myanmar
times
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March 12 - 18, 2012
Myanmar’s first international weekly Volume 31, No. 618 1200 Kyats
A SPECIAL FEATURE
16 pages
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THE darlings of Myanmar’sprint media in 2010, smalleropposition political parties arestruggling to break throughblanket media coverage of theNational League for Democracy’scampaign activities.Senior officials from severalparties told
The Myanmar Times
last week that by neglecting non-NLD candidates, they believedthe media could be failing inits duty to keep voters properlyinformed.They argue they have notbeen given enough opportunitiesto present party policies andintroduce candidates to votersthrough the media, harmingtheir chances of winning seatson April 1.“Why are you, the media, alwaysfocusing on the NLD? Us smallerparties are also going to contestthe by-elections,” said U KhinMaung Swe from the NationalDemocratic Force (NDF).“Most of the media only coversDaw Aung San Suu Kyi’s campaigntrips,” agreed U Kyaw of the NewNational Democracy Party. “Wedon’t blame you but [the mediacoverage] should be fair.”The lack of interest fromthe media is a relatively newchallenge for the parties thatcontested the November 2010election. After the NLD opted notto contest the poll, the NDF andother opposition groups, such asthe Democratic Party (Myanmar),received a significant number of column centimetres before andafter election day.However, their relatively poorshowing in that election andthe return of the NLD hasprompted a number of members– including some senior officials– to cross over to the NLD. As they prepare for next month’spoll, the parties also face manyof the same issues that doggedtheir attempts to win seats in2010, including a lack of financialand human resources, the firstpast the post voting system, andconcerns over advanced votes andvote buying.Party officials said they expectedto win fewer seats on April 1 thanin 2010, when the Union Solidarityand Development Party (USDP)won almost 80 percent of all nationaland regional constituencies.Both the USDP and NLD willcontest all 48 seats, while theNational Unity Party (NUP)is fielding 23 candidates. Incontrast to 2010, when the aimwas to field as many candidatesas possible so that voters had athird option – after the USDPand NUP – smaller parties haveinstead opted to focus their effortson by-election constituencies inwhich they enjoy strong support.The Democratic Party(Myanmar) will contest only thePyithu Hluttaw seat of MingalarTaung Nyunt, where chairmanU Thu Wai will run againstDaw Le Le Thin from the USDP,Daw Phyu Phyu Thin from theNLD, U Kaung Myint Htut of the Myanmar National Congressand U Phone Myint from the NewNational Democracy Party.U Thu Wai said the party’scampaign budget – K1 million, just one-tenth of the maximumallowed, and the use of onevehicle – was nothing comparedto the resources of the USDPand NLD.“We have conducted three orfour campaign events so far,” hesaid. “When my rival from theUSDP campaigns, she travelsaround in a convoy of more than10 vehicles. The NLD is alsocampaigning with four or fivevehicles.”
Smaller parties struggleamid NLD media storm
Challenges mount or small opposition parties ahead o April 1 by-elections
More page 4By Zaw Win Than
STATE-RUN Myanma PetroleumProducts Enterprise last weekreversed its plan to sell aviationfuel to domestic airlines at themarket rate after lobbying fromthe tourism industry.The change would have seendomestic fares on most routesrise about 20 percent, with fuelsurcharges on a handful of routesdue to increase US$25 for foreigntravellers and K18,000 for locals.Domestic airlines were planningto introduce the fuel surchargerise on March 8 but were informedby MPPE on March 6 that it haddecided to keep aviation fuel atK2500 a gallon (4.57 litres).MPPE – a Ministry of Energybusiness – had announced inlate February that from March1 it would no longer sell fuel ata fixed rate, although it was notimmediately clear how much priceswere expected to rise. Airlinesresponded by immediately uppingsurcharges, although pushedback their introduction by a weekafter complaints from agents andcustomers.“All domestic airlines received anannouncement from the ministry onMarch 6 in which the ministry saidit would sell aviation fuel at the oldfixed rate,” said a spokespersonfrom the public relations andcustomer services department at Air Bagan. “We will refund anycustomers who paid the additionalfuel surcharge.” Yangon Airways also announcedon March 6 that all passengers whopaid the higher fuel surcharge couldget a refund at the airline’s headoffice in MMB Tower, MingalarTaung Nyunt township. A spokesperson from DiethelmTravel said the company welcomedthe change of policy from the state-owned enterprise and domesticairlines.“After we were informed [of thesurcharge increase] at short noticeon February 28, we discussedthe issue with private tourismbodies like [Myanmar MarketingCommittee] and [Union of MyanmarTravel Association] and sent aletter to the ministry requestingit to reconsider the fuel surchargeincrease. MMC and UMTA helpedus a lot in this matter,” said MaThan Than Swe, tour manager atDiethelm Travel.“Finally we were quite happywith the ministry’s announcementon March 6. I think in future if thefuel price is going to go up or down,they should inform us a bit earlier,rather than giving us very shortnotice,” she said.
Ministryscraps jetfuel pricerise plan:airlines
Pic: Ko Taik
WheelsWheels
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March 12 - 18, 2012
NOT long ago,when one of myarticles appeared inanother publication,all references toMyanmar werechanged, withoutmy approval, to Burma.Even a mention of
The MyanmarTimes
was altered to
The BurmaTimes
, despite the fact that no suchnewspaper exists.While embarrassing, it was notunusual. Many analysts, who spokeabout Myanmar and Yangon, foundtheir quotes altered to refer to theold colonial names Burma andRangoon. As far as the editors of thesepublications were concerned, it wasmore important to make a pointthan to report the truth.But that was then and this isnow, and like Saul on the road toDamascus, they have experienceda startling conversion following therevolutionary steps undertaken bythe newly elected government inMyanmar.Those steps have includedreleasing political prisoners, easingrestrictions on the media, grantingvisas to expatriate oppositionistsand journalists, and even givingfree rein to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,the nation’s pro-democracy icon. As a result, the colonial dinosaursin their fusty editorial backwatershave been put in a fix.Not only is it palpably dishonestand unethical of them to keepmangling people’s quotes, but bycontinuing to do so they appear outof step with Myanmar’s reforms.So, quickly and quietly, inorder not to alert outsiders totheir embarrassing volte-face, theyhave embraced the formerly hatedterms.Consider the
Bangkok Post
,for instance: Thailand’s flagshipEnglish-language daily, amouthpiece of the Democrat Party,and a forthright proponent of freedom and democracy (don’tlaugh).Until days ago, this great organ,whose masthead motto is “TheNewspaper You Can Trust”,routinely bastardised reports sothat all references to Myanmarwere changed to Burma.Now, however, a reset button hasbeen pressed and all references toBurma are changed to Myanmar.Thus, last week, Aung Zaw,the founder of
Irrawaddy
, amagazine laudably devoted tothe pro-democracymovement, wasquoted in the
Bangkok Post
assaying he hopes topublish a magazinein Myanmar, not inBurma.Even more hilarious was theway, in the same article, the self-righteous editors hit the resetbutton again and referred to theDVB as the Democratic Voice of Myanmar.Perhaps we should not scoff, forthe Thai media’s reporting aboutMyanmar is traditionally suffusedwith wild speculation, brutal opacityand a shocking tendency to includean occasional accurate statement.One subject they have notexplored in any detail, however,and yet is of great fascination, iswhich foreign country Daw AungSan Suu Kyi will visit first afternext month’s by-elections.No one doubts that she andmost of her party’s candidates willwin and become MPs, and thatsoon after the European Unionwill lift its trade and investmentrestrictions on Myanmar. At that time, Daw Aung San SuuKyi has said she will start to acceptsome of the myriad invitations shehas received from nations aroundthe world. She has always said thather first visit will be to Norway,which awarded her the 1991 NobelPeace Prize and thus thrust hername onto the world’s stage.But recently, she has beendispleased by the way the Norwegiangovernment has called for theimmediate elimination of sanctionsand has urged businessmen to startinvesting in Myanmar.The EU and the United Stateshave always said they will not liftsanctions until Daw Aung San SuuKyi gives the word. And she doesnot look kindly on anyone else, eventhe Norwegians, trying to usurpthat power.So she is now likely to gosomewhere else first and thentravel to Oslo. Probably, it will beKuala Lumpur, since she recentlyreceived a personal invite fromMalaysia’s veteran diplomat RazaliIsmail, who also visited governmentleaders and the newly releasedformer prime minister U KhinNyunt.When Daw Suu gets to KL, shewill speak about Myanmar, notBurma. And then the dodos will allwaddle into line.
Myanmar/Burma namegame takes a new twist
Above: NLD supporters at a rally in Nay Pyi Taw’s Dekkinathiri township on March 5. Above right: DawAung San Suu Kyi speaks at a campaign event in Pobbathiri township. Below right: A supporter in NayPyi Taw holds a sign saying, ‘Amay Suu, may you be healthy’. Below left: A member of Mandalay BikeAdventures rides to Mandalay airport on March 3 to greet the NLD leader.
Pic: Kaung Htet Pic: Kaung Htet Pic: Yadana Htun
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THEIR bodies already covered in a slickof sweat, the group of bicycle riders tearalong the concrete highway in the coolair of the early morning. All wearingred T-shirts with National League forDemocracy logo, they are heading toMandalay International Airport, about20 kilometres southwest of the city’sdowntown area.“We started our trip at 6am and it willtake about two hours to get to the airportto welcome Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. It’stiring but we want to grab this once ina lifetime chance,” said Ko Kyin Kyin, amember of Mandalay Bike Adventures,a group established by amateur ridersin the city.Competing against faster motorcycles,about 50 members of the group rode togreet the NLD leader on March 3 on herarrival in the city. Normally bereft of traffic, on this morning there’s a long lineof vehicles at the airport. Loaded withpeople of all ages, they have been waitingsince the early morning for a glimpse of their political hero.Shortly before 9am, someone shouts:“She’s coming. She’s wearing green.” A loud cheers alerts the rest of the waitingcrowd and together they chant wishes forDaw Aung San Suu Kyi as the NLD leaderstarts her trip from the airport to AungPin Lal field in Chanmyartharsi townshipto make a public speech.“It’s been more than nine years [sinceDaw Aung San Suu Kyi’s last visit] andI’ve never seen such a huge crowd. Thevehicles following her convoy even fill theopposite lane and everywhere there arepeople in bright red,” Mandalay journalistKo San Yu said, pointing towards the seaof smiling people.Some tie shawls with NLD logos ontheir foreheads and some hold paper fanswith the party’s symbol.Carrying small and large versionsof the NLD flag, which bears a goldenfighting peacock and white star on a redbackground, people continuously shout“Amay Suu” (Mother Suu)” all the wayalong the road from the airport to AungPin Lal.Because of the crowds, it took Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s convoy four hoursto complete a trip that would normallytake just one and a half. In the softsummer rain, Aung Pin Lal field, whichcan normally hold about 40,000 people, isswamped by a huge crowd.NLD chief spokesperson U OhnKyaing, who will contest Mandalay’sMahaaungmyay township in the April1 by-elections, told
The Myanmar Times
that the rallies in Mandalay from March3 to 6 had been the party’s biggest to date,with the NLD deploying about 4000 youthmembers to ensure Daw Aung San SuuKyi’s security.“It’s got to be a record!” exclaimed Daw Aye Kywe, who travelled from her homein Mandalay’s outlying Oboe ward to thecity’s downtown area the previous dayto hear Daw Aung San Suu Kyi speak.“Mandalay has shown its enormoussupport and love for Daw Suu, morethan other towns. Everyone has comeout to welcome her – there’s no one leftat home.”In the crowd, Ma Wai Wai Myaing, wholives near Aung Pin Lal field, attemptsto get a glimpse of the NLD leader as shetries to shelter her eight-month-old childfrom the gentle rain.“I’ve been waiting here since morningand my knees are starting to hurt butI’m so happy. I really wanted to see her.I stared at her up there on the stage untilmy neck became too sore,” said Ma WaiWai Myaing.The visit to Mandalay came after weeksof campaigning that seemed to sap someof Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s strength.She made only short speeches, and onone occasion had to leave the stage afterfeeling ill. As on her other trips, she highlightedthe importance of the rule of law in herspeeches.“Some people think that rule of lawis the duty of the politicians. That’s nottrue. It’s the concern of all – the workers,civil servants and farmers. We need ruleof law for our security. That’s why ourNLD will work for rule of law,” she said.“It’s impossible for the people to enjoyimprovements in their lives if they don’thave security.”
Largest crowdsyet greet DawSuu Kyi in MDY
By Win Ko Ko Latt
DAW Aung San Suu Kyiurged Nay Pyi Taw residentsto make the “right decision”when casting their ballotson the April 1 by-elections,during her two-day campaignin the capital last week.She said she was confidentNational League forDemocracy candidates couldwin in Nay Pyi Taw, despitethe fact it was a UnionSolidarity and DevelopmentParty stronghold in theNovember 2010 poll.“We decided our candidateswould come and compete inNay Pyi Taw for the by-elections because I believethe people will make theright decision,” she toldvoters in Nay Pyi Taw’sDekkinathiri township onMarch 5, the first day of hertwo-day campaign trip.“We are mentally takinga risk by coming to NayPyi Taw and making ourcandidates compete in NayPyi Taw constituencies.”She also said NationalLeague for Democracywanted to develop a people-centred democratic system.“All of you should bearin your minds that thestate cannot stand on itsown, without the people.The people are the mostfundamental part of thestate.”The NLD and the peopleneeded to cooperate to combatfraud and rigging in the by-elections, she said, addingthat the party would conductvoter education programsto ensure ballot forms werecompleted correctly.“We are trying to conducta voter education program inNay Pyi Taw. If any electoralfraud takes place, we willobject to the Union ElectionCommission”.“To be a developedcountry, we have to raisethe living standard of farmers, businessmen andgovernment staff,” she said.“Our country’s most preciouspossessions are not gas or jade, it is our people”.
NLD confident it can win in capital
Pic: Kaung Htet
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We decidedour candidateswould come andcompete in NayPyi Taw because Ibelieve the peoplewill make theright decison.
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