ARAKAN INDOBHASA Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from September, 2015

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS - Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI)

Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) You Can Be A Leader. Join YSEALI! https://youngsoutheastasianleaders.state.gov/ In 2013, President Obama launched the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) to enhance the United States’ relations with future leaders of Southeast Asia and foster an ASEAN community. YSEALI offers educational exchanges to the United States, professional development workshops in the region, online networking, and project seed money. YSEALI activities focus on four themes: economic development, environmental protection, education and civic engagement. Members must: Be between 18 – 35 years of age Be a citizen and resident of an ASEAN country Be interested in working on one of the themes of economic development, environmental protection, education, and civic engagement. Sign up to be a YSEALI Member today. It’s FREE!  https://youngsoutheastasianleaders.state.gov/ Follow YSEALI on: Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/youngsout

Burmese Army Troops Fired Artillery From Monastery Compound in Mansi

Photo: Burmese Army Soldiers on the frontline In a provocative attack, Burmese Army troops reportedly fired several artillery rounds on KIA positions from a monastery compound in Mansi, southern Kachin State, on Sunday. A local source said Burmese Army troops stationed at Man Hpa and Kadaw Kawng also fired several artillery rounds on KIA positions in support of their combat ground troops currently fighting with KIA’s 1st Battalion troops. Local residents said they are worried as Burmese Army troops brought more artilleries in residential area. One Mansi resident said 5 artillery guns have been brought inside Government’s administrative compound and positioned to fire from there. Public schools in Mansi and Ywa Thit Kone were closed because of fierce fighting in the area, said the resident. KIA frontline sources said Burmese Army troops attacked KIA 1st Battalion’s Lungja Post on Sept 26 at 9 am and Ning Tawn Kawng Post on Sept 27 at 5 pm. The two sides have engaged in a series of bat

Rakhine Students' Education Fund

An Appeal to Rakhines Once a prosperous Rakhine community in Bangladesh is now struggling for survival. Poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, broken-economic-backbone etc. are the main impediments to the progress and prosperity of Rakhine society. Of these, illiteracy plays a crucial role in drowning in our community. Rakhines in Bangladesh are scattered in three districts viz. Cox’s Bazar, Patuakhali and Barguna, out of 64 districts in Bangladesh. Rakhines in three districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts identify themselves as Marma. Rakhine population in Bangladesh is estimated around one hundred thousand. Of them, about 10 percent are literates and more than 80 percent are living from hand to mouth. Our people are living in rural and off-shore villages. They engage insmall businesses with limited income. Those living along riverside are involved in fishing for livelihood and are affected by natural calamities every year, which sometimes snatched away their lives and belongings. To come o

Bangladesh, Islamic State militants claim murder of Italian volunteer

by Sumon Corraya   Caesar Tavella was a veterinarian. He was in the Asian country to work with a Dutch NGO that deals with poverty and hunger in the world. Attacked by three men leaving work. Dynamics of murder unclear. Police suspect other culprits. The country is not safe for Christians. Dhaka (AsiaNews) - Islamic State (IS) militants have claimed responsibility for last night's murder of Caesar Tavella, a 50 year-old Italian volunteer working in Bangladesh with a Dutch NGO. The man was killed by three armed men after work, while jogging in Gulshan, the diplomatic area of ​​the capital, near the Egyptian embassy. The assailants fired three shots, one of which wounded him in the hand and the other two to the abdomen. Although IS extremists have claimed the crime because the man was a "crusader", the police suspect that the responsibility could be attributed to other groups. The website Site Intelligence Group , which monitors the online activities of

Mark Zuckerberg calls for universal internet access to combat poverty

Facebook founder launches connectivity campaign to bring the internet to the some 4 billion people who now do not have access Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, talks with Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, right, during a gathering of CEOs and other executives at Microsoft's main campus in Redmond, Washington   Photo: AP/Ted S. Warren, Pool   Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and a host of celebrities kicked off a campaign on Saturday to make internet access universal, saying this was critical to fulfilling the United Nations' newly adopted agenda to combat global ills. Calling for efforts to ensure internet access for everyone globally by 2020, Mr Zuckerberg said internet connections are a dynamic tool for sharing knowledge, creating opportunities, lifting communities out of poverty and promoting peace. "A 'like' or a post won't stop a tank or a

US-trained Division 30 rebels 'betray US and hand weapons over to al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria'

Pentagon-trained rebels are reported to have betrayed US and handed weapons over to Jabhat al-Nusra immediately after entering Syria  Jabhat al-Nusra, affiliated to al-Qaeda, took the technicals, guns and ammunition from the US-trained Division 30 in northern Aleppo   Photo: Reuters   By Nabih Bulos , Amman 5:22PM BST 22 Sep 2015 Pentagon-trained rebels in Syria are reported to have betrayed their American backers and handed their weapons over to al-Qaeda in Syria immediately after re-entering the country. Fighters with Division 30, the “moderate” rebel division favoured by the United States, surrendered to the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra, a raft of sources claimed on Monday night. Division 30 was the first faction whose fighters graduated from a US-led training programme in Turkey which aims to forge a force on the ground in Sy

Almost 10,000 Syrians have registered to live in a country that might not exist

  (Laris Karklis / The Washington Post) Depending on whom you ask, the Republic of Liberland either exists or it doesn't. Czech politician Vit Jedlicka declared it a sovereign state on April 13, claiming approximately three square miles of land along the Danube River. The land, sandwiched between Croatia and Serbia, has been disputed for years. No member of the United Nations recognizes Liberland as a sovereign state. After initial bemusement, Croatian authorities have blocked access to the land and detained Jedlicka on multiple occasions. Despite the country's ambiguous status, Jedlicka says that around 378,000 people have registered to show their interest in citizenship of Liberland so far. And while the reality of Liberland may be still just a dream, for people in desperate situations it appears to be an appealing dream -- 9,647 people from war-torn Syria have registered so far, Jedlicka tells WorldViews. That's higher than the number of registrations from comfortable

Reader's Digest International - October 2015

Reader's Digest International - October 2015 PDF-4.6MB P-129   Reader's Digest is a monthly general-interest family magazine discovering the greatest writers from around the world with insightful journalism, investigations to open your eyes, inspirational real-life stories and adventures to thrill you, advice to live by, health news to depend on, people to inspire you and humour to make you laugh out loud! Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine.   Download Link 1  Download Link 2  

Australia, US warn of potential terror threat in Kuala Lumpur

KUALA LUMPUR: The Australian government has issued an advisory to its citizens to avoid popular hawker street Jalan Alor due to "a possible terrorism threat" there. "Due to a possible terrorism threat, Australians are advised to avoid Kuala Lumpur's Jalan Alor (Alor Street) and the immediate surrounding areas on Thursday 24 September. This is based on a US Government threat warning issued on 24 September," the Australian government said on its Smart Traveller website. Police sources have told Channel NewsAsia they are investigating the matter and have increased patrols in Jalan Alor and surrounding areas. The United States had on Thursday issued a security message to avoid the area, prompting Australia to do likewise. The US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur said: "Based on credible threat information regarding a potential terrorist act, the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur advises US citizens to avoid Kuala Lumpur’s Jalan Alor (Alor Street) and the immediate surrounding

Russian Army starts destroying Islamic State in Syria

The army of Bashar al-Assad has reportedly started crushing Islamic State militants that had previously seized the cities of Palmyra and Homs. Western experts and journalists believe that the Syrian troops receive substantial military assistance from Russian military men at the base in Latakia. In addition, Russia has deployed modern weapons, including air defense, missile systems and aviation, having turned the area of ​​the Russian base into a strong fortress. To crown it all, Russia still ships weapons to the government of Bashar Assad under previously concluded contracts. Russia's TV channel "Zvezda" ("Star") reports that the Syrian army forced ISIS militants to retreat from Palmyra, although they hide in residential areas and use ancient monuments as a cover. "The militants, who had been keeping the city under control and destroying priceless ancient monuments for months, are being killed in the air raids of the Syrian Air Force. During the most r

Ancient inscription found in Kyauk Taw

Kaung Mrat Naing (Maungdaw) Yangon, 20 September: Recently found some objects with ancient inscription while digging a jetty at Kyauk Taw town of Rakhine should be useful in carrying out further studies of Arakanese literature & culture, said Thu Mrat (Maha Aung Myae), an Arakanese  history researcher. The inscription, found on 13 August 2015, is in the square shape. The height of those items is four feet, where only one side of those inscriptions is seen inscribed. Some faces of those items also got damaged and become invisible. According to Maha Aung Myae the inscription should be belonged to Mrauk Oo age. The contents of the inscription include Buddha images, slaves, buffaloes and other animals. Such ancient inscriptions are often found in different parts of Arakan. Maha Aung Myae believes that these items would be helpful in propagating the Arakanese literature and culture. He of course expressed displeasure that some of those items had been traded in black market as there is n

Defense Points to Flaws in Probe of Koh Tao Murders

Police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang, at left, on Koh Tao on 3 Oct., 2014, along with the two men, seated at right, accused of murdering two British travelers.   KOH SAMUI — Lawyers defending two Myanmar migrant workers on trial for the Koh Tao murders of two British backpackers sought on Wednesday to expose holes in a police investigation they maintain was botched and intended to frame the suspects.   The conduct of Thailand's police and treatment of its huge Myanmar labor force has been central to the trial of the young men accused of killing Hannah Witheridge and David Miller a year ago on the southern island. Post-mortem examinations showed the victims suffered severe head wounds and Witheridge was raped, but lawyers and activists said the two Myanmar accused, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, have been made scapegoats for the killings. The case has attracted extensive media attention in Britain and raised questions about Thailand's ability to protect its tourists. Th

Maungdaw- Buthidaung road in deplorable condition

Yangon, 22 September: The prime road of Arakan connecting Maungdaw with Buthidaung is in a deplorable condition ever since the road in western border area faced the Koman storm and catastrophic flood. According to the locals, the damage caused between seven mile and eight mile for over 1500 feet is most visible. “Heavy vehicles like big trucks cannot move over the road now. The small cars have to run slowly and in many places the passengers have to get down from their vehicles and walk,” said a local. The 16-mile Maungdaw to Buthidaung road is also important for communicating Bangladesh. A railway line was also built by the British during the colonial rule, but it has not been used since Myanmar’s independence. The road is occasionally repaired by the government agencies, but they claim that due to shortfall of budgets the works are half-done always. Many officers allege that they have to spend money from their pockets for the repairmen and then they to get it reimburs

The FBI has recovered deleted private emails from Hillary Clinton's server

WASHINGTON — The FBI has recovered emails from a private server used by Hillary Clinton while secretary of state that she said were deleted because they involved personal matters, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing a source familiar with the investigation. The FBI is examining the server to see whether any information, including classified data, was mishandled. Bloomberg quoted its source as saying the investigation would take at least several more months. It was not clear how many of the personal emails had been recovered, the news agency said. Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill, asked about the report, said, "We've cooperated to date and will continue to do so, including answering any questions about this that anyone including the public may have." The FBI did not immediately respond to the report. Clinton's use of her private email for her work as America's top diplomat came to light in March and drew fire from political opponents who accused the Democratic pr

Thailand confirms new 6-month visas for tourists

Thailand's Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) has confirmed that it will be launching a new six-month multiple-entry tourist visa (METV) in November. In a notice posted to the Thai MFA's Facebook page Monday, it said: 'Thailand will soon grant multiple-entry visas to visitors to facilitate the forthcoming ASEAN Community and to boost Thailand's tourism industry.' The introduction of the new visa represents something of a U-turn by Thailand's military government, which tightened visa rules across the board following the May 2014 coup. The visa, costing 5,000 baht (US$139), will be available from November 13 this year. 'It will grant travelers multiple entries during a 6-month period, for up to 60 days per entry. All foreign nationals are eligible to apply for METV,' the statement said. SEE ALSO: China and Thailand to be connected by new 840km railway The METV was announced in August, and was officially confirmed this week following its publication in the

Why are some groups excluded from Burma’s “inclusive” nationwide ceasefire?

Fifteen ethnic armed groups are expected to be invited to sign Burma’s Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in the first week of October. But the other five groups who comprise the membership of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), founded in 2013 to negotiate an end to longterm active conflict with government forces, will be left out of the ceasefire agreement. Hesitation regarding the signing of the NCA largely stems from an ethnic demand that all ethnic armed forces be allowed to join the ceasefire for it to be truly “nationwide” and “inclusive,” as the agreement has been widely described. However, the Burma government will only allow groups that have already signed bilateral ceasefires to sign the NCA. The six organizations excluded from the signing are the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Arakan Army (AA), Lahu Democratic Union (LDU), Arakan National Congress (ANC), Wa National Organization (WNO). The Burm

In Israel and Elsewhere, Burma Army Sees Fruits of Reform

Talk of bringing an end to decades of internal conflict does not seem to have deterred Burma’s army chief, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, from continuing to seek weapons and military hardware from allies near and far, with the commander-in-chief most recently undertaking a goodwill visit to Israel with just such intentions. Following similar trips to Pakistan, India, Belarus and Ukraine in recent years, the Israel visit earlier this month was the first by a Burmese military leader since the late Gen. Ne Win made the journey in 1959. Observers say the army chief’s jet-setting in recent years is clear indication of the reputational boost that the Burma Armed Forces have enjoyed since the semi-civilian government of President Thein Sein began initiating political and economic reforms in 2011. In its push to modernize its military arsenal, the Burma Army has arguably been one of the biggest beneficiaries of a reform program that has included greater media freedom and the rele

Foreign investments seek quick rewards

Myanmar receives a massive inflow of foreign investments into sectors that produce short-term benefits, despite efforts to boost investment in agriculture and infrastructure sectors, said Aung Naing Oo, the director-general of the Directorate of Investments and Companies Administration. Aung Naing Oo said: “Most investments are flowing into the manufacturing sector because factories can be set up easily. Entrepreneurs can get the benefits from the distribution of products to local and foreign markets in a short period of time.” Myanmar has granted permits for foreign investments in the farming, livestock, fishery, production, energy, oil and gas, construction, transportation, telecommunication, hotels and tourism, real estate, industrial estate and services sectors. During the first five-month period of this fiscal year, the government gave the green-light to investments in the manufacturing, oil and gas, hotels and tourism, transportation, telecom, real estate and se