computer Operator - F 2 Post : Good in English, 5 years experience in Internet, Email, Office Word, Excel, Pagemaker & Photoshop. (2) Admin Officer - F 1 Post : Good in English, leadership skills, age over 35, computer skills & knowledge of routine administration, strong personality. Able to work under stress situation. (3) Office Staff - 2 Post : Good in English, Age above 30, computer knowledge, above 5 years experience. Salary will depend on experience & qualification. Submit your details resume to Rm 806, Yuzana Tower Shwe Gone Daing Junction Bahan Tel: 558398, 09-430-66708 mYAnmAR wOnDERS Travel Ltd (Yangon) is looking for (1) Travel Manager - 3 years experience, in preparing and creating tour programs, in managing quotation, being able to manage the team assisting with all areas of booking, able to work under pressure with good time manage-ment skill, good computer knowledge , fluent in English & French (written & spoken). (2) Tour Operation must have experience in the related field, being able to handle all areas of bookings such as reservation for hotels, restaurants, guides, transportations, meals, work closely with suppliers on all reservations to ensure the smooth operation of travel programs, good computer knowledge , good knowledge in English. French is advantage. Pls apply with updated resume to : 256/266, Rm : 10(D), Seikkanthar St (Upper), Kyauktada. Ph: 398030, 09-731-40535

Local Position
SHwE SA BwE Hotel & Restaurant Training Center is looking for (1) Restaurant ManagerAny Bachelor degree. 5 years experience in International Hotel & Restaurant. Able to train & guide the students. Fluent in English (2) Second Cook - Any Bachelor degree. 3 years experience in Int'l Hotel & Restaurant. Able to train & guide the students. Fluent in English. Pls submit application including CV & related documents to 20, Malika St., Mayangone. Tel: 661983, 09-516-3598. ACADEMIC Institute Management Institute of Myanmar - MIM (1) Receptionist (2) Lecturers for Accounts (LCCI I, II, III, MYOB, Other Accounting related Software). (3) Lecturers for Computer Studies. Lecturers for English, Chinese & other languages. Pls submit CV with cover letter plus 3 passport size photos. 2 years experiences. Recom-mendation letter if possible. Supporting Certificates & docu-ments (academic results & marks). National Identity Card plus National Family Members Registration to: Block 5, 2nd Flr, Cor of Daw Thein Tin Rd & Thein Phyu Rd. Ph: 394214, 399096. ExOTISSIMO Travel Myanmar is currently looking for French Tour Operator to correspnd with overseas tour

FiRST TOP Group is now seeking or angon Office f Y & Mandalay branch. (1) General Manager - M 1 Post (Head Office)- Any Graduate or higher Degree (MBA is more preferable). ge between A 35-50, 5 year experience at Senior Management Level in Distribution. (2) Sales Manager -M/F 2 Post (YGN 1/ MDY 1): Any Graduate or higher Degree (CIM, DMM, DMA, BBA, MBA is more preferable). Age 35-45, 3 years experience as manager in Sales & Distribution team of FMCG products. (3)Salesmen/ Sales Representative - M 10 Posts (YGN 5/ MDY 5)- Any Graduate, Age 22 ~ 30. Holding in update driving license. Pls submit application letter with CV, educational certificate, 2 recent photograph & documents, describe working experience,testimonies & expected salary to : U Aung Myo Nyein. 1st Flr, 47/48, Bahosi Housing Complex, Lammadaw . Ph: 09-431-43322, 094440-15404, Closing date: 22nd September, 2012. NJC General Services Co., Ltd is seeking (1) Marketing (2) HR & Administration. (3) Credit Control & Credit Management. (4) IT system. (5) Finance & Accounting - M/F : Myanmar. Bachelors Degree up in Major Law or Marketing or Finance or Accounting or related. 5 years in either Law or Marketing part or experience of Working at the Bank or Micro

experiences in relevant sectors (INGO experience would be an asset). Excellent in English & Myanmar (spoken / written). Strong computer skill (excel, word, power point, etc.). Pls enclose a C.V., copies of testimonials(references) & photograph (passport size) to Khin Nyo Yee, Senior Officer, Admin/ Finance Unit, AMDA Myanmar country Office:19-B, Thukhawaddy Rd, Yankin, Tel: 578353, E-mail:amda @mptmail.net. mm, Closing date: 27th August 2012. KELVIN CHIA Yangon Ltd., a foreign legal consultancy firm based in Yangon, is now looking for highly motivated Administrative Executive with strong English language skills. Any graduate may apply. Applicants may email chw@kcyangon. com. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. THE wEDDinG Planner Good remuneration for high calibre person. (1). Personal Assistant M/F 1 post : Age above 21. 1 year experience. Ability to travel overseas, computer literate (microsoft word proficient in English 4 skills. proficiencyin Chinese is an advantage. (2). Brand Manager - M/F (1) post : diploma or bachelor degree relating to marketing, good public relation skills, 3 years in marketing field. (3). Accountant - M/F 1 post : (4). Sales

The Essentials
EMBASSIES Australia 88, Strand Road, Yangon. tel : 251810, 251797, 251798, 251809, 246462, 246463, fax: 246159 Bangladesh 11-B, Than Lwin Road, Yangon. tel: 515275, 526144, fax: 515273, email: bdootygn@mptmail.net. mm Brazil 56, Pyay Road, 6th mile, Hlaing Tsp, Yangon. tel: 507225, 507251, 507482. fax: 507483. email: Administ.yangon@ itamaraty.gov.br. Brunei 317/319, U Wizara Road, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. tel: 526985, 524285, fax: 512854 email: bruneiemb@ bruneiemb.com.mm Cambodia 25 (3B/4B), New University Avenue Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 549609, 540964, fax: 541462, email: RECYANGON @mptmail. net.mm China 1, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 221280, 221281, 224025, 224097, 221926, fax: 227019, 228319 Egypt 81, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 222886, 222887, fax: 222865, email: egye mbyangon@mptmail. net.mm France 102, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 212178, 212520, 212523, 212528, 212532, fax: 212527, email: ambaf rance. rangoun@ diplomatie.fr Germany 9, Bogyoke Aung San Museum Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 548951, 548952, fax: 548899 email: info@rangun. diplo.de India 545-547, Merchant Street, Yangon. tel: 391219, 388412, 243972, fax: 254086, 250164, 388414, email: indiaembassy @mptmail. net.mm Indonesia 100, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 254465, 254469, 229750, fax: 254468, email: kukygn @indonesia.com.mm Israel 15, Khabaung Street, Hlaing Tsp, Yangon. tel: 515115, fax: 515116, email: info@ yangon.mfa.gov.il Italy 3, Inya Myaing Road, Golden Valley, Yangon. tel: 527100, 527101, fax: 514565, email: ambyang.mail@ esteri.it Japan 100, Natmauk Road, Yangon. tel: 549644-8, 540399, 540400, 540411, 545988, fax: 549643 Embassy of the State of Kuwait Chatrium Hotel, Rm: No.416, 418, 420, 422, 40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe Tsp, Tel: 544500. North Korea 77C, Shin Saw Pu Road, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. tel: 512642, 510205, fax: 510206 South Korea 97 University Avenue, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 527142-4, 515190, fax: 513286, email: myanmar@mofat.go.kr Lao A-1, Diplomatic Quarters, Tawwin Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. tel: 222482, fax: 227446, email: Laoembcab@ mptmail. net.mm Malaysia 82, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 220248, 220249, 220251, 220230, fax: 221840, email: mwkyangon@mptmail. net.mm Nepal 16, Natmauk Yeiktha, Yangon. tel: 545880, 557168, fax: 549803, email: nepemb @mptmail.net.mm Pakistan A-4, diplomatic Quarters, Pyay Road, Yangon. tel: 222881 (Chancery Exchange) fax: 221147, email: pakistan@ myanmar. com.mm Philippines 50, Sayasan Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 558149-151, fax: 558154, email: p.e. yangon@gmail.com Russian 38, Sagawa Road, Yangon. tel: 241955, 254161, fax: 241953, email: rusinmyan@mptmail .net.mm Serbia No. 114-A, Inya Road, P.O.Box No. 943Yangon. tel: 515282, 515283, fax: 504274, email: serbemb@ yangon.net.mm Singapore 238, Dhamazedi Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 559001, fax: 559002, 559922, email: singemb_ ygn@_ sgmfa. gov.sg Sri Lanka 34 Taw Win Road, Yangon. tel: 222812, fax: 221509, email: slembassy. yangon@gmail.com, info@slembyangon.org, www.slembyangon.org Thailand 94 Pyay Road, Dagon Township, Yangon. tel: 226721, 226728, 226824, fax: 221713 United Kingdom 80 Kanna Road, Yangon. tel: 370867, 380322, 371852, 371853, 256438, 370863, 370864, 370865, fax: 370866 United States of America 110, University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Yangon. tel: 536509, 535756, 538038, fax: 650306 Vietnam Building No. 72, Thanlwin Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. tel: 511305, fax: 514897, email: vnemb myr@ cybertech.net.mm Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia No.287/289, U Wisara Rd, Sanchaung Tsp. tel : 01-536153, 516952, fax : 01-516951 UNITED NATIONS ILO Liaison Officer Rm (M1212~1220), 12 Fl-A, Traders Hotel. 223, tel: 242 393, 242811. fax: 242594. IOM 12th Flr, Traders Hotel, 223, tel: 252560 ext. 5002 UNAIDS Rm: (1223~1231), 12 Fl, Traders Hotel. tel: 252361, 252362, 252498. fax: 252364. UNDCP 11-A, Malikha St, Mayangone tsp. tel: 666903, 664539. fax: 651334. UNDP 6, Natmauk Rd, Bahan tel: 542910-19. fax: 292739. UNFPA 6, Natmauk Rd, Bahan tsp. tel: 546029. UNHCR 287, Pyay Rd, Sanchaung tsp. tel: 524022, 524024. fax 524031. UNIAP Rm: 1202, 12 Fl, Traders Hotel.tel: 254852, 254853. UNIC 6, Natmauk St., BHN tel: 52910~19 UNICEF 14~15 Flr, Traders Hotel. P.O. Box 1435, KTDA. tel: 375527~32, fax: 375552 email: unicef.yangon@unicef. org, www.unicef.org/myanmar. UNODC 11-A, Malikha Rd., Ward 7, MYGN. tel: 666903, 660556, 660538, 660398, 664539, fax: 651334. email: fo.myanmar@unodc.org www. unodc.org./myanmar/ UNOPS Inya Lake Hotel, 3rd floor, 37, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 951657281~7. Fax: 657279. UNRC 6, Natmauk Rd, P.O. Box 650, TMWE tel: 542911~19, 292637 (Resident Coordinator), fax: 292739, 544531. WFP 3rd-flr, Inya Lake Hotel, 37, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 657011~6 (6-lines) Ext: 2000. WHO 12A Fl, Traders Hotel. tel:250583. ASEAN Coordinating Of. for the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force, 79, Taw Win st, Dagon Township. Ph: 225258. FAO Myanma Agriculture Service Insein Rd, Insein. tel: 641672, 641673. fax: 641561.

General Listing
ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS
Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe. tel: 544500. fax: 544400. Summit Parkview Hotel 350, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. tel: 211888, 211966. fax: 227995. Thamada Hotel 5, Alan Pya Phaya Rd, Dagon. tel: 243639, 243640, 243641. Traders Hotel 223 Sule Pagoda Rd. tel: 242828. fax: 242838. Winner Inn 42, Than Lwin Rd, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 503734, 524387. email: reservation@winner innmyanmar.com Yangon YMCA 263, Mahabandoola Rd, Botataung Tsp. tel: 294128, Yuzana Hotel 130, Shwegondaing Rd, Bahan Tsp, tel : 01-549600, 543367 Yuzana Garden Hotel 44, Alanpya Pagoda Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp, tel : 01-248944

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

Charted Certified, Certified Public Accountants. tel: 09-5010563. drtinlatt@matglobal.com

AIR CONDITION
Chigo No. 216, 38 Street (Upper), Kyauktada Tsp, tel : 373472

No.7A, Wingabar Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : (951) 546313, 430245. 09-731-77781~4. Fax : (01) 546313. www.cloverhotel.asia. info@cloverhotel.asia Confort Inn 4, Shweli Rd, Bet: Inya Rd & U Wisara Rd, Kamaryut, tel: 525781, 526872 Golden Aye Yeik Mon Hotel 4, Padauk Lane, 4th Word, Aye Yeik Mon Housing, Hlaing. tel: 681706. Hotel Yangon No. 91/93, 8th Mile Junction, Mayangone. tel : 01-667708, 667688. Inya Lake Resort Hotel 37 Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 662866. fax: 665537. Orchid Hotel 91, Anawrahta street, Pazundaung Township, Yangon, . Tel: 399930, 399990, 901061~65. E-mail: orchidhotel@ myanmar.com.mm.

ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS (NAy PyI TAw)

The First Air conditioning systems designed to keep you fresh all day GUNKUL Engineer supply Co., Ltd. No.437 (A), Pyay Road, Kamayut. P., O 11041 Yangon, Tel: +(95-1) 502016-18, Mandalay- Tel: 02-60933. Nay Pyi Taw- Tel: 067-420778, E-mail : sales.ac@freshaircon. com. URL: http://www. freshaircon.com General 83-91, G-F, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Kyauktada Tsp, tel : 706223, 371906

(Nay Pyi Taw)

Reservation Office (Yangon) 123, Alanpya Pagoda Rd, Dagon Township Tel : 951- 255 819~838 Royal Kumudra Hotel, (Nay Pyi Taw) Tel : 067- 414 177, 067- 4141 88 E-Mail: maxhotelsreservation@ gmail.com

ASTROLOGER
Saya Min Thoun Dara Astrologer No(2), Maha Wizaya Pagoda North Stairway, Dagon Tsp. tel: 296184

BARS ACCOMMODATION LONG TERM

Espace Avenir No 523, Pyay Rd, Kamaryut. tel: 505213-222. 50th Street 9/13, 50th street-lower, Botataung Tsp. Tel-397160.

No. 205, Corner of Wadan Street & Min Ye Kyaw Swa Road, Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon. Myanmar. Tel: (95-1) 212850 ~ 3, 229358 ~ 61, Fax: (95-1) 212854. info@myanmarpandahotel .com http://www. myanmarpandahotel.com Panorama Hotel 294-300, Pansodan Street, Kyauktada Tsp. tel: 253077. PARKROYAL Yangon, Myanmar 33, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd, Dagon tsp. tel: 250388. fax: 252478. email: enquiry.prygn@ parkroyalhotels.com Website: parkroyalhotels. com. Savoy Hotel 129, Damazedi Rd, Kamayut tsp. tel: 526289, 526298, Seasons of Yangon Yangon Intl Airport Compound. tel: 666699. Sweet Hotel 73, Damazedi Road, San Chaung Tsp, Ph: 539152 Sedona Hotel Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin. tel: 666900. Strand Hotel 92 Strand Rd. tel: 243377. fax: 289880.

Happy Homes
Real estate & PRoPeRty ManageMent

Green Garden Beer Gallery Mini Zoo, Karaweik Oo-Yin Kabar.

Emergency Numbers
Ambulance tel: 295133. Fire tel: 191, 252011, 252022. Police emergency tel: 199. Police headquarters tel: 282541, 284764. Red Cross tel:682600, 682368 Traffic Control Branch tel:298651 Department of Post & Telecommunication tel: 591384, 591387. Immigration tel: 286434. Ministry of Education tel:545500m 562390 Ministry of Sports tel: 370604, 370605 Ministry of Communications tel: 067-407037. Myanma Post & Telecommunication (MPT) tel: 067407007. Myanma Post & Tele-communication (Accountant Dept) tel: 254563, 370768. Ministry of Foreign Affairs tel: 067-412009, 067-412344. Ministry of Health tel: 067-411358-9. Yangon City Development Committee tel: 248112. HOSPITALS Central Womens Hospital tel: 221013, 222811. Children Hospital tel: 221421, 222807 Ear, Nose & Throat Hospital tel: 543888. Naypyitaw Hospital (emergency) tel: 420096. Workers Hospital tel: 554444, 554455, 554811. Yangon Children Hospital tel: 222807, 222808, 222809. Yangon General Hospital (East) tel: 292835, 292836, 292837. Yangon General Hospital (New) tel: 384493, 384494, 384495, 379109. Yangon General Hospital (West) tel: 222860, 222861, 220416. Yangon General Hospital (YGH) tel: 256112, 256123, 281443, 256131. ELECTRICITY Power Station tel:414235 POST OFFICE General Post Office 39, Bo Aung Kyaw St. (near British Council Library). tel: 285499. INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Yangon International Airport tel: 662811. YANGON PORT Shipping (Coastal vessels) tel: 382722 RAILWAYS Railways information tel: 274027, 202175-8.

Tel: 09-7349-4483, 09-4200-56994. E-mail: aahappyhomes@ gmail.com, Facebook: happyhomes. Golden Hill Towers 24-26, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel: 558556. ghtower@ mptmail.net.mm. Marina Residence 8, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 6506 51~4. fax: 650630. MiCasa Hotel Apartments 17, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp. tel: 650933. fax: 650960. Sakura Residence 9, Inya Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. tel: 525001. fax: 525002. The Grand Mee Ya Hta Executive Residence 372, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan Tsp. tel 951-256355 (25 lines). Yangon City Villa (Residence) Pyay Rd, 8 Mile Junction, MYGN, tel: 513101

INYA1 Resturant & Bar No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com

Strand Bar 92, Strand Rd, Yangon, Myanmar. tel: 243377.fax: 243393, sales@thestrand.com.mm www.ghmhotels.com

Lobby Bar PARKROYAL Yangon, Myanmar. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel: 250388.

mt QuiCk guide
August 27 - September 2, 2012
ADvERTISING
wE STARTED THE ADVERTISING inDuSTRY in mYAnmAR SinCE 1991

48
the

MyanMar tiMes

ELECTRICAL
Room - 4021, 3rd Floor, Taw Win Centre. Ph: 8600111 (Ext:4021), 09-803-2581. La Brasserie (International) PARKROYAL Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel : 250388.

GAS COOKER & COOKER HOODS

24 hours Cancer centre No. 330, Yangon International Hotel, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 218388, 218292 Fax: (951) 218389

M a r k e t i n g & c o M M u n i c at i o n s

A d v e r t i s i n g

SAIL Marketing & Communications Suite 403, Danathiha Center 790, Corner of Bogyoke Rd & Wadan Rd, Lanmadaw Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 211870, 224820, 2301195. Email: admin@ advertising-myanmar.com www.advertising-myanmar. com

La Source Beauty Spa 80(A), Inya Rd, Kamayut. tel: 512 380, 511 252. Sedona Hotel, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 666 900 My Way Diamond Condo, Bldg(A), Rm (G-02), Pyay Rd, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 52717, 09 51 70528

Zamil Steel No-5, Pyay Road, 7 miles, Mayangone Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (95-1) 652502~04. Fax: (95-1) 650306. Email: zamilsteel@ zamilsteel.com.mm

INYA1 Resturant & Bar No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com Traders Caf Traders Hotel, Yangon. #223, Sule Pagoda Rd. Tel: 242828 ext: 6519

Est. 1992 in Myanmar Electrical & Mechanical Contractors, Designers, Consultants. Tel: 09-504-2196, 09-73194828. E-mail: gei.ygn2@ gmail.com, glover2812@ gmail.com

CONSULTING

ENTERTAINMENT

Yangon : A-3, Aung San Stadium (North East Wing), Mingalartaungnyunt Tsp. Tel : 245543, 09-730-37772. Mandalay : Room No.(B,C) (National Gas), 35th St, Btw 80th & 81st, Chanayetharzan Tsp. Tel : 09-6803505, 02 34455, 36748, 71878.

GEMS & JEWELLERIES

Myanmar Research | Consulting | Technology

BEAUTY & MASSAGE

BATTERY

Shwe Hinthar B 307, 6 1/2 Miles, Pyay Rd., Yangon. Tel: +95 (0)1 654 730 info@thuraswiss.com www.thuraswiss.com

CHOCOLATE
A Little Dayspa No. 475 C, Pyi Road, Kamayut, Yangon. Tel: 09-431-28831.

DOMAIN

Dance Lessons Mon-Fri 12:00 to 23:00. Sat-Sun 10 am to 8 pm Fun dancing Friday nights with Filipino musicians 4, U Tun Myat St, Tamwe. Tel: 01-541 550 The Uranium Dance Studio Pearl condo Bldg (C), 2nd flr, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 09731-42624, 09-514-0404.

ISO 9001:2008 (QMS)

Natural Gems of Myanmar No. 30 (A), Pyay Road (7 mile), Mayangone Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 01-660397, 654398~9. E-mail: spgems.myanmar @gmail.com

24 hours Medical centre No. 330, Ground Flr, Yangon Intl Hotel, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. 24 hour Call Centre : (951) 218 445 Clinic : (959) 4921 8159 Office : (951) 218 446 Fax : (951) 218 389 www.leomedicare.com

Traders Hotel, 5th Floor Tel: 242828,Ext: Coreana. Sedona Hotel, Mandalay Ground Fl. Tel: 02-36488, Ext: Coreana

Proven Technology Industry Co., Ltd. No. FS 14, Bayintnaung Rd, Shwe Sabai Yeik Mon, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 951-951-701719~20, 527667, 531030, 531041, 530694. Fax: 527667, 531030. http//www. toyobatterymyanmar.com.

G-A, Ground Floor, Pearl Center, Kabaraye Pagoda Road, Yangon. Tel: 09 500 6880 Email: chocolateheaven. sale@gmail.com

.biz.mm .per.mm .com.mm .org.mm

GENERATORS

No. (8), Panchan Tower, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 951-516891~3 sm@mtg.biz.mm, www.mtg. biz.mm, www.mmnic.biz.mm.

FITNESS CENTRE
Winning Way No. 589-592, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Yangon-Pathein highway Road. Hlaing Tharyar tsp. Tel: 951645178-182, 685199, Fax: 951-645211, 545278. e-mail: mkt-mti@ winstrategic.com.mm

COLD STORAGE

DUTY FREE

BOOK STORES

Mr. Betchang No.(272), Pyay Rd, DNH Tower, Rm No.(503), 5th flr, Sanchaung Tsp, Tel: 095041216 The Yangon GYM Summit Parkview Hotel 350, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. tel: 211888, 211966. Traders Health Club. Level 5, Traders Hotel Yangon#223 Sule Pagoda Rd, Tel: 951 242828 Ext: 6561

No. 214. 1st Floor-Right, Waizayanter Road, Thingangyun Tsp, Yangon. Email: vibhavadimyanmar @gmail.com, Website: www.vibhavadi.com/web/ myanmar.php. Hot line: 09-2011-772, 09-731650-45, 09-86-250-86

HOME FURNISHING

Inya Day Spa

16/2, Inya Rd, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 537907, 503375.

Innwa Book Store No. 246, Rm.201/301, GF, Pansodan Street (Upper Block), Kyauktada Tsp. Tel. 389838, 243216, 374324, 514387 MYANMAR BOOK CENTRE Nandawun Compound, No. 55, Baho Road, Corner of Baho Road and Ahlone Road, (near Eugenia Restaurant), Ahlone Township. tel: 212 409, 221 271. 214708 fax: 524580. email: info@ myanmarbook.com

Est. 1992 in Myanmar Cold Storage Specialist, Solar Hot Water Storage Solutions. Tel: 09-504-2196, 09-73194828. E-mail: gei.ygn2@ gmail.com, glover2812@ gmail.com

CONSTRUCTION

Duty Free Airport Shopping Yangon International Airport Arrival/Departure Tel: 662676 (Airport) Office: 17, 2nd street, Hlaing Yadanarmon Housing, Hlaing Township, Yangon. Tel: 500143, 500144, 500145.

HEALTH SERvICES

22, Pyay Rd, 9 mile, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 660769, 664363.

LANGUAGE
81, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 548022, 542979, 553783, 09-8030847, 09-730-56079. Email: asiapacific. myanmar@gmail.com.

FLORAL SERvICES

Lemon Day Spa No. 96 F, Inya Road, Kamaryut Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 514848, 09-732-08476. E.mail: lemondayspa.2011 @gmail.com Saw Peter Foot Reflexology Oil Massage, Body Massage, Foot Massage. Any time you want at your place. Tel : 09-518-8047.

EDUCATION CENTRE
From Singapore, one-stop construction service No.22, U Chit Mg Housing, U Chit Mg Road, Tamwe Township, Yangon. Tel: +951554046 Fax: +951554048 Email: cnqcmyanmar@ gmail.com MHR Business & Management Institute 905, 9th floor, Modern Iron Market(Thanzay Condo) Lanmadaw St. Tel: 707822. NLEC 82 Anawrahta Rd, Corner of 39 St, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel: 250225.

CAFS
Cafe de Angel No.24, Baho Rd, Ahlone Tsp. Tel : 703449.

Floral Service & Gift Shop No. 449, New University Avenue, Bahan Tsp. YGN. Tel: 541217, 559011, 09-860-2292. Market Place By City Mart Tel: 523840~43, 523845~46, Ext: 205. Junction Nay Pyi Taw Tel: 067-421617~18 422012~15, Ext: 235. Res: 067-414813, 09-49209039. Email : eternal@ mptmail.net.mm

Agent Office, 5th Floor, Junction Centre (Maw Tin), Lanmadaw Township, Yangon. Myanmar. Ph: 09-731-56770, 09-5117584, Fax: 01-516313, myanmarmeditour@gmail. com

No. 8, Panchan Tower, Dhamazedi Rd, Myaynigone, Sanchaung Tsp., Yangon. Tel: 539581, 539582. nexus@kyaukseinnwe.com www.nexusmyanmar.com www.facebook.com/Nexus. English.Language.Learning. Centre

English Language Learning Centre

LEGAL SERvICE
U Min Sein, BSc, RA, CPA.,RL Advocate of the Supreme Court 83/14 Pansodan St, Yangon. tel: 253 273. uminsein@mptmail.net.mm

Flora Service & Gift Shop No.173(B), West Shwegonedaing Rd, Bahan Tsp, YGN. Tel: 09.731 800 30 No.75/77, Yaw Min Gyi St. Dagon Tsp, YGN. Tel: 09.431 432 34. Home: 01-577 387, Email: rosanafloral.ygn@ gmail.com

Acupuncture, Medicine Massage, Foot Spa Add:No,27(A),Ywa Ma Kyaung Street, Hlaing Township, Yangon. Tel: 01-511122, 526765. Piyavate Hospital (Bangkok) Myanmar Represent ative (Head office) Grand Mee Yahta Executive Residences. No.372, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, PBDN. Ph: 256355, Ext: 3206. Hotline: 09-73777799. Email: piyavate@cnt. com.mm, piyavate.cnt@ gmail.com, Website: www. piyavate.com PHIH-Specialist Clinic FMI Centre (4th Floor) #380, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Pabedan Tsp. tel: 243 010, 243 012, 243 013

MARINE COMMUNICATION & NAvIGATION

Top Marine Show Room No-385, Ground Floor, Lower Pazundaung Road, Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 01-202782, 09-851-5597

Media & Advertising

Floral Service & Gift Centre 102(A), Dhamazaydi Rd, Yangon.tel: 500142 Summit Parkview Hotel, tel: 211888, 211966 ext. 173 fax: 535376.email: sandy@ sandymyanmar.com.mm.

FOAM SPRAY INSULATION

Foam Spray Insulation No-410, Ground Floor, Lower Pazuntaung Road, Pazuntaung Tsp, Yangon. Telefax : 01-203743, 09730-26245, 09-500-7681. Hot Line-09-730-30825.

24 hours Laboratory & X-ray No. 330, Ground Flr, Yangon Intl Hotel, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 218388, (951) 218292 Fax: (951) 218389

Intuitive Design, Advertising, Interior Decoration Corporate logo/Identity/ Branding, Brochure/ Profile Booklet/ Catalogue/ Billboard, Corporate diary/ email newsletter/ annual reports, Magazine, journal advertisement and 3D presentation and detailed planning for any interior decoration works. Talk to us: (951) 430-897, 553-918 www.medialane.com.au 58B Myanma Gon Yaung Housing, Than Thu Mar Road, Tamwe, Yangon.

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August 27 - September 2, 2012
REMOvALISTS
House of Memories Piano Bar & Restaurant Myanmar Cuisine & International Food 290, U Wizara Rd, Kamaryut Tsp, Yangon. tel: 525 195, 534 242. e-mail: houseofmemories 9@gmail.com Pansweltaw Express Cafe: 228, Ahlone Rd, Ahlone Tsp. Tel: 215363 (1)-Rm-309, 3rd flr, Ocean, East Point Shopping Center, Pazundaung Tsp. Tel: 397900 Ext: 309. (2)G-Flr, Ocean North Point Shopping Center. Tel:652959, 652960, Ext: 133. www.pansweltaw.com E-mail: pansweltaw@ myanmar.com.mm Streamline Education 24, Myasabai Rd, Parami, Myangone Tsp. tel: 662304, 09-500-6916. 1. WASABI : No.20-B, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp,(Near MiCasa), Tel; 666781,09-503-9139 2. WASABI SUSHI : Market Place by City Mart (1st Floor). Tel; 09-430-67440 Myaynigone (City Mart) Yankin Center (City Mart) Junction Mawtin (City Mart) No.35(b), Tatkatho Yeik Mon Housing, New University Avenue, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 951-549451, 557219, 540730. www.yangon-academy.org Myanmar. Tel: 95-1-535783, 527705, 501429. Fax: 95-1-527705. Email: salesikon@myanmar.com.mm Junction Mawtin Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Cor of Wadan St. Lanmadaw Tsp. Tel: Junction Square Pyay Rd, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: Ocean Supercentre (North Point ), 9th Mile, Mayangone Tsp. Tel: 651 200, 652963. Pick n Pay Hyper Market Bldg (A,B,C), (14~16), Shwe Mya Yar Housing, Mya Yar Gone St, Mingalartaungnyunt Tsp. Tel: 206001~3, Fax: 9000199 Sein Gay Har 44, Pyay Rd, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 383812, 379823. Super 1 (Kyaikkasan) 65, Lay Daunt Kan St, Tel: 545871~73 Super 1 (Shwe Bonthar) 397, Bogyoke Aung San St, Pabedan. Tel: 250268~29 Victoria Shwe Pone Nyet Yeik Mon, Bayint Naung Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. Tel : 515136. Crown Worldwide Movers Ltd 790, Rm 702, 7th Flr Danathiha Centre, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Lanmadaw. Tel: 223288, 210 670, 227650. ext: 702. Fax: 229212. email: crown worldwide@mptmail.net.mm

MyanMar tiMes

MARKET RESEARCH

MMRD Research BLDG C, New Mingalar Market, 10-story BLDG, 8 & 9 flr, Coner of Mill St & Banyardala Rd, Mingalar Taungnyunt Tsp. Tel: 200326, 200846, 201350. Fax: 202425.

OFFICE FURNITURE

SOLAR SYSTEM
The Brightest AC CFL Bulb 21, 9th St, Lanmadaw Tsp. Ph: 212243, 216861, 216864. spsolarstation@ gmail.com. www. spsolarstation.com

SCHOOLS
INYA1 Resturant & Bar No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com Phoenix Court (Chinese) PARKROYAL Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel: 250388. Royal Garden Nat Mauk Road, Kandaw Gyi Natural Park, Bahan Tsp. tel: 546202 Signature Near U Htaung Bo Round, about Bahan Tsp. tel: 546488, 543387. Summer Palace (Chinese) Restaurant Level 2, Traders Hotel, #223, Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242828. ext:6483 Target Bldg B, 1-fl, Rm F-23, Pearl condo. Bahan tsp. Tel: 09-513-5924, 09-5048750. TG Bar & Restaurant The Grand Mee Ya Hta Executive Residences (2nd Flr), Bogyoke Aung San Rd. Tel: 385101, 256355. Horizon Intl School 25, Po Sein Road, Bahan Tsp, tel : 541085, 551795, 551796, 450396~7. fax : 543926, email : contact@horizonmyanmar. com, www.horizon.com ILBC 180, Thunandar 9th Lane, Thumingalar Housing, Thingungyung.tel: 562401.

Monday to Saturday (9am to 6pm) No. 797, MAC Tower II, Rm -4, Ground Flr, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Lamadaw Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (951) 212944 Ext: 303 sales.centuremyanmar@ gmail.com www.centure.in.th

PLEASURE CRUISES

Legendary Myanmar Intl Shipping & Logistics Co., Ltd. No-9, Rm (A-4), 3rd Flr, Kyaung St, Myaynigone, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 516827, 523653, 516795. Mobile. 09-512-3049. Email: legandarymyr@ mptmail.net .mm www.LMSL-shipping.com

STEEL CONSTRUCTION

Kan Yeik Tha Road Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp. Yangon, Myamar.

PEB Steel Buildings 21/5, Thirimingalar Avenue, Kabaaye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 653410, 09-7325-7042, 09-5150332, 09-4016-01948. marketing@pebsteel.com. mm www.pebsteel.com.mm

Moby Dick Tours Co., Ltd. Islands Safari in the Mergui Archipelago 4 Days, 6 Days, 8 Days Trips Tel: 95 1 202063, 202064 E-mail: info@islandsafari mergui.com. Website: www. islandsafarimergui.com

Schenker (Thai) Ltd. Yangon 59 A, U Lun Maung Street. 7 Mile Pyay Road, MYGN. tel: 667686, 666646.fax: 651250. email: sche nker@mptmail.net.mm.

Tel: 299255~9, Ext: 7801, 7802 Fax: 382917 reservation@ kandawgyipalace-hotel. com www.kandawgyipalacehotel.com

ILBC IGCSE SCHOOL No.(34), Laydauntkan Road, Tamwe Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 542982, 545720, 549106,545736,400156 Fax: 541040 Email: info@ilbc.net.mm www.ilbcedu.com ISM Intl School W 22/24, Mya Kan Thar Housing, Hlaing Tsp. tel:530082, 530083. International School Yangon 20, Shwe Taung Kyar St, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 512793.

SUPERMARKETS
Asia Light 106, Set Yone Rd.tel: 294074, 294083. Capital Hyper Mart 14(E), Min Nandar Road, Dawbon Tsp. Ph: 553136. City Mart (Aung San Branch) tel: 253022, 294765. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (47th St Branch) tel: 200026, 298746. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Junction 8 Branch) tel: 650778. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (FMI City Branch) tel: 682323. City Mart (Yankin Center Branch) tel: 400284. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Myaynigone Branch) tel: 510697. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (Zawana Branch) tel:564532. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Shwe Mya Yar Branch) tel: 294063. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Chinatown Point Branch) tel: 215560~63. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (Junction Maw Tin Branch) tel: 218159. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Marketplace) tel: 523840~43. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (78th Brahch-Mandalay) tel: 02-71467~9. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) IKON Mart IKON Trading Co., Ltd. No.332, Pyay Rd, San Chaung P.O (11111), Yangon,

TRAvEL AGENTS

Asian Trails Tour Ltd 73 Pyay Rd, Dagon tsp. tel: 211212, 223262. fax: 211670. email: res@ asiantrails.com.mm Htoo Travels 209/c, first flr, Shwe Gonedaing Rd, Bahan. Tel: 548554, 548039. Sun Far Travels & Tours 27, Ground flr, 38th st, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel: 380888.

Road to Mandalay Myanmar Hotels & Cruises Ltd. Governors Residence 39C, Taw Win Rd, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (951) 229860 fax: (951) 217361. email: RTMYGN@mptmail.net.mm www.orient-express.com

Bo Sun Pat Tower, Bldg 608, Rm 6(B), Cor of Merchant Rd & Bo Sun Pat St, PBDN Tsp. Tel: 377263, 250582, 250032, 09-511-7876, 09-862-4563.

RESTAURANTS

Kohaku Japanese Restaurant Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Lobby Level, Tel: 544500 Ext 6231 KSS Setyone Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt. tel: 203320.

PAINT

24 hours open. 5, Alan Pya Phaya Rd, Dagon Tsp, inside Thamada Hotel. tel 243640, 243047, Ext: 32.

The Ritz Exclusive Lounge Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Ground Floor, Tel: 544500 Ext 6243, 6244

Admissions Office: No. 44, Than Lwin Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 535433, 09-850-3073. Email: rviacademygn@ rvcentre.com.sg

WATER HEATERS

Bangkok Phuket Yangon www.paintfx.asia

Lunch/Dinner/Catering 555539, 536174

Enchanting and Romantic, a Bliss on the Lake 62 D, U Tun Nyein Road, Mayangon Tsp, Yangon Tel. 01 665 516, 660976 Mob. 09-4210-34875 operayangon@gmail.com www.operayangon.com

The Emporia Restaurant Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp. Lobby Level, Tel: 544500 Ext 6294 Traders Gourmet Corner Level 1, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel : 242828 ext : 6503 Traders Gallery Bar Level 2, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242 828. ext: 6433 Traders Lobby Lounge Level 1, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242 828. ext: 6456 Western Park Thakhin Mya Park, Ahlone. Tel: 225143 YKKO 28, Saya San Road, Bahan Tsp. tel:01-541998

95, Anawrahta Rd. Tel:296552, 293754. 336, Pyay Rd, Sanchaung Tsp. Tel: 526456. New University Avenue, 551521, 551951, 553896. U Wisara Rd, Tel: 524599, 501976.

The Global leader in Water Heaters A/1, Aung San Stadium East Wing, Upper Pansodan Road. Tel: 251033, 09-730-25281.

Same as Rinnai Gas cooker and cooker Hood Showroom Address

Water Heater

WEB SERvICES

TOP MARINE PAINT No-410, Ground Floor, Lower Pazundaung Road, Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 09-851-5202

RELOCATION

No.430(A), Corner of Dhamazedi Rd & Golden Valley Rd, Building(2) Market Place (City Mart), Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 01-523840(Ext-309), 09-73208079. Black Canyon Coffee & International Thai Cuisine 330, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 0980 21691, 395052. email: blackcanyon@ yangon. net.mm. Feel 164/168, War Tan St, Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon, Ph: 223697, 09 511 8415, 09 50 14288

22, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel 541997. email: leplanteur@ mptmail.net.mm. http://leplanteur.net

Relocation Specialist Rm 504, M.M.G Tower, #44/56, Kannar Rd, Botahtaung Tsp. Tel: 250290, 252313. Mail : info@asiantigersmyanmar.com

Monsoon Restaurant & Bar 85/87, Thein Byu Road, Botahtaung Tsp. Tel: 295224, 09-501 5653.

Yangon International School Fully Accredited K-12 International Curriculum with ESL support No.117,Thumingalar Housing, Thingangyun Township, Yangon. Tel: 578171, 573149 www.yismyanmar.net Yangon International School New Early Childhood Center Pan Hlaing Golf Estate Housing & U Tun Nyo Street, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon. Tel: 687701, 687702

World-class Web Services Tailor-made design, Professional research & writing for Brochure/ Catalogue/e-Commerce website, Customised business web apps, online advertisement and anything online. Talk to us: (951) 430-897, 553-918 www.medialane.com.au 58B Myanma Gon Yaung Housing. Than Thu Mar Road, Tamwe, Yangon.

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London to welcome world, again

By Phil Hazlewood and Julie Charpentrat PARIS The worlds top athletes with a disability, including Blade Runner Oscar Pistorius, converge on London this week for what organisers say will be the biggest and most high-profile Paralympics in the Games 52-year history. A record 4200 athletes from 166 countries will be in the British capital, with the 11-day Games a near sell-out and expected to be watched by an estimated global television audience of four billion people. Britain is considered the birthplace of the Paralympic movement, after World War II veterans with spinal injuries competed in archery events at Stoke Mandeville in southern England in 1948, 12 years before the first official Games in Rome. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said that history, a desire to see more elite sport after a successful Olympics, increased media coverage and sponsorship have combined to drive up interest and awareness. Theres a fantastic buzz in the air, waiting for it to kick off and people talking about it, IPC president Philip Craven said before the August 29 opening ceremony. China held the last Paralympics in Beijing in 2008 and did much to raise the Games profile. The previous hosts won 211 medals, including 89 gold, and will be looking to replicate that success this time round. But challenging them will be the current hosts, who came third in the Olympics medal table, galvanising wide support for the Games across the country and lifting a national mood hit by lingering economic woes. ParalympicsGB have been set a minimum target of 103 medals from at least 12 different sports one better than in Beijing and to match their second-place finish four years ago. For the home team, hopes are highest for athletes like Jonnie Peacock, who in June set a new T44 100m record of 10.85secs and is expected to challenge South Africas Pistorius for gold in the showpiece track event. With Pistorius long-standing rival Jerome Singleton, of the United States, and a host of other lightning-fast sprinters likely to line up in the final, organisers even predict that all eight runners could dip under 11secs. Among the wheelchair racers, Britains David Weir, the T54 800m and 1,500m champion four years ago, is set to renew his rivalries with Australias Kurt Fearnley and Swiss world record holder Marcel Hug. In the pool, Ellie Simmonds has become a poster girl for the Games after winning two golds in Beijing aged just 13. But like Pistorius the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics and the Paralympics biggest star there are other big names. South Africas Natalie Du Toit is retiring after a decade at the top, while Matthew Cowdrey an eighttime gold medallist needs just three more golds to surpass athlete Tim Sullivan to become Australias most successful Paralympian. London will also see veteran medallists like shooter Jonas Jacobsson, dressage specialist Lee Pearson and Dutch wheelchair tennis player Esther Vergeer going for gold again alongside first-time athletes from smaller nations. Now 47, Swedens Jacobsson has competed in eight Paralympics and has 16 golds; Pearson, of Britain, has won gold at every Games since Sydney 12 years ago; while Vergeer won in 2000, 2004 and 2008 and is unbeaten in over 450 matches. The US Virgin Islands will have

Matchfixing ban upheld for Juve coach

ROME Italys football federation (FIGC) on August 22 announced they have upheld a 10-month ban for Juventus coach Antonio Conte for failing to report suspicions of match-fixing at a previous club. The Serie A clubs coach is one of the most highprofile figures caught up in a sweeping investigation that has shaken the Italian football world. He was found guilty of not informing the authorities of possible corruption in two matches involving his former club Siena during the 2010-11 season. Conte is now set to take his case to Italys sports arbitration tribunal (TNAS), a part of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI). Juventus president Andrea Agnelli officially confirmed that the club would appeal against the decision. The verdict today confirms the worst suspicions, he told the club website. Ive watched the situation for months with growing incredulity and concern due to a kind of sporting justice that seems more and more like a witch-hunt. Contes suspension effectively left the defending Serie A champions without a manager just days before the start of the new season. Massimo Carrera, a member of Juves technical staff and one of Contes former team-mates at the club, is expected to take charge of the first team on a temporary basis. T h e s o - c a l l e d Calcioscommesse illegal betting scandal which concerns mainly seconddivision clubs has led to a wave of arrests across Italy and even saw searches at the Italian national squads hotel before Euro 2012. The football federation panel did, however, show clemency to Contes assistant, Angelo Alessio, whose ban was reduced from eight months to six months after he had also been found guilty of the same offences at Siena. In the federations August 10 ruling, Serie B sides Lecce and Grosseto were demoted, while Lecces former president, Giovanni Semeraro, and ex-Grosseto president Piero Camilli were given five-year bans from the game. On August 22, the federation rejected Lecces appeal against the demotion, but reinstated Grosseto in Serie B. The football federations disciplinary committee has been investigating 13 football clubs in total in a scandal over match-fixing and illegal betting. The investigation comes six years after a similar scandal deprived Juventus of two Serie A titles and saw them demoted to the second tier. AFP

South Africas Oscar Pistorius starts the mens 400m event during the Gugl track and field meeting on August 20, 2012 in Linz. Pic: AFP their first ever Paralympian in the shape of rider Lee Frawley, while North Korea make its debut in the competition with swimmer Rim Ju Song. Some 200 athletes with intellectual disabilities will also compete for the first time since Sydney and a scandal involving the eligibility of Spains basketball team. And while every athlete has as much determination to overcome adversity as talent and skill, few have as remarkable a backstory as Martine Wright, who lost her legs in the 2005 suicide attacks in London a day after the city was awarded the Games. She will be a member of Britains sitting volleyball team. London organising committee chairman Sebastian Coe has repeatedly maintained that the Paralympics and the Olympics are two equal parts of the same event. We want to change public attitudes towards disability, celebrate the excellence of Paralympic sport and to enshrine from the very outset that the two Games are an integrated whole, he said. AFP

Barcas Valdes howler offers beaten Madrid lifeline

By Dermot Ledwith MADRID An embarrassing blunder by Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes handed Real Madrid a Spanish Super Cup lifeline on August 24 despite slumping to a 3-2 first leg defeat at their Catalan rivals Camp Nou home. With Barca 3-1 ahead, and pressing for a fourth goal, Valdes was caught out inside his own penalty area as he tried to dribble the ball clear only to be dispossessed by a stunned Angel Di Maria who scored into an empty goal. Pedro Rodriguez, Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandez had earlier scored secondhalf goals to give Barca a convincing lead after Cristiano Ronaldo had put Madrid ahead on 55 minutes. Madrid coach Jose Mourinho questioned the legality of Barcas first goal. Barca played well, especially in the first-half when they did not allow us to play, but in the second we were able to change our game a little. It was a good game but their first goal was an error by the linesman and was offside, he said. Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova, in charge of his first Clasico, was happy with his sides performance. We controlled the game and we had the chance to go 4-1 ahead at the end, but thats football. Weve won and were ahead in the tie so Im satisfied, he said. Vilanova opted for Alexis Sanchez and Pedro Rodriguez to assist Messi. While Barca did begin to control possession, it took until the 17th minute for the games first real action when Gerard Pique tried his luck from long range but failed to hit the target. Two minutes later Messi found Dani Alves with a delightful ball in space on the right and when he received the return pass his left-footed shot just missed the target. It was Messi again on 29 minutes who reacted quicker than the Madrid defence to find the space to hit a drive that went just wide of Iker Casillass goal. Casillas was then finally called into action to divert over the bar a Pedro drive. Alexis Sanchez was finding some space down the right side for Barcelona and was unfortunate with a claim for a penalty when it appeared that Sergio Ramos had felled the Chilean on 39 minutes. The interval came and went and the game continued in the same pattern until the 55th minute when Ronaldo, previously anonymous, outjumped Sergio Busquets to head home a Mesut Ozil corner. Barcas reaction was immediate and they were level within two minutes when a raking pass from Javier Mascherano found Pedro who hit the target. Messi then went on a mazy run and released Dani Alves who forced a diving save from Casillas. The game had opened up and Mourinho switched Benzema for Gonzalo Higuain but it was Barca who continued to create more meaningful opportunities. On 69 minutes, Andres Iniesta provoked a clumsy challenge from Sergio Ramos in the area with a quick drag-back of the ball and Messi converted the resulting penalty. Nine minutes later Iniesta was again the instigator when he threaded a pass through the Madrid defence to give Xavi the easiest of chances for Barcas third goal. Barca had confirmed their supremacy and were looking the more likely to add to their tally in the final minutes until Valdes badly misjudged a backpass and Di Maria pounced to snatch a lifeline for Madrid. AFP

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo (left) jumps to head the ball with Barcelonas midfielder Sergio Busquets during their Spanish Supercup first-leg football match at the Camp Nou stadium on August 23. Pic: AFP

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AUSTIN, Texas Lance Armstrong will be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles, the US Anti-Doping Agency said, after the cycling icon announced he would no longer fight the drug charges that have stained his legacy. USADA said late on August 23 that Armstrong will be banned for life for using performanceenhancing drugs to win cyclings most prestigious race from 1999 to 2005 charges that Armstrong has vehemently denied. Armstrong, while maintaining his innocence, earlier announced his decision after a US federal court dismissed his lawsuit against USADA this week, paving the way for the agency to continue its case against him. USADA said in June it had evidence that Armstrong used banned substances, including information supplied by former team-mates. Armstrong accused USADA of an unconstitutional witch hunt, as he declined to pursue procedures that could have taken his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Today I turn the page, Armstrong said on his website. I will no longer address the issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities. The 40-year-old, who battled to the top of his sport after overcoming life-threatening cancer, said he was growing weary of the fight and the strain it had put on his personal and professional life. There comes a point in every mans life when he has to say enough is enough. For me, that time is now, he said, adding: Finished with this nonsense. USADA chief Travis Tygart said that Armstrong would be stripped of all his results dating back to August 1, 1998, adding in a separate statement that the situation was a sad day for sport. There now needed to be a change to the win-at-all-costs culture, expressing hope that future crackdowns would create

August 27 - September 2, 2012

Armstrong to lose Tour titles

10,000km ChinaASEAN tour begins in Nanning

By Aung Si Hein The opening ceremony of the sixth ChinaASEAN International Touring Assembly (CAITA) was held in Nanning, China on August 17. The rally will take place over 22 days and will cover a distance of 10,000 kilometres (6200 miles) in the following seven countries: China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia. It aims to highlight the achievements of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as well as publicising the upcoming Chinese-ASEAN Expo and promoting bilateral exchanges in sport, trade, tourism and culture. The tour begins and ends in Nanning, the permanent host city of the ChinaASEAN Expo, which is to be held for the ninth time. Tour participants include ASEAN journalists, drivers, the tours organising committee and tourism and travel agents. A number of sportspersons will join the tour as it passes through the various countries. Consul General of Myanmar, U Myint Swe, attended the opening ceremony, along with his counterparts from five ASEAN countries and a large number of Chinese officials. The ceremony was inaugurated by Quangxi provinces vice governor, Mr Li Kang, who placed the CAITA flag at the head of a convoy of 24 vehicles. The tour is sponsored by the ASEAN Secretariat, Chinas General Administration of Sport and the Peoples Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The Director of Community Affairs Development for the ASEAN Secretariat, Mr Chian Siong Lee, said the tour strengthens China-ASEAN relations and noted that ASEAN nations and China are benefitting from strong economic growth. Although journalists from Myanmar are taking part in the tour, the country is not included on the rally route. Mr Chen Li Ji, the head of CAITA told The Myanmar Times: Due to the difficult terrain along Myanmars border areas with Thailand, it would take three days to reach Yangon because only one road is accessible. Although we would very much like to visit Yangons beautiful Shwedagon Pagoda, doing so is impractical because it would require spending a week of the tour in Myanmar. However he added that CAITA has plans to include Indonesia and Myanmar in the seventh international tour in 2013.

Lance Armstrong during the sixth stage of the 92nd Tour de France cycling race between Troyes and Nancy on July 7, 2005. Pic: AFP a level playing field for all competitors, he added. The agency maintains that Armstrong used banned substances, including the bloodbooster EPO and steroids, as well as blood transfusions dating back to 1996, and said 10 of his former team-mates were ready to testify against him. Armstrong argued that USADA was usurping the jurisdiction that should belong to world cyclings governing body, the International Cycling Union (UCI). The UCI had no immediate comment to make when contacted by AFP on August 24 but said it would respond. If the UCI confirm that the rider is stripped of his Tour de France titles, they face a potential a headache of choosing the new Tour winners, as a number of cyclists who finished behind the American have also been implicated in doping scandals. Armstrong, who retired from cycling last year, said he passed hundreds of drug tests during his career and adhered to the rules in place at the time of his Tour de France wins. The bottom line is I played by the rules that were put in place by the UCI, WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency] and USADA when I raced, Armstrong wrote. The idea that athletes can be convicted today without positive A and B samples, under the same rules and procedures that apply to athletes with positive tests, perverts the system and creates a process where any begrudged ex-teammate can open a USADA case out of spite or for personal gain or a cheating cyclist can cut a sweetheart deal for themselves. Armstrong also alleged USADA had used heavy-handed tactics to pursue him and even broke the law. The agency turned its back on its own rules, and stiffarmed those who have tried to persuade USADA to honour its obligations, he said. I refuse to participate in a process that is so one-sided and unfair, he added, alleging that from the start the probe had been about punishing me at all costs. WADA chief John Fahey, however, told ABC radio in Australia that he believed the USADA acted properly. They laid very serious charges, he [Armstrong] has chosen not to rebut those charges. He can say what he likes. The only way we would have known what the substance was of those charges, what the evidence was, was to have the evidence tested and Im disappointed that wont occur. Allegations of doping by Armstrong were made in two books, LA Confidential and L.A. Official while in 2005, the French sports daily LEquipe reported that retested urine samples from the 1999 Tour de France indicated use of EPO. AFP