Myanmar's 2015 general elections explained

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) has won a landslide victory in Myanmar after general elections on 8 November. It was the country's first national vote since a nominally civilian government was introduced in 2011, ending nearly 50 years of military rule. The NLD now has control of parliament and can choose the next president. The BBC explains the complexities behind the historic win.

Was the vote democratic?


That was the idea, but everyone accepts there were some pretty serious flaws. Observers said it was it was reasonably fair. Given what has gone before that was still significant progress.

Things did not get off to smooth start. In the run-up to the election campaign voter lists were published, and they have been shown to be woefully inadequate. Dead people have been listed, and many of those alive not included.

Not all the seats in the Hluttaw (parliament) are up for grabs. The military-drafted constitution guarantees that unelected military representatives will take up 25% of the seats in the Hluttaw and have a veto over constitutional change. This is what the generals call "disciplined democracy".

Did we expect Aung San Suu Kyi's party to do so well?

Image copyrightAFP-Image captionThe NLD remains popular in many areas of Myanmar

No-one was sure how much support the NLD would get. There were no reliable opinion polls so the only precedents were the two previous occasions that the party's popularity has been put to the test: the annulled 1990 general election and the by-elections of 2012.

In 1990 the NLD won 392 of the 492 available seats, taking 52.5% of the national vote.

Fast forward 22 years and the NLD claimed 43 of the 45 seats on offer, accruing about 66% of the available votes, mainly in ethnic Bamar areas which suited the party.

This time round it quickly became clear that the NLD was on course for a historic victory over its rivals.

Then on 13 November the NLD was confirmed to have won the two-thirds of seats they needed to control both houses of parliament and choose the next president.

Meanwhile, the ruling military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) had only 40 seats.

First-past-the-post (constituency based) electoral systems like Myanmar's make landslides more likely.

Take a look at 1990. The NLD won just over half of the popular vote which translated into nearly 80% of the seats.

This year's vote has two distinct battlegrounds: in central and southern areas where there is an ethnic Bamar majority, and in the regions along the country's borders, where smaller ethnic groups have localised dominance.

In the seven central and southern regions where the Bamar dominate, the NLD are set for a large win. Up for grabs are 291 seats, or 44% of the entire Hluttaw (parliament), and it's possible that the current ruling party the USDP will only win a handful.

But that wouldn't give the NLD an overall majority.

So the key battleground for the campaign became the minority ethnic states where 207 seats (31%) were contested

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Image captionMyanmar's military still retains control of key government ministries

Parties based along ethnic lines were always likely to win most of the seats but even the small gains made by the NLD paved the way for an overall majority.

In the last year Aung San Suu Kyi has travelled frequently to these areas, acutely aware of how important they could prove.

One unknown was the impact of a hardline Buddhist movement, the Ma Ba Tha, in Bamar areas. For the last 18 months it has been running a nationalist campaign arguing that the country's Buddhist identity is under threat from Islam, and that the NLD is the party of the Muslims.

The monks have drawn large crowds, but the election was the first test of how deeply their message has resonated.

How will the next president be chosen?

Image copyrightAFP-Image captionPresident Thein Sein has not ruled out remaining in politics

Indirectly. The 2008 constitution sets out a complex process whereby the Hluttaw (parliament) chooses a president. Though the general election is in November it's likely to be March 2016 before this takes place.

Firstly the Hluttaw will divide into three groups: the elected representatives of the Lower House, the elected representatives of the Upper House, and the unelected army representatives.

Each group puts forward a candidate and then the three of them face a vote in a joint session, that includes all the elected and unelected representatives of both Houses.

The winner becomes president and the two losers vice-presidents.

What it means in practice is if the NLD want to be able to choose the next president they need their candidate to get the most votes in this joint session.

Could Aung San Suu Kyi become president?

Aung San Suu Kyi may well have lead her party to a landslide win but she can't become president. Article 59F of the constitution states that if one of your "legitimate children… owes allegiance to a foreign power" you are disqualified. That covers both Ms Suu Kyi's sons Kim and Alexander, who have British passports.

A crushing win in the election won't help either, as the unelected army representatives can still block attempts to change this clause. So barring a spectacular change of military heart, it won't be President Suu Kyi in 2016.

If not President Suu Kyi then who?

This is where the rumour mill goes into overdrive.

It was long assumed that an agreement was in place between Aung San Suu Kyi and the Speaker of the Hluttaw U Shwe Mann.

Image copyrightAFP-Image captionSpeaker Shwe Mann had been thought a contender for president, but has lost the support of the military

It would have been a grand deal bridging the divide between the military and Ms Suu Kyi. She would back him - in return for promises of constitutional change.

But Shwe Mann miscalculated and lost the support of the army. In August he was deposed from his position as the head of the ruling USDP in what was called a "soft coup".

Without military backing he was no longer such an attractive choice for Ms Suu Kyi - and he went on to lose his seat anyway.

So who then?

In an interview with Indian TV in early October, Ms Suu Kyi said that in the event of the NLD winning a majority she had a "civilian" candidate in mind for the top job.

In the same breath she stressed that she would still lead the government from parliament, effectively rendering the president a weak puppet.

A few possibilities have been mooted for that rather neutered job, but Ms Suu Kyi is keeping her cards close to her chest.

One possibility is Tin Oo, a former commander-in-chief of the Burmese army and a founding member of the NLD

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NLD member Tin Oo has been touted as a presidential candidate - but says he's not interested

He's 88 and sharp for his age but would be a strange choice. In his favour is decades of loyalty to Ms Suu Kyi, a quality she prizes highly.

Another name that has been mentioned is Win Htein, a former military officer and close confidant of Ms Suu Kyi.

A relative youngster at 74, he's risked the scorn of hardline monks by speaking in defence of Muslims in his constituency of Meiktila. But his health is not thought to be good.

There are also rumours circulating that a deal has already been done: that Ms Suu Kyi was pre-warned of Shwe Mann's demise, and a proposal put to her.

That arrangement would see her back Thein Sein for perhaps another two years, with the promise that he would bring in constitutional changes.

Their relationship has deteriorated significantly since he persuaded her to run for parliament in 2012, so it is open to question whether she would trust him again.

Of course it may not end up in the NLD's hands. With a quarter of seats occupied by the army, an anti-NLD coalition only needs a third of the elected seats to control the destiny of the presidency but that is looking increasingly unlikely.

If that were to happen the most likely "army candidate" would be the current President Thein Sein. His face is on the front of the USDP campaign buses and all the signs are that he does fancy another term.

One rumour is that Thein Sein might be chosen as president before retiring within a year or two due to ill-health, to allow the current Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing to take over.

On 8 November the voters had their say, but the choice of president will be a backroom deal.

Just how powerful is the president?

Not as powerful as you might think.

Key security ministries (defence, home affairs and border affairs) are selected by the head of the army, not the president, and there can be no change to the constitution without military approval.

One of the themes of the last five years has been the emergence of the Hluttaw as an important political force.

It will become more vocal and assertive after this election and has the power to push through legislation against the president's wishes if it wants.

Reporting by Jonah Fisher in Yangon

New Hostilities in Myanmar’s Shan State Force Hundreds of Villagers to Flee

Ta'ang National Liberation Army soldiers march to mark the 51st anniversary of Ta'ang National Resistance Day in Homain, Nansan township, in northern Myanmar's Shan state, Jan. 12, 2014.

AFP

Fresh clashes between Myanmar government forces and armed ethnic rebels broke out Tuesday in the country’s restive eastern Shan state, forcing hundreds of villagers to take refuge in local monasteries and underscoring the challenges the country’s new elected government will face in 2016.

The Myanmar army has been involved in various clashes with the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N), the armed branch of the Shan State Progress Party, in Monghsu and Kyethi townships since early October, as well as with Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) soldiers, who operate in a large area of Shan state, including Mongmit township.

“We have fighting in Mongmit, although the fighting didn’t last long and started again,” TNLA general secretary Mai Phone Kyaw told RFA’s Myanmar Service. “Government troops attacked us.”

As of yet, there have been no reports on any casualties from the hostilities involving the TNLA.

The skirmishes have forced more villagers from Minenaung subtownship and Mineshu and Kyethi townships to flee to Taunggyi, capital of Shan state, local sources said.

More than 1,000 internally displaced people are currently in the local area, and 400 more are heading to Taunggyi, said Sai Maung, a resident of the town who is helping the refugees.

“More than 100 people arrived today, and we already have 88 people—35 children and 63 adults—in this monastery, while others are staying at the homes of their friends and relatives,” he said.

A total of about 10,000 people have evacuated their homes in volatile areas of Shan state since early October, according to local media reports.

In southern Kachin state, Myanmar forces bombed a base belonging to the Kachin independence Army (KIA) and mounted a heavy artillery attack against rebel troops near the town of Mohnyin, the online journal The Irrawaddyreported.

Official details of casualties were not available but at least two KIA soldiers were reported wounded in the attack, the report said.

The SSA-N, TNLA and KIA, did not sign the so-called nationwide cease-fire agreement (NCA) with Thein Sein’s government in mid-October.

In response, the Myanmar army has increased its attacks in Shan state and deployed troops close to areas where non-signatory militias are based, according to the Democratic Voice of Burma.

War refugees

While the clashes ensued, 50 representatives from Myanmar’s ethnic groups met in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for two days to discuss plans to resettle war refugees.

“We are mainly discussing and making comments on new policies, which we will issue in the future,” said Naing Han Thar, co-chairman of the United Nationalities Federal Council coalition of ethnic political parties, who participated in the meeting organized by the Ethnic Nationalities Affairs Center (Union of Burma).

“We will submit what we discussed today in the future political dialogue meetings,” he said. “We have a lot of refugees and internally displaced persons who we need to send home back. We are finding ways to send them back home.”

Mann Saw, chairman of the Karenni Refugee Committee, an organization that provides support to Karenni and other ethnic minority refugees from Myanmar currently residing in refugee camps in Thailand, said it is important for refugees to be able to return home with dignity and security.

The eight armed ethnic groups that have signed the NCA have decided to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, whose opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party swept the country’s Nov. 8 general elections by a landslide, to discuss prospects for nationwide peace with the next government.

“As we are working on peace with current government, we will collaborate with the new government to work on peace as well,” said Phado Saw Kwe Htoo Win, general secretary of the Karen National Union, a democratic organization representing Myanmar’s Karen ethnic minority group. “We must meet with Aung San Suu Kyi.”

“We will move forward according to the NCA that we signed,” he said Tuesday in the capital Naypyidaw. “As far as we know, NLD has a policy to work for peace, and I believe that the NLD will collaborate with us.”

Khet Htein Nan, chairman of Easing Conflict and Peace-making Process Committee, stressed the importance of the NLD continuing to build on the progress that the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has made in attaining nationwide peace.

“In our country, new authorities ignore [what’s already been done] and start everything again from the beginning, but it shouldn’t be like this,” he said. “We should carry on some good things from the previous term.

“Although eight ethnic armed groups signed the NCA, the final draft of the document is the one that all armed ethnic groups discussed and agreed to,” he said. “That’s why we have to move forward and implement it.”

Hla Maung Shwe, senior adviser at the government-affiliated Myanmar Peace Center, told RFA on Tuesday that 91 political parties have been invited to a meeting on No. 21 to choose 16 representatives to participate in the joint implementation coordination meeting, which was formed to create a joint ceasefire monitoring committee and a Union peace dialogue joint committee, as part of the NCA process.

The joint ceasefire monitoring committee will oversee the handling military matters, while latter one will deal with political issues.

Those selected will meet with 16 representatives from the government and military, and 16 representatives from armed ethnic groups on Nov. 24 to discuss the implementation of various points in the peace accord, Hla Maung Shwe said.

“After that, we will prepare to form a drafting committee,” he said. “We have only eight or nine days to do all this.”

If all goes according to plan, the groups will hold a meeting on Dec. 8, 9 and 10 in Naypyidaw, he said, to devise a framework for political dialogue that is slated to begin in January.

Reported by Nay Rein Kyaw, Myo Thant Khine, Thinn Thiri, Khun Yazar and Aung Moe Myint for RFA’s Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.

Malaysia mulls opening job market to Rohingya refugees

By P Prem Kumar

Deputy PM says appropriate employment sectors to be identified and approved before planned pilot project implemented

KUALA LUMPUR

Thousands of Rohingya "refugees" may soon be able to take up employment opportunities in Malaysia, with the government announcing plans for a pilot project focusing on specific market sectors Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the parliament that the proposal will take into account the safety, security, legislation, documentation and welfare of Rohingya who have been granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

"Appropriate employment sectors would be identified and approved before the pilot project can be implemented," he said.

He underlined that under present legislation, refugees are not permitted to be employed in any job sector as they are all categorized as illegal migrants.

"The Rohingya also do not possess any travel documents or passports to enable job facilities to be arranged, which automatically makes them illegal occupants in the country, and it is illegal to hire illegal immigrants to work," Hamidi, also the Home Minister, said.

He added that the government was particularly concerned about their fate -- be they new arrivals or those who have resided in Malaysia for some time -- as it was aware of the problems they face back home.

"Malaysia cares for them as well due to their country-less status as the Myanmar government does not recognize the citizenship of the Rohingya," he said.

Myanmar's rulers officially regard the group as interlopers from neighboring Bangladesh and most are referred to as “Bengalis”.

Rohingya have been fleeing persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar since sectarian violence erupted in 2012 -- many assisted by people smugglers to travel by boat from Bangladesh to Thailand, where they cross over the border into Malaysia in the hope of securing sanctuary and employment.

However, in early May this year Thai authorities launched a crackdown on people-smuggling camps on their southern border, scaring traffickers into abandoning their human cargo -- mostly Bangladeshi and Muslim Rohingya fleeing persecution -- at sea.

Following a tri-nation conference on the crisis May 20, Indonesia and Malaysia announced they would take those they considered to be refugees -- predominantly Rohingya -- in for one year before the international community finds homes for them, while those classified as economic migrants -- predominantly Bangladeshi -- would be repatriated.

Malaysia is not party to the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 and its Protocol 1967, however it has underlined that it will continue to extend humanitarian assistance to refugees from Myanmar and the Middle East. 

As of last year, some 146,020 refugees and asylum seekers had been registered with the UNHCR in Malaysia, of which the vast majority -- some 135,000 -- are from Myanmar.

That 135,000 is a combination of three ethnic groups, including Chins -- predominantly Christian -- the Muslim Rohingya and other Myanmar Muslims who all claim to be persecuted for ethnic and religious reasons.

Myanmar Refugees in Thailand Hopeful, Cautious, After Election

By Ron Corben

November 17, 2015 5:39 AM

BANGKOK—

Tens of thousands of Burmese refugees living in Thailand are more optimistic about returning following the November 8 election wins of the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi. However, many who fled decades of conflict in Myanmar remain cautious.

Myanmar has faced years of internal conflict as myriad ethnic armies waged war against the military-led government in a bid for autonomy, sending more than 120,000 refugees fleeing.

Many live in several official camps along Thailand’s western border and have seen little chance for returning home.

But the November 8 election of the NLD has changed that outlook. Many in the camps have long supported Suu Kyi and deeply opposed the military government.

Sally Thompson, who has worked in programs assisting the refugees for over 20 years and is now director of the non-government Burma Border Consortium, said the election result foreshadows a time when the refugee camps eventually will be closed.

“There’s certainly – I think we have to say – there is definitely an understanding now the camps will not be there indefinitely. That the situation inside the country is changing and return is likely in the near future. Yes it is a possibility but exactly when that will be – there is no one right time. There will be different times for different communities,” said Thompson.

FILE - Karen refugees leave after a church service at Mae La refugee camp in Ta Song Yang district of Tak province, northern Thailand.

But Thompson added that many refugees remain hesitant, their concerns lying with security and safety in regions long engulfed by conflict.

“They’re still very much looking to see whether there will be security. They are thinking about their own protection, their families, the issues of land and livelihood. There are many issues that need to be resolved before people are really ready to return,” she said.

Recent ceasefire agreements between President Thein Sein and eight armed ethnic groups added to the positive climate. But the October agreement fell short of being a nationwide agreement, with seven of the 15 armed groups declining to sign on amid mistrust with the government and the military.

Since the election, several groups who refused to sign say they are more willing to participate in future talks with the NLD led government. But some analysts remain pessimistic over conflict ending in key regions, as the new government, due to take power, must still deal with Myanmar’s powerful army.

Vivian Tan, regional spokesperson for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), said the ceasefire agreements will be key in the refugees’ decision making of returning to Burma.

“The national ceasefire agreement is just as important – if not more important for the refugees because they really want to see the provisions of this agreement upheld – that there is a firm end to the conflict so they can resume their lives back home,” said Tan.

The UNHCR’s position, said Tan, is for the refugees to return voluntarily backed by continuing support from international donors. 

But aid groups say some donor nations that have long financially supported the camps are already reducing aid, hastening the time when the camps will close.

Tan said many refugees facing problems in areas such as documentation and identity and may be unable to go back to Myanmar. They may need instead to seek resettlement in Thailand or another country.

More than 60,000 Burmese refugees living in Thailand since 2005 have been resettled in third countries – some 50,000 being settled in the United States alone.

Why Child Refugees Need Tailored Medical Attention

When child refugees flee persecution, they each bring unique public health challenges to the United States.

By Joshua A. Krisch on Nov 17, 2015 at 12:49 PM

Refugees are back in the news. In light of the terrorist attacks in France, 21 states have announced that they will not be accepting any Syrian refugees. Although that’s largely posturing (states can’t legally block refugees from entering their borders) governors could potentially deny refugees state resources—including medical benefits and screenings for diseases.

That would be a bad idea. Before arriving in the United States, child refugees often live in rural areas or refugee camps where medicine, food and Western luxuries are seldom available. And now, in a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health, researchers have laid out the first a comprehensive reviews of the specific health issues that child refugees face.

More How Governors Refusing Syrians Actually Impacts Refugees

Scientists analyzed medical data on 8,148 child refugees who fled Bhutan, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq and Somalia between 2006 and 2012. Within 90 days of arriving in the United States, each child was given a routine screening for several diseases, including tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and parasitic infections. As expected, refugee children had higher rates of those diseases than children living in the United States.

Here’s a breakdown of those numbers:

Every year, the U.S. accepts 35,000 child refugees (and 200,000 “lawful permanent residents”) who flee persecution from their home country. Many of them bring unique public health challenges with them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have laid out very broad guidelines for screening refugees, but this study suggests a more tailored approach may be in order.

“These results support current CDC recommendations to screen newly arrived refugee children,” the authors write. “[But] population-specific adjustments to these guidelines may also be warranted.”

Indeed, the one-size-fits-all approach to child refugees doesn’t make much sense when you consider the diverse results in this study. For instance, the CDC recommends the same screening regimen for Burmese Thai and Burmese Malay child refugees—even though the study suggests Malaysian children are generally in much better health than Thai children.

That’s probably because, “most refugee children living in Malaysia live in urban environments, receive regular health care, and experience relatively little food insecurity,” the authors write. “By contrast, most refugee children living in Thailand reside in refugee camps in a rural, border region, where they may have irregular access to preventive health services.”

The scientists hope that this study will help the CDC tailor their screening regimens to fit the needs of specific refugee groups. And in the long term, this sort of data could even help public health officials provide more efficient healthcare for children arriving in the United States.

“Understanding the health profiles of children from different countries allows us to provide better counseling for parents, prioritize specific tests and ensure that we give children a healthy start here in the U.S.,” said Katherine Yun, a pediatrician in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Refugee Health Program and coauthor on the study, in a prepared statement.

Malaysia mulls opening job market to Rohingya refugees

Deputy PM says appropriate employment sectors to be identified and approved before planned pilot project implemented

By P Prem Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR

Thousands of Rohingya "refugees" may soon be able to take up employment opportunities in Malaysia, with the government announcing plans for a pilot project focusing on specific market sectors Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told the parliament that the proposal will take into account the safety, security, legislation, documentation and welfare of Rohingya who have been granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

"Appropriate employment sectors would be identified and approved before the pilot project can be implemented," he said.

He underlined that under present legislation, refugees are not permitted to be employed in any job sector as they are all categorized as illegal migrants.

"The Rohingya also do not possess any travel documents or passports to enable job facilities to be arranged, which automatically makes them illegal occupants in the country, and it is illegal to hire illegal immigrants to work," Hamidi, also the Home Minister, said.

He added that the government was particularly concerned about their fate -- be they new arrivals or those who have resided in Malaysia for some time -- as it was aware of the problems they face back home.

"Malaysia cares for them as well due to their country-less status as the Myanmar government does not recognize the citizenship of the Rohingya," he said.

Myanmar's rulers officially regard the group as interlopers from neighboring Bangladesh and most are referred to as “Bengalis”.

Rohingya have been fleeing persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar since sectarian violence erupted in 2012 -- many assisted by people smugglers to travel by boat from Bangladesh to Thailand, where they cross over the border into Malaysia in the hope of securing sanctuary and employment.

However, in early May this year Thai authorities launched a crackdown on people-smuggling camps on their southern border, scaring traffickers into abandoning their human cargo -- mostly Bangladeshi and Muslim Rohingya fleeing persecution -- at sea.

Following a tri-nation conference on the crisis May 20, Indonesia and Malaysia announced they would take those they considered to be refugees -- predominantly Rohingya -- in for one year before the international community finds homes for them, while those classified as economic migrants -- predominantly Bangladeshi -- would be repatriated.

Malaysia is not party to the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 and its Protocol 1967, however it has underlined that it will continue to extend humanitarian assistance to refugees from Myanmar and the Middle East. 

As of last year, some 146,020 refugees and asylum seekers had been registered with the UNHCR in Malaysia, of which the vast majority -- some 135,000 -- are from Myanmar.

That 135,000 is a combination of three ethnic groups, including Chins -- predominantly Christian -- the Muslim Rohingya and other Myanmar Muslims who all claim to be persecuted for ethnic and religious reasons.

Home Ministry to filter Syrian refugees

A message and flowers are seen in tribute to the victims of Paris attacks outside the French Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. — AFP photo

KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry will filter the Syrian refugees it plans to accept after Friday’s Paris terror attack which killed more than 100 people, its Deputy Minister, Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said.

He said the measure was deemed necessary particularly following a report that a Syrian refugee was involved in the attack.

“We assume they (Syrian refugees) are not terrorists but we have to filter their background to ensure they pose no threat to the country if we decide to take them in.

“There is always danger when it comes to accepting refugees from the Middle East and that is why we are taking our time to basically filter out who we want to take and preferably those who have clear background,” he told reporters at the Dewan Rakyat lobby, here yesterday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the United Nations General Assembly last month, announced that Malaysia would open its doors to 3,000 Syrian migrants over the next three years to help alleviate the refugee crisis.

Elaborating further, Nur Jazlan said the new forms of terrorist attacks tended to be carried out by small groups of between five to 10 individuals.

He said his ministry with the cooperation of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) were constantly monitoring new methods being used to actively recruit members who have the expertise to make firearms and explosives through social media.

“The ministry monitors the movement of suspects who can be placed as terrorists, even though their numbers are not in the thousands, the problem is terrorists like the IS militants can do heavy damage and attacks by using a small number of people.

“What is important, we identify who have the potential to be terrorists and we take action before they make an attack and in our observations, the number (of terrorists in Malaysia) is estimated to reach the hundreds,” he said.

He said Malaysia had the experience in dealing with terrorism since the 1990s with the existence of Al-Maunah and al-Qaeda. — Bernama

Post Paris attacks, Malaysia extra-cautious on refugees

By P Prem Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR

In the wake of Friday's attacks in Paris, Malaysia has said it will carry out extra background checks on refugees from the Middle East -- especially 3,000 Syrians it recently pledged to accept.

Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed said Monday that the extra precautions were being taken amid speculation that one of those involved in the attack may have entered Europe as a Syrian refugee.

"There is always danger in accepting refugees from the Middle East and that is why we have been taking our time to individually filter who we want to take," he told reporters.

"The vetting process has started given what is happening in Paris now and we will only take in those with a clear background."

Mohamed said Malaysia is not prepared to take any national security risks, but that it would still fulfil its commitment -- made by Prime Minister Najib Razak at an Oct. 1 United Nations meeting -- to accept 3,000 Syrian refugees over the next three years.

"Let's not see all Syrian refugees in the same light," Mohamed said. "We assume they are not terrorists but we have to filter their background to ensure they pose no threat to the country."

Mohamed added that police are strengthening security in Kuala Lumpur as world leaders gather for the South East Asian leaders meeting and East Asia Summit on Friday.

United States President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin are also expected to attend the East Asia Summit as dialogue partners.

"Early preparations have been made following what happened in Paris and a terrorist attack plan in Kuala Lumpur months ago," Mohamed said.

On Sept. 25, Malaysian police arrested a Malaysian, a Syrian and an Indonesian suspected of planning an attack in the capital following a tip-off received from their global intelligence network.

Police said they believed that the suspects were involved in "terrorism", and had the intention to launch terror attacks on Malaysian soil.

"Police have taken more stringent steps to ensure safety in Kuala Lumpur during the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] summit," Mohamed added.

Earlier this month, Malaysia underlined that it would not become a party to the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 and Protocol 1967.

It said it would not sign the convention for the time being, but would continue to extend assistance to Muslim Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution in Myanmar and those from the Middle East. 

The Paris attacks saw gunmen and bombers launch coordinated raids on restaurants, bars, a sports stadium and a concert hall around the French capital.

According to AH-AP, a body representing Paris' medical authorities, the death toll Monday stood at 132.

Burmese refugees in Louisville hopeful after pro-democracy party win

By Boris Ladwig

Hundreds of Louisville residents have been paying special attention in the last few days to events about 8,600 miles away, in Burma.

The country, also known as Myanmar, held democratic elections last week for the first time in a generation, with the National League for Democracy scoring an overwhelming victory.

Flag of Burma

A University of Louisville professor and a Burma native told Insider Louisville they are looking at the developments with hope – but also with some trepidation, because democratic movements previously have been quashed by military rulers.

Burma, west of Thailand, has been ruled by a military government since a coup in 1962. After democratic elections in 1990, which the NLD also won, the military rejected the results and held on to power.

Military rule has been dominated by lawlessness, repression and executions of ethnic minorities in Burma, which is slightly smaller than Texas, but has a population of about 56 million. Life expectancy is 66 years, and per capita GDP is $4,700, less than one tenth of the per capita GDP in the U.S.

The National League for Democracy’s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, was under house arrest for 15 years before her release in 2010. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. In 2012, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor.

Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy of Burma, which just won elections there, poses with Jason Abbott, director and Aung San Suu Kyi endowed chair of the Center for Asian Democracy at the University of Louisville, in 2012, during Suu Kyi’s visit to Louisville.

Many of the prominent political candidates who won in the 1990 elections were arrested, jailed and tortured, according to Jason Abbott, the director and Aung San Suu Kyi endowed chair of the Center for Asian Democracy at the University of Louisville.

For much of the population, military rule meant restrictions on internal movement, with leaving the country being near impossible, Abbott said. The military also conducted campaigns against ethnic minorities, forcing many, especially members of the Karen, to flee to neighboring Thailand, where they languished in crowded refugee camps.

Some of the Burmese refugees have migrated to the U.S. and specifically Kentucky, in partbecause of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s interest in Burma and his support for Suu Kyi, who visited Kentucky and the University of Louisville in 2012.

Journey to Louisville

Eh Nay Thaw was 2 years old when his family, including his parents and six siblings, fled from Eastern Burma with hundreds of others to a refugee camp near the Thai capitol, Bangkok.

Eh Nay Thaw

Thaw, now 20, said that life in the camp, which held 9,000 people, was difficult. If Thai authorities caught Burmese refugees outside of the camp, they would be arrested as illegal immigrants. Food consisted of the basics – rice, beans, salt – and was supplied by the United Nations. Water was available three times per day, and refugees had to get it at a central location and carry it to their houses.

Thankfully, Thaw said, his family was given the opportunity by the U.S. government to migrate to America. The family came to Louisville nearly eight years ago.

The transition to life in the U.S. proved difficult. The family, which had known only a tropical climate, arrived here in December – and had lost some of its bags on the journey.

“It was extremely cold,” Thaw remembered.

He spoke no English when he arrived, and getting used to public transportation was tough.

Thaw remembered once waiting for almost two hours for a bus, in freezing weather, with limited clothing.

“One of the worst experiences I had,” he said.

But the weather and his disposition improved quickly. As he learned English, he made connections in the community. Language is a big barrier, Thaw said, and while he gets along well now, his parents still struggle, especially when filling out complicated government forms.

Elections

Election results trickled in for days last week, and while a quarter of parliamentary seats are reserved for the military, the National League for Democracy will hold 387 of 664 seats, according to the Associated Press. The military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party will get just 42 seats – down from more than 360.

“It’s a historic election (that) suggests a dramatic reversal of fortunes,” Abbott said.

Before 2010, with Suu Kyi still under house arrest, not even the most optimistic observers would have predicted such a rapid move toward democratization, he said.

What prompted the shift of the military regime to make diplomatic overtures is unclear.

Abbott said possible reasons include economic sanctions by the U.S. and Europe, which increasingly targeted assets of individuals in the Burmese government. Also, Burma had relied heavily on support from China, but the nations have a difficult relationship historically, and perhaps Burmese reformers convinced hardliners to see if pro-Western overtures would help improve the economy, which they have.

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How the military will react to the huge election loss remains to be seen, Abbott said, and will depend on how Suu Kyi plays her hand. While the military added language to the constitution that prevents her from being president, Suu Kyi has made statements about being “above the president.”

The potential for conflicts to continue is very real, Abbott said.

Refugee Eh Nay Thaw said he has been following politics in Burma since Suu Kyi was released in his sophomore year in high school.

This summer, he spent a month in Burma, including the capital Yangon, through a program that helps students learn English.

“I’m happy with the (election) result,” he said. “The country is sort of relaxing in a way.”

Nonetheless, he said, huge challenges remain. Many people do not have access to education, for example. The educational system and many other parts of the government continue to be run by the military.

Thaw said Burma is not a democracy yet, and that many minorities still are being oppressed. But, he said, life for the Burmese seems to be improving, and international pressure on the military make another coup unlikely.

“In a way, I am cautiously hopeful,” he said.

Thaw’s journey has elicited in him an interest in education, politics and how countries deal with one another: He is majoring in international relations.

Malaysia to continue taking Syrian refugees despite Paris attacks

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16, 2015

The Home Ministry will continue to take in Syrian refugees despite the horror that saw more than 100 lives lost following last weekend’s organised attack in Paris.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said although one of the perpetrators was said to be a Syrian refugee, there was no need to paint all other Syrian refugees in the same light.

“There is always danger when it comes to accepting refugees from the Middle East and that’s why we have been taking our time to basically filter out who we want to take and preferably those who have clear backgrounds.

“We assume they (Syrian refugees) are not terrorists but we have to filter their background to ensure they pose no threat to the country if we decide to take them in,” he told reporters when met at the Parliament lobby here, today.

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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had last month, told the United Nation general assembly that Malaysia would take in 3,000 Syrian refugees over the next three years.

According to Nur Jazlan, although the number of terrorists present has yet to be in the thousands, those such as the Islamic State group can create devastation at tremendous levels.

“Their attacks are huge but they only need a few people. So we monitor, even if its 20 people we will look at them, what more if there are thousands.

“But the most important thing now is to identify who has the potential of becoming a terrorist and we will take action on them before they initiate an attack.

He added that the country has dealt with terrorist elements since Al-Maunah and Al-Qaeda that have morphed into organisations such as IS that are only using Islam as a mask to hide anarchy.

When asked if he was personally shocked over the attack on Paris, Nur Jazlan replied back saying that following the Charlie Hebdo incident earlier this year, no one should really be surprised.

“That’s how difficult it is for authorities to monitor and to stop these new type of terrorism.

“They just operate in small groups, five, 10 people but they can create maximum havoc in city areas especially.”

Czech Republic Keen To Continue Humanitarian Aid To Malaysia

By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- The Czech Republic is interested to continue its humanitarian aid to Malaysia following years of successful cooperation with various non-governmental organisations (NGO) in the country.

Its Foreign Minister, Lubomir Zaoralek said he was satisfied with projects that were sponsored by the Czech Republic since 2006, including for the Rohingya refugees in Malaysia.

"I thank them for ensuring the money reached the needy ones. I'm glad to know that the money was used in the right way and I told these NGOs to help and cooperate with us so that we can (continue to) contribute," he told Bernama in an exclusive interview during his two-day visit to Malaysia here recently, .

During the visit, Zaoralek said he met with several NGOs where he expressed interest in continuing to cooperate with them in the fields of health and education.

Between 2013-2014, the Czech Republic contributed 3,000,000 CZK (about RM523,000) for Enhancing Access to Health Education, Health Care and Referral Services for Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Malaysia.

The project was carried out in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Meanwhile in 2010-2012, the republic, through Taiwan Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation Malaysia, was involved in providing basic healthcare for refugees and education projects for the Myanmar refugees in Malaysia.

The republic contributed 3,200,000 CZK (about RM558,000) for these two projects.

The Czech Republic pilot humanitarian project in Malaysia, Mobile Healthcare Clinic for Refugees, ran for three years until 2009, in which the country contributed 1,370,000 CZK (about RM238,500).

-- BERNAMA

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