When Kofi Annan first arrived with his newly-formed Advisory Commission on Rakhine State in the region's capital Sittwe in early September 2016, the former UN secretary-general appeared shocked by the vehemence of the large crowd who turned out to protest against him. Their banners denounced “foreigners’ biased intervention” in the region which has been blighted by sectarian violence.
One year on, as Mr Annan delivered the commission’s final recommendations on how to ease tensions and end the killing between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and the mainly-stateless Muslim minority, the Rohingya, the situation on the ground has deteriorated dramatically. The last five years of violence have claimed hundreds of lives and displaced around 200,000 people. Now there is increasingly bitter resentment at international involvement and observers are warning a lasting solution to Rakhine’s problems seems further away than ever.
In the past two weeks, a significant number of new troops have been sent to Muslim-majority northern Rakhine amid increasing concerning about the killings of civilians from both communities which the government says is the work of Muslim terrorists. The enlarged military presence has in turn sparked fresh concerns of renewed violence against the Rohingya population after last year’s brutal clampdown by security forces in the wake of deadly attacks by Muslim insurgents on border police posts in October.
But fears run high on both side. This week, there were reports that ethnic Rakhine villagers in a more diverse, and previously less volatile part of the state had barricaded hundreds of their Rohingya neighbours inside a village for three weeks and denied them access to food and water supplies.
Meanwhile international aid agencies, who have reported feeling increasingly threatened by local Rakhine hardliners, say that since a change in the travel authorization system last month they have been denied permission to deliver vital supplies into the restricted regions. It is against this background that the Annan-led commission’s report arrived on Thursday.
“The situation [on the ground] is worse than it was two months ago. Villagers are frightened,” said Chris Lewa director of the human rights organisation Arakan Project. “The government has said it will implement the commission’s findings, but how they will do so [is the concern]. They have to be extremely careful they don’t do harm.”
Surge in violence and building backlash against international criticism
When the commission began its work it was clear that some - particula among the Rakhine ethnic community - resented outside interference. But the months that followed brought saw previously unimagined challenges.
In October 2016 – just one month after the Annan commission was launched – the brutal murders of border police in attacks by a previously unknown Muslim insurgent group saw security forces respond with a level of violence that brought international condemnation. A recent UN report said as many as 87,000 Rohingya have fled into neighbouring Bangladesh since the “clearance operations” were launched.
Those in power denied all allegations that the military and police had perpetrated mass rape, large scale burning of properties, murders, torture and arbitrary detentions, against the Rohingya population in northern Rakhine.
Foreign media and rights organisations who reported on the claims were publically derided by government ministers and in the state media, while Aung San Suu Kyi’s official webpage for weeks ran a flashing banner headline declaring “fake rape”, accusing Rohingya women of lying and foreign media of bias and deliberately stirring up tensions.
When an initial UN investigation in February concluded that what had occurred “very likely” amounted to crimes against humanity and possibly ethnic cleansing, the government strongly rejected their findings. Aung San Suu Kyi said the resulting UN resolution to send an official fact finding mission “would have created greater hostility between the different communities” and the government said it would not issue visas to members of the mission.
Instead the government launched its own fact finding team which has faced criticism for its research methods and military links. Earlier this month it announced that while some small-scale abuses may have occurred, there was no evidence that Myanmar security forces carried out a systematic campaign of rape, murder or arson.
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For more:
[ Ramadan in Myanmar leaves Muslims out in the cold ]
[ As hope for a bright future dims, what are the prospects for Myanmar? ]
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When the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar Yang Hee Lee published her end of mission report last month, she expressed concern that the current administration was using “tactics applied by the previous government” and said the humanitarian situation in some of the parts of the country had worsened since the NLD came to power. Parliament responded with a unanimous condemnation of her report.
The government’s accusations of bias appear to have further stoked mistrust of international bodies among the public.
When a government website recently published photos of the site of an alleged Muslim “terrorist camp” they included images of food parcels from an international aid organization. Social media was soon aflame with allegations that NGOs were “feeding terrorists”.
Earlier this week a report by the International Republican Institute (IRI) following a poll of 3,000 people found 55 percent of people believed terrorism to be a “very serious” problem for the country while 25 per cent said they thought it was a somewhat serious problem.
What is the government likely to do next?
It is against this volatile and hostile environment that the commission’s final recommendations arrived. As the Kofi Annan led commission’s mandate comes to an end there is no official internationally-linked body that has government backing to investigate the situation in Rakhine.
Mr Annan has said it will now be up to the government what to do next.
While the government was yet to give an official response to the report at the time of going to press it is expected to give the recommendations a broad welcome, but observers express concern that there will be little enthusiasm for implementing many of the reports suggestions.
According to long-term Myanmar observer and analyst Richard Horsey: "There is an ever-stronger consensus across the political spectrum in Myanmar against making the kind of changes, such as granting citizenship and freedom of movement the Rohingya, that could address the root causes of the crisis. In this environment, it seems unlikely that the government will make significant progress on the issue."
The UN yesterday welcomed the report, and commended the government for establishing the commission.
A media representative of the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Myanmar, said: “The UN stands ready to support the Government’s implementation of the recommendations for the betterment of all communities in Rakhine State.”
But with relations between the government and the UN as strained as they currently are, it is far from certain ministers will be keen to take them up on that offer.
For now the fate of the Rohingya and everyone else in Rakhine who has suffered during the recent conflicts lies firmly in the hands of the Myanmar civilian government and their military counterparts.
That is a thought unlikely to be of much comfort to the more than 1 million Rohingya who have so far little reason to believe the government will improve their situation without further international pressure.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm from 2,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.9L/100km
Price: Dh749,800
On sale: now
THE POPE'S ITINERARY
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Company profile
Company name: Xare
Started: January 18, 2021
Founders: Padmini Gupta, Milind Singh, Mandeep Singh
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Funds Raised: $10 million
Current number of staff: 28
Investment stage: undisclosed
Investors: MS&AD Ventures, Middle East Venture Partners, Astra Amco, the Dubai International Financial Centre, Fintech Fund, 500 Startups, Khwarizmi Ventures, and Phoenician Funds
The specs
Engine: 1.8-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 190hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm from 1,800-5,000rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 6.7L/100km
Price: From Dh111,195
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports
Recycle Reuse Repurpose
New central waste facility on site at expo Dubai South area to handle estimated 173 tonne of waste generated daily by millions of visitors
Recyclables such as plastic, paper, glass will be collected from bins on the expo site and taken to the new expo Central Waste Facility on site
Organic waste will be processed at the new onsite Central Waste Facility, treated and converted into compost to be re-used to green the expo area
Of 173 tonnes of waste daily, an estimated 39 per cent will be recyclables, 48 per cent organic waste and 13 per cent general waste.
About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor
Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:
Plastic items to be converted to plastic bags and recycled
Paper pulp moulded products such as cup carriers, egg trays, seed pots, and food packaging trays
Glass waste into bowls, lights, candle holders, serving trays and coasters
Aim is for 85 per cent of waste from the site to be diverted from landfill
Results
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Aatebat Al Khalediah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Avenue, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: My Catch, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 1
Alonso (62')
Huddersfield Town 1
Depoitre (50')
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
Dubai World Cup Carnival Card:
6.30pm: Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
7.40pm: Zabeel Turf Listed $175,000 (T) 2,000m
8.15pm: Cape Verdi Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,600m
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Almouneer
Started: 2017
Founders: Dr Noha Khater and Rania Kadry
Based: Egypt
Number of staff: 120
Investment: Bootstrapped, with support from Insead and Egyptian government, seed round of
$3.6 million led by Global Ventures
THE SPECS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic
Power: 595bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh999,563
SPECS
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 750hp at 7,500rpm
Torque: 800Nm at 5,500rpm
Transmission: 7 Speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 332kph
Fuel consumption: 12.2L/100km
On sale: Year end
Price: From Dh1,430,000 (coupe); From Dh1,566,000 (Spider)
Kill
Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
Starring: Lakshya, Tanya Maniktala, Ashish Vidyarthi, Harsh Chhaya, Raghav Juyal
Rating: 4.5/5
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
European arms
Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons. Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
Confirmed bouts (more to be added)
Cory Sandhagen v Umar Nurmagomedov
Nick Diaz v Vicente Luque
Michael Chiesa v Tony Ferguson
Deiveson Figueiredo v Marlon Vera
Mackenzie Dern v Loopy Godinez
Tickets for the August 3 Fight Night, held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, went on sale earlier this month, through www.etihadarena.ae and www.ticketmaster.ae.
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight Championship AJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v tba
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now