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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Lao Activist Sombath May Not Be Alive

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Lao Activist Sombath May Not Be Alive: Diplomats JULY 9, 2013—More than six months after his disappearance, some foreign diplomats in Vientiane think it is very unlikely that respected Lao civil society leader Sombath Somphone is still alive. Sombath was driving on the outskirts of the Lao capital Vientiane on Dec. 15 last year when he was stopped in his vehicle by police and then transferred into another vehicle, as surveillance video from that day showed. No one has seen him since. Based on private discussions with officials from the Lao government, ruling Communist Party and the military as well as other well-connected sources in the country, several foreign diplomats told RFA's Lao Service that the 60-year-old community worker's chances of being alive are very slim. Lao authorities have reported little or no progress in their investigations since Sombath's disappearance on the night of Dec. 15, 2012, when police-recorded surveillance video showed him being stopped at a police post. Amid the impasse, many in the foreign diplomatic community in Laos think it is most unlikely that Sombath is still alive, one diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The diplomat indicated that Sombath may have been killed by government-linked groups, saying that one "highly placed source" told him bluntly that Sombath was "finished" and "planted," using jargon to exemplify that he may have been murdered and buried in an undisclosed location. Lack of trust Another diplomat quoted an unnamed member of the Lao Communist Party's central committee as saying that the party leadership did not trust Sombath, who has been campaigning to upgrade youth training, improve the rights of the poor rural population and to protect the environment. His attempt to plant the seeds of “freedom” in Lao youth minds was perceived as a clear challenge to the Communist party leadership, which has ruled Laos with an iron fist since 1975, the diplomat said, also speaking on condition of anonymity. The Lao authorities have also been concerned over Sombath’s role in organizing the Asia Europe People's Forum— where various "sensitive" issues such as corruption, land rights and environmental threats were discussed— ahead of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit that took place in Vientiane in November 2012, he said. One particular concern of the authorities was that Sombath had allegedly written a letter to Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi inviting her to attend the forum, he said. Aung San Suu Kyi did not attend the forum. The Communist Party’s suspicion was further inflamed by Sombath’s close contact with Thai and international environmentalist groups fiercely opposed to the construction of dams on the Mekong River and which had organized demonstration against the Xayaburi Dam project during the ASEM Summit, the second diplomat said. The diplomat felt that the Lao government’s current strategy is to "drag its feet" over the Sombath's case, hoping that the issue will fade away like all past arbitrary arrests, imprisonments, and forced disappearances in the country. International community's concerns The United Nations, the United States and the European Parliament have all raised concerns about Sombath's disappearance while human rights groups expressed fears he may have been abducted by security groups linked to the government. London-based Amnesty International and U.S.-based Human Rights Watch had said that Sombath was a victim of "enforced disappearance"—defined under international law as the arrest or detention of a person by state officials or their agents followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty, or to reveal the person’s fate or whereabouts. “Based on the evidence, the most plausible conclusion is that Sombath Somphone is a victim of an enforced disappearance, for which Lao officials are responsible,” Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International’s Researcher on Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam said recently. “The fact that Sombath was taken from a police post in the center of Laos’ capital city and that the police there did nothing to resist raises very serious concerns,” he said. Human Rights watch had said that the authorities in Laos have "failed to seriously investigate or credibly explain the enforced disappearance" of Sombath. It said there was no indication that the Lao authorities had made any follow-up inquiries into the actions recorded on the police security video. “After six months, the Lao government’s failure to explain the abduction of a prominent social activist at a police checkpoint or account for his whereabouts raises the gravest concerns for his safety,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Sombath was the former director of the Participatory Development Training Centre (PADETC), a nongovernmental organization he founded in 1996 to promote education, training, and sustainable development. He was the recipient of the 2005 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership for his work in the fields of education and development across Asia. Reported by RFA's Lao Service. Translated by Viengsay Luangkhot. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/sombath-07092013214754.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

11 years, 6 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Cambodian Government Bans Airing of Foreign Radio Programs

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Cambodian Government Bans Airing of Foreign Radio Programs JUNE 28, 2013— The Cambodian government has ordered local radio stations to stop broadcasting foreign programs ahead of general elections in a move widely seen as a major setback to media freedom in the country and aimed at stifling the voice of the opposition. Prime Minister Hun Sen's administration on Tuesday asked all FM stations to cease rebroadcasting Khmer-language radio programs by foreign broadcasters in the run-up to the July 28 elections, saying the move was aimed at "forbidding" foreigners in Cambodia from campaigning for any group in the polls. Local stations who flout the order face legal action. "Upon receiving this directive, I would like to ask that all the directors of FM station to implement it accordingly," acting Information Minister Ouk Pratna said in issuing the order."If any station doesn't follow this directive, the Ministry of Information will take legal action against it according to the existing law." Khmer programs of at least three foreign broadcasters—U.S.-based Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Voice of America (VOA), as well as Radio Australia—will be barred from being aired under the directive. Three other foreign broadcasters—the state-run Voice of Vietnam and China Radio International and French public radio station RFI—will not be affected as they operate their own stations in Cambodia. Move 'questions legitimacy' of elections The U.S. government immediately lodged a protest with the Cambodian authorities over the directive, saying it will throw in doubt the legitimacy of the elections, in which Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) is widely expected to win, enabling him to extend his 28 years in power. The CPP has won the last two polls by a landslide despite allegations of fraud and election irregularities. "The directive is a flagrant infringement on freedom of the press and freedom of expression, and is yet another incident that starkly contradicts the spirit of a healthy democratic process," John Simmons, spokesman for the U.S. Embassy, said in a statement. "While Royal Government officials at the highest levels have publicly expressed an intention to conduct free and fair elections, these media restrictions, and other efforts to limit freedom of expression, will seriously call into question the legitimacy of the electoral process," he said. About 10 local FM stations carry Khmer programs by RFA, which also broadcasts on shortwave in Cambodia. RFA said in a statement that it "remains committed to bringing objective, accurate, and balanced election coverage to the people of Cambodia at this critical time" and vowed that it "will do so on every delivery platform available." "The Ministry of Information's directive doesn't stem from complaints of programming irregularities, but rather is a blatant strategy to silence the types of disparate and varied voices that characterize an open and free society," it said. Beehive Radio Mam Sonando, a Cambodian activist who runs the independent Beehive Radio and an ardent critic of Hun Sen's administration, called the ban "illegal" and "childish" but added that he would comply with the order. He said the order would hurt political parties scrambling to convey their messages to the people ahead of the elections. Mam Sonando, who owns Beehive Radio, told RFA earlier this week that the Information Ministry is restricting overseas groups from buying airtime at Beehive Radio and had turned down requests to set up relay stations to beam to the provinces. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said it was puzzled by the Cambodian government's suggestion of foreign meddling in the elections. "There has been no history in Cambodia of foreigners participating on a partisan basis in elections," said Brad Adams, executive director of Asia Division. "What this is really about is they don't want foreigners coming in and observing the elections and then doing their job independently and professionally and then reporting their results." He said the Hun Sen government was trying to prevent reporting of events leading up to the elections. "It's about the fact that they know the elections are going to be very poor—they are structurally poor, they are poor in implementation and poor in practice and they don't want this reported," Adams said. "The problem is that the world doesn't work like that anymore. They can't keep the eyes and ears of the world out. So, the reality is going to be reported." The Cambodian government has ordered local radio stations to stop broadcasting foreign programs ahead of general elections in a move widely seen as a major setback to media freedom in the country and aimed at stifling the voice of the opposition. Prime Minister Hun Sen's administration on Tuesday asked all FM stations to cease rebroadcasting Khmer-language radio programs by foreign broadcasters in the run-up to the July 28 elections, saying the move was aimed at "forbidding" foreigners in Cambodia from campaigning for any group in the polls. Local stations who flout the order face legal action. "Upon receiving this directive, I would like to ask that all the directors of FM station to implement it accordingly," acting Information Minister Ouk Pratna said in issuing the order."If any station doesn't follow this directive, the Ministry of Information will take legal action against it according to the existing law." Khmer programs of at least three foreign broadcasters—U.S.-based Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Voice of America (VOA), as well as Radio Australia—will be barred from being aired under the directive. Three other foreign broadcasters—the state-run Voice of Vietnam and China Radio International and French public radio station RFI—will not be affected as they operate their own stations in Cambodia. Move 'questions legitimacy' of elections The U.S. government immediately lodged a protest with the Cambodian authorities over the directive, saying it will throw in doubt the legitimacy of the elections, in which Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) is widely expected to win, enabling him to extend his 28 years in power. The CPP has won the last two polls by a landslide despite allegations of fraud and election irregularities. "The directive is a flagrant infringement on freedom of the press and freedom of expression, and is yet another incident that starkly contradicts the spirit of a healthy democratic process," John Simmons, spokesman for the U.S. Embassy, said in a statement. "While Royal Government officials at the highest levels have publicly expressed an intention to conduct free and fair elections, these media restrictions, and other efforts to limit freedom of expression, will seriously call into question the legitimacy of the electoral process," he said. About 10 local FM stations carry Khmer programs by RFA, which also broadcasts on shortwave in Cambodia. RFA said in a statement that it "remains committed to bringing objective, accurate, and balanced election coverage to the people of Cambodia at this critical time" and vowed that it "will do so on every delivery platform available." "The Ministry of Information's directive doesn't stem from complaints of programming irregularities, but rather is a blatant strategy to silence the types of disparate and varied voices that characterize an open and free society," it said. Mam Sonando Mam Sonando, a Cambodian activist who runs the independent Beehive Radio and an ardent critic of Hun Sen's administration, called the ban "illegal" and "childish" but added that he would comply with the order. He said the order would hurt political parties scrambling to convey their messages to the people ahead of the elections. Mam Sonando, who owns Beehive Radio, told RFA earlier this week that the Information Ministry is restricting overseas groups from buying airtime at Beehive Radio and had turned down requests to set up relay stations to beam to the provinces. Election reporting U.S.-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said it was puzzled by the Cambodian government's suggestion of foreign meddling in the elections. "There has been no history in Cambodia of foreigners participating on a partisan basis in elections," said Brad Adams, executive director of HRW's Asia division. "What this is really about is they don't want foreigners coming in and observing the elections and then doing their job independently and professionally and reporting their results." He said the Hun Sen government was trying to prevent reporting of events leading up to the elections. "It's about the fact that they know the elections are going to be very poor—they are structurally poor, they are poor in implementation and poor in practice and they don't want this reported," Adams said. Cambodian Center for Independent Media Director Pa Nguon Teang said the ban was aimed at curbing the views of the opposition in the country. Freedom of the press has increasingly declined in the country, with reporters exposing government corruption and other illegal activity coming under deadly attack and facing death threats, including from the authorities, according to a rights group and local journalists. Stifling 'opposition radio' Pa Nguon Teang felt the directive was specifically aimed at RFA and VOA. “The ban intends to stifle the voice of RFA and VOA because the government has regarded the two stations as opposition radio stations,” he said, adding that by preventing local stations from carrying programs by the two entities, the government believes it can "silence" the opposition parties. Local rights group Adhoc's chief investigator Ny Chakriya said the ministry's ban is "not based on any applicable laws," pointing out that "it is illegal and can’t be enforced." “The ban is against the constitution because the constitution guarantees freedom of expression,” he said. Moeun Chhean Nariddh, director of the Cambodia Institute for Media Studies, also called the move a violation of the constitution. “Any order preventing media dissemination is against the constitution,” he said. Reported by RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Vuthy Huot and Samean Yun. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/radio-06282013140700.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

11 years, 6 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Xinjiang Violence More Serious Than Reported

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Xinjiang Violence More Serious Than Reported JUNE 27, 2013—The violence this week in a remote township in China's troubled Xinjiang region is believed to have been more serious than reported, with at least 46 people killed following an attack on police and government establishments by disgruntled ethnic minority Uyghurs, according to local officials and residents. The official Xinhua news agency, quoting regional-level officials of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, had said that 27 people were killed in the "terrorist incident" Wednesday sparked by an attack on police stations and other government establishments by a "knife-wielding mob" in Pichan (in Chinese, Shanshan) county. But based on accounts given to RFA's Uyghur Service by officials and residents as well as an "imam"— a local Muslim elder who helped conduct the burial rites for security personnel who perished in the clashes—at least 46 were killed in the violence in Lukchun township, whose residents are mostly minority ethnic Uyghur Muslims. Imam Urayim Haji, 62, said based on pieces of burial cloth used at the funeral, he believed at least 35 security personnel consisting of policemen, police assistants and security guards had died in the incident. “I saw and and counted a total of 35 pieces of burial cloth, so I believe the death toll from the side of the authorities is 35,” Urayim Haji said. Between 15 and 20 of them belonged to the Han Chinese ethnic majority, he said. Urayim Haji said the 11 assailants who were shot and killed by police had not been buried yet following the violence, some of the bloodiest since unrest in the Xinjiang capital Urumqi killed nearly 200 on July 5, 2009. "Police are still keeping them. We don’t know whether or not the bodies will be returned to their families,” he said. Local officials said all the 11 assailants were Uyghurs although they were unable to cite the reason for the attack. 'Repression' Uyghur activists blamed the Chinese government's "sustained repression and provocation" of the Uyghur community for the violence. According to Xinhua, the assailants attacked police stations, a government building and a construction site, and stabbed victims and set fires, killing 17 people including nine police or security officials, before officers shot and killed them. Xinjiang is home to some 9 million ethnic minority Uyghurs, who say they have long suffered ethnic discrimination and oppressive religious controls under Beijing’s policies, blaming the problems partly on the influx of Han Chinese into the region. A resident of Lukchun township, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the death toll was "over 40." "I have received calls from our relatives in Pichan and they said they witnessed many of the injured being moved from Lukchun to Pichan county hospitals." "They said they heard that the death toll had passed 40 (Wednesday night).” Among the security personnel killed were people identified as Uyghur police officers Jappar Osman, 30, and Adil Abliz, 27, and police assistant Yehya Israpil, 21, according to a local ruling Chinese Communist Party official Alimjan Reqip. He said one of three attackers shot and captured was identified as Abdulla Israpil, 28, who has been working as a taxi driver in Urumqi for several years and came to Lukchun just four days before the incident. All four were residents of Muqam village in Lukchun township, a formerly sleepy melon-growing area. Security Residents said security has been bolstered in Lukchun following the incident. “I saw two helicopters flying as high as the tree tops. I've never seen helicopters so close," one resident said, suggesting that the aircraft had targeted a riverbed where some suspects might have been hiding. The Lukchun incident came nearly a month after at least 12 Uyghurs were killed in a blast apparently triggered by explosive devices they were carrying while being pursued by police in Xinjiang's Aksu prefecture, local officials had told RFA. The group was killed when they were cornered by police after they eluded a house-to-house search by police in Ghorachol town in Awat county, local town official Adil Semet said. His account could not be independently confirmed. Residents of Ghorachol were reluctant to speak about the alleged explosion, saying that they feared for their safety. A week ago, authorities in Xinjiang sentenced 19 Uyghurs to jail for alleged crimes linked to "religious extremism," Chinese media reported. Rights groups said the sentences were meant to send a message to Uyghurs in the lead-up to the upcoming Urumqi violence anniversary. In April this year, a clash left 21 people dead after authorities allegedly uncovered a “terrorism plot” during a house search in Xinjiang's Maralbeshi county and squared off with a group of Uyghurs they said were armed with knives. Rights groups say that the Chinese authorities are indiscriminately jailing Uyghurs in Xinjiang in the name of fighting terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism, and are intensifying the influx of Han Chinese in the region. Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFA's Uyghur Service. Translated by Shohret Hoshur. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/violence-06272013230950.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

11 years, 6 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetans Allowed to Openly Revere Dalai Lama in Two Chinese Provinces

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetans Allowed to Openly Revere Dalai Lama in Two Chinese Provinces JUNE 26, 2013—Chinese authorities in Tibetan-populated areas of Qinghai and Sichuan are allowing monks to openly venerate the Dalai Lama as a religious leader but not as a “political” figure, according to sources citing official statements introducing the “experimental” new policy. The move appears to be confined only to the two provinces but still reverses a longstanding Chinese policy of forcing Tibetan monks and nuns to denounce the exiled spiritual leader, whom Beijing has described as a dangerous separatist seeking to “split” Tibet away from China. In Sichuan’s Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) prefecture, “an announcement has been made stating that photos of the Dalai Lama may be displayed, and that the Dalai Lama should not be criticized by name,” a resident of the area told RFA’s Tibetan Service on Wednesday. “Similar announcements will be made in all the monasteries in the Kardze area,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Separately, a Tibetan living in neighboring Qinghai province said, “There is no order [now] from senior leaders to criticize the Dalai Lama.” Quoting a June 14 announcement by Tsepa Topden, a political studies instructor at Kumbum monastery’s Qinghai Buddhist Institute, the source said, “Buddhist believers can have faith and show respect to the Dalai Lama.” “At the same time, he cannot be followed for political reasons,” he quoted Topden as saying. “Religion and politics should be kept separate,” Topden said, according to the source. Earlier policies 'wrong' Official statements introducing the new policy, which the source described as “experimental,” also criticized as "wrong" an earlier Chinese practice in which monks and nuns were forced to harshly criticize the Dalai Lama, the source said. “From now on, anyone who is a believer in Buddhism has no need to criticize the Dalai Lama,” he said. A similar announcement was made at a June 19 meeting held in Qinghai’s Tsigorthang (Xinghai) county and attended by “lamas, monks, and others,” a third source said, also speaking anonymously. At the meeting, two Tibetan officials read from a government document declaring that “from now on, photos of the Dalai Lama can be displayed, and no one is permitted to criticize him by calling him names,” the source said. Reports of these policy changes have not been officially confirmed, Columbia University Tibet scholar Robbie Barnett told RFA in an interview. “But they fit with the underlying reality that Tibet policy was frozen for some 20 years after [former Chinese president] Hu Jintao was promoted from [Communist Party chief in] Lhasa to the central leadership in the early 1990s.” “For bureaucrats in Tibetan areas, this means they are now in a different era, and some may have received permission to test policy adaptations in two or three localities,” Barnett said. Photographs of the Dalai Lama were never formally banned in eastern Tibetan areas in any case, Barnett said. “It is the reports of other changes that are significant, such as an end to denigrating the Dalai Lama.”' 'Premature to speculate' While it would be “premature to speculate” about the extension of these policy changes to other areas, Barnett said, "the fact that these reports coincide with criticism by important scholars in Beijing of Tibet policy during the Hu Jintao era is striking.” Speaking to RFA, Indiana University Tibet scholar Elliot Sperling said that in Tibetan-populated areas of Chinese provinces outside the Tibet Autonomous Region, there has already been a "tacit understanding" allowing discreet displays of the Dalai Lama's photo "so long as there are no other overtly political activities." "Numerous travelers have noticed this," he said. As a sign that Chinese leaders may be exploring new policy approaches to Tibet, Sperling noted that a director of ethnic and religious affairs at China’s Central Party School recently called for Beijing to begin a new dialogue with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, and perhaps to allow him to visit Hong Kong. Even as these ideas were being proposed, though, “harsh measures continue to be implemented, including increasing the level of surveillance in Tibet,” Sperling said. China's stepped-up controls in Tibetan areas come amid continuing protests against Beijing's rule, with 120 Tibetans self-immolating since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009. The 77-year-old Dalai Lama, who fled from Tibet into India after a failed 1959 national uprising against Chinese occupation, has been the face and symbol of the Tibetan struggle for more than five decades. The Nobel laureate handed over political power in 2011 to Harvard law scholar Lobsang Sangay, who was chosen head of the Tibetan government in exile in open elections, but the Dalai Lama retains the more significant role of spiritual leader. Reported by RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English with additional reporting by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/allowed-06262013180033.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

11 years, 6 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Suu Kyi Blasts Proposed Law on Marriage Restrictions

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Suu Kyi Blasts Proposed Law on Marriage Restrictions JUNE 20, 2013— Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has criticized a proposed law by a group of nationalist Buddhist monks restricting Muslim men and those of other faiths from marrying Buddhist women, saying it was discriminatory and violated human rights. Under the proposal, non-Buddhist men wishing to marry Buddhist women in Myanmar have to convert to Buddhism. They also have to gain permission from the parents of the Buddhist women and local government officials before tying the knot. The proposed law was circulated at a conference of Buddhist monks recently amid continuing tensions following anti-Muslim violence since last year in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. Aung San Suu Kyi told RFA's Myanmar Service that the proposal discriminated against women, violated human rights and the country's laws and was contrary to Buddhism itself. "This is one-sided. Why only women? You cannot treat the women unfairly," the 68-year-old Nobel laureate said. "There should not be any discrimination between the men and women." "I also understand that this is not in accordance with the laws of the country and especially that it is not part of Buddhism," said Aung San Suu Kyi, who heads the opposition National League for Democracy. "It is a violation of women's rights and human rights," said Aung San Suu Kyi, who is barred by the country's constitution from becoming the president because she had married a foreigner and her children are foreign citizens. She and her husband, the late British academic Michael Aris, had two sons who are British. Signature campaign The controversial proposal on marriage restrictions was led by nationalist monk Wirathu who, according to reports, wants to collect signatures to pressure the country's parliament to adopt the law. Wirathu heads Burma's so-called "969" movement, which represents a radical form of anti-Islamic nationalism that urges Buddhists to boycott Muslim-run shops and services following sectarian violence since last year which has left about 200 people dead and displaced 140,000, mainly Rohingya Muslims. He said the law would be modeled along regulations restricting interfaith marriage in other countries, such as those in neighboring Malaysia which forbids Muslims from marrying non-Muslims unless the non-Muslims embrace Islam. Burmese women's rights groups plan to launch a public campaign to stop the contentious draft law, which also stipulates that those who flout the rule could face up to 10 years in prison and have their property confiscated. Earlier this week, eight women's rights groups based in Myanmar's commercial capital Yangon issued a joint statement condemning Wirathu’s proposed draft law, which he had claimed would “protect Buddhist women’s freedom,” Myanmar's online Irrawaddy journal reported. “Buddhist women are the target of this draft law, and we know nothing about it all. The ones who drafted the bill are monks. That means it doesn’t represent women,” Zin Mar Aung, a founder of the Rainfall Gender Studies Group and a well-known women’s rights activist, was quoted saying. Reported by Khin Maung Soe for RFA’s Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Soe and Khet Mar. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/marriage-06202013231513.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

11 years, 6 months

Radio Free Asia Wins at New York Festivals

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 18, 2013 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr(a)rfa.org Radio Free Asia Takes Silver, Bronze at New York Festivals WASHINGTON, DC - Two Radio Free Asia (RFA) reporters were named winners of silver and bronze medals at this year's New York Festivals <http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/worldsbestradio/2013/> radio awards ceremony last night. RFA's Uyghur Service reporter Shohret Hoshur won silver in the international contest's category of best coverage of an ongoing news story for his investigation into the enforced disappearance of Uyghurs after deadly ethnic unrest in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in July 2009. RFA Korean reporter Jinkuk Kim took bronze in the category of best human interest story for his piece on the mixed emotions of North Korean refugees who watched the U.S.-North Korea women's soccer match in the 2012 London Olympics. "So much of Radio Free Asia's coverage strikes at the heart of emotions felt by people in difficult situations," RFA President Libby Liu said. "Whether reporting on North Korean refugees watching their former countrymen and women compete in the Olympics or the stories of missing Uyghurs, RFA shares the personal stories that would otherwise go unreported. "We are thrilled to be recognized at the New York Festivals again this year and hope this puts a spotlight not just on our work as a news organization, but also the people we feature in our reports." For the silver medal entry, titled, "Lost but Not Forgotten: Justice Sought for Missing Uyghurs," RFA's Hoshur interviewed the Uyghur families of 38 individuals whose whereabouts remain unknown after they were detained by Chinese authorities. They have remained missing without official explanation for almost four years since the 2009 riots in Urumqi. The three-part series, which named the missing individuals, led to the World Uyghur Congress publishing a report on the enforced disappearances and Amnesty International urging Beijing to disclose more information. RFA's "The Ties that Bind: North Korean Defectors at the Olympics" showcases 15 former North Korean residents who cheered for the team representing the country from which they had fled. Their feelings of homesickness were not for the regime but for the families and people they left behind. RFA Korean Service's Kim interviewed the refugees who traveled to the town of New Malden, outside of London, to watch the North Korean women's soccer team, which was defeated by the United States. Finalists this year included ABC Radio National, BBC World Service, Australian Broadcasting Company, Radio France, and Radio Taiwan International, among others. # # # Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA's broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to "seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. For more information, visit www.rfa.org and follow us on Twitter @RadioFreeAsia.

11 years, 7 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Nun Sets Herself Ablaze in New Self-Immolation Protest

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Nun Sets Herself Ablaze in New Self-Immolation Protest JUNE 11, 2013— A Tibetan nun set herself ablaze on Tuesday during a large religious gathering in China’s Sichuan province in protest against Beijing’s rule in Tibetan areas, sources said. The woman, who has not been identified, self-immolated near Nyatso monastery in Tawu (in Chinese, Daofu) county, which is also close to a police facility, a Tibetan living in Nepal told RFA’s Tibetan Service, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The area has now been clamped down on by a huge security force,” the source said, citing contacts in the region. The woman’s condition is not known though “it is confirmed that she was moved to a hospital,” he said. The burning brings to 120 the number of self-immolations by Tibetans challenging Chinese rule since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009. The nun set herself ablaze at about 5:00 p.m. local time “to protest China’s harsh policy” in Tibetan-populated areas, Yama Tsering, a monk living in southern India, told RFA’s Mandarin Service on Tuesday. “The nun was immediately taken to the Kangding county hospital,” Tsering said, citing local sources. “After the protest, authorities cut off all phone and Internet connections to the area, and there is no way now to get more detailed information about the nun’s name or age, or what slogans she may have shouted before she set herself on fire,” he said. Chinese authorities are now restricting the movements of Tibetans living in the area, he added. Calls seeking comment from Tawu county police and Nyatso monastery rang unanswered Tuesday. Large religious gathering The nun’s self-immolation took place a day after the beginning of Jang Gunchoe, an annual gathering of monks at the Nyatso monastery, another source told RFA’s Tibetan Service. “It began on June 10, with over 3,000 monks from 50 monasteries in the Kham area participating in Buddhist debates and other activities for ten days,” Tashi, an India-based Tibetan monk, said. Kham is one of the three historical regions of Tibet and is divided today between western Sichuan and the eastern part of what is now the Tibet Autonomous Region. Tuesday’s self-immolation protest comes less than a month after the burning death of Tenzin Sherab, 31, who set himself ablaze in Chumarleb (Qumalai) county in Qinghai’s Yulshul (Yushu) prefecture on May 27. A few days before his protest, Sherab had complained to friends about China’s “discriminatory” policies and “destruction” of Tibetan religion and culture, saying he could no longer tolerate Beijing’s “repressive measures in Tibet,” Jampa Yonten, a monk living in southern India, had said. Chinese authorities have tightened controls in Tibet and in the Tibetan prefectures of Chinese provinces to check the self-immolations, cutting communication links with outside areas and jailing Tibetans they believe to be linked to the burnings. More than a dozen have been jailed so far, with some handed jail terms of up to 15 years. Reported by Lumbum Tashi and Kunzang Tenzin for RFA’s Tibetan Service and by Dan Zhen for the Mandarin Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee and Feng Xiaoming. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/protest-06112013161828.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

11 years, 7 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Myanmar's Speaker Shwe Mann Says He'll Contest Presidency

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Myanmar's Speaker Shwe Mann Says He'll Contest Presidency JUNE 10, 2013— Myanmar's parliamentary speaker Shwe Mann announced Monday that he will run for president in 2015, probably facing opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has also expressed interest in the top government post. Shwe Mann, who took over last month from incumbent President Thein Sein as head of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), said he wants the most powerful post in the country because he feels he is in a better position to unite the various ethnic groups, achieve peace and national reconciliation, and defend the rule of law in the country. "I will run for president because it is the key post to work for the betterment of the country and the people’s interest," he told RFA's Myanmar Service during a visit to Washington. "If there were a position higher than or more important than the president, I would want that post," said Shwe Mann, who was previously the third-highest-ranking member of Myanmar's military junta, which had ruled the country for nearly five decades until 2010. "I believe that if I became president, I could do more than the others to achieve unity among ethnic groups, national reconciliation, rule of law, regional stability, and peace." Shwe Mann's announcement came as little surprise, as many had expected the ambitious politician to throw his hat into the ring for the presidential race, but this is the first time he had spoken at length about his political ambitions. Hotly contested race Thein Sein, who took office in March 2010 after landmark elections, has left open the possibility of seeking another term in office in the 2015 election, saying his choice will depend “on the needs of the country.” If Thein Sein retires, many expect the presidential race to be hotly contested between Shwe Mann and Aung San Suu Kyi, who last week also confirmed she wants to run for president. But Aung San Suu Kyi said that Myanmar’s constitution, written in 2008 during the military junta regime that held the Nobel laureate under house arrest for years, has to be amended for her to bid for the presidency. The charter has a provision blocking anyone whose spouse or children are foreign citizens from becoming president. Aung San Suu Kyi's two sons with her late British husband hold U.K. citizenship, and the clause is widely believed to be targeted at her. Amending the constitution But Shwe Mann told RFA that Myanmar's parliament will set up a commission soon to review the constitution, and that if it feels the charter should be amended to pave the way for Aung San Suu Kyi to run for president, the legislature would back the change. "Three committees in parliament have submitted a proposal to establish a commission to amend the constitution, and this proposal was approved. So, we will establish a commission soon," he said. "According to this report, we will have to amend, scrap, or replace some points in the 2008 constitution. If the commission submits proposals, including the possibility of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi being able to contest as president, then parliament will support work on it," he said, using an honorific with Aung San Suu Kyi's name. He said any revision of the constitution will have to take into consideration not only Aung San Suu Kyi's case but the interest of all citizens. Aung San Suu Kyi had said last week that she also wants the constitution amended to do away with the military’s mandatory 25 percent quota in parliament. A constitutional amendment requires at least 75 percent approval in parliament. But together, the military and Shwe Mann's military-backed USDP control more than 80 percent of the seats. Shwe Mann sidestepped a question on whether he thought Myanmar's future would be brighter under Aung San Suu Kyi. "Everybody works for the betterment of the country when he or she becomes a leader. I believe that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has much goodwill and she wants to develop the country, but we should wait and see and consider her plans and the political situation." Biggest challenge to reforms Shwe Mann, together with Thein Sein, has been a driving force for reforms in Myanmar. The two were top generals in the junta, but though Thein Sein was prime minister at the time, he was subordinate to Shwe Mann. Asked what was the biggest challenge to reforms, Shwe Mann said the mindset of the people has to be changed so that they could use democracy as a vehicle for progress. "The biggest challenge is changing the mindset and attitude. If people do not understand the essence of democracy, there will be more disadvantages than advantages." Shwe Mann, speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw—the lower house of Myanmar's parliament—arrived in Washington on Sunday for a nine-day visit during which he will hold talks with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, among other leading legislators. Reported by Kyaw Kyaw Aung for RFA's Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/shwe-mann-06102013161202.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

11 years, 7 months

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Dalai Lama Seeks Halt To Fighting Over Prized 'Caterpillar Fungus'

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Dalai Lama Seeks Halt To Fighting Over Prized 'Caterpillar Fungus' JUNE 7, 2013— Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has expressed regret over deadly clashes among Tibetan groups in China over access to areas of a parasitic fungus that is prized for its purported medicinal properties. The Dalai Lama made the rare plea this week following the latest violence over the harvesting of “caterpillar fungus" between two main rival groups in northwest China's Qinghai province that left at least two people dead and three others wounded on May 30. The fungus, indigenous only to the 1,000-mile-long Tibetan plateau running from western China to Nepal, enters the larva of the caterpillar moth, mummifies its prey and eventually grows out of the head of the caterpillar. It is highly valued for its purported medicinal benefits and as a libido booster in China. The Dalai Lama called for a halt to the disputes among Tibetans over access to areas where the fungus grows, saying these quarrels have become a "crisis." "We have heard that when such incidents occur, some thoughtless and ignorant persons, acting on excuses or on whatever comes to their mind, take up guns and knives to harm others in disregard of a sense of loyalty to the brotherhood of all Tibetans," he said. "Likewise, in some area in which fungal caterpillar is harvested, there have recently been cases of conflicts and of some places joining together against others, causing crisis situations. I feel sad when I hear of these things." Reminding the Tibetans that "violence is contrary to the beliefs and conduct of all who believe in karma and in Buddhism," he said, "these acts also obstruct the efforts I have been making all my life to turn Tibet into a peaceful and violence-free land." "Therefore, out of sheer care and concern, I appeal to all of you—monks and laypeople both—to immediately cease these actions that bring disgrace to the Tibetan people. When similar disputes occur in the future, you must resolve them." Rebgong The May 30 clash over the caterpillar fungus occurred in Rebgong [in Chinese, Tongren] county in Qinghai's Malho (Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, sources told RFA's Tibetan Service. "Villagers from Shadrang shot at those from Lonchen, killing two of them and wounding three, one of them in critical condition," one source said. "On May 31, villagers from Lonchen gathered to go to Shadrang to 'take revenge' but other local people led by monks from Rebgong monastery persuaded them not to go," the source said. "Chinese authorities sent security forces on the same day to suppress the disturbances." The incident came after a fight among the same groups about two weeks earlier on May 17 in which one villager was cut in the face and another repeatedly hacked in the neck and back. "The fight started out with shoving and hitting, but knives were then brought out, and one villager was cut in the face. Another villager was repeatedly hacked in the neck and back, and was taken to hospital in the provincial capital Xining," the source said. Local people had described the incidents as “shameful,” the source said. Reported by Lumbum Tashi for RFA's Tibetan Service. Translated by Benpa Topgyal. Written in English by Richard Finney and Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/fungus-06072013220245.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

11 years, 7 months

Radio Free Asia Releases e-Book on 1989 Tiananmen Crackdown

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 3, 2013 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org Radio Free Asia Releases Interactive e-Book on 1989 Tiananmen Crackdown WASHINGTON, DC - On the eve of the 24th anniversary of the June 4, 1989, crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing, Radio Free Asia released an interactive e-book in Mandarin Chinese, titled <http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/jiaodianzhuizong/liusi> Tiananmen Incident in Historical Perspective. Consisting of multimedia content and eyewitness accounts, the digital-format publication recounts the demonstrations and the eventual dead-of-night crackdown near Tiananmen Square that left an unknown number of people dead in China's capital. "Almost a quarter century later in China, government censors have all but blotted out the memory of Tiananmen in the mainland," RFA President Libby Liu said. "For those fortunate enough to have access to uncensored information, that's as tragic as it is unimaginable. "With this e-book, we hope to restore for our Chinese audience the real-life stories and accurate information that is simply missing from China's official version of what happened in Beijing on June 4, 1989." The e-book comprises rare video footage, audio recordings, photographs, and a timeline of events, as well as a detailed account by RFA Executive Editor Dan Southerland, then the Beijing bureau chief for The Washington Post, who covered the events on the ground with a team of reporters. Also included are interviews with surviving student leaders, who discuss the demonstrations that began in mid-April and grew to about a million people in May. The lives of these leaders since the 1989 crackdown, as well as some of its central figures, are the subject of the publication's section "Where Are They Now?" The e-book may be accessed and downloaded from RFA's website for iPads and tablets, and will be made available on Apple iTunes in the near future. # # # Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA's broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to "seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. Rohit Mahajan | Radio Free Asia | Media Relations Manager <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org | O: 202.530.4976 | M: 202.489.8021

11 years, 7 months

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