February 20 - 26, 2012

myanmartimes
Myanmars first international weekly Volume 31, No. 615 1200 Kyats

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How much should a SIM card cost?

Two pricing models are being discussed: K5000 and K300,000. But which is the best option for Myanmar? Or is there a third option? We take an in-depth look at the arguments on SIM card pricing on page 18

Pic: Yadanar

More warnings over land bills

Experts say two pieces of draft legislation have 'major gaps' that could be exploited for land grabs
HARVARD academics, farmers, activists, politicians, United Nations agencies and a Nobel Prize-winning economist have joined the debate on land rights reform, warning that two proposed land laws could lead to increased poverty and inequality if approved in their current form. The Farmland Bill and Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Land Management Bill were submitted to parliament during the second session but had not been passed when the session ended in late November. Activists and land rights experts say the bills are inadequate and require further consultation, and in late 2011 quietly began campaigning to have both of the draft laws amended. With as much as twoversion of the Farmland Bill could also be submitted to parliament as soon as this week, with changes that address some of the concerns raised by land experts in late 2011. The revised Farmland Bill now includes shifting or rotational cultivation, known as taungya, in its definition of farmland, while the responsibility for forming Land Management Committees has been shifted from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Cabinet. The current revised version is clearer than the previous version and we can see some of the key changes that benefit farmers. I think this is the result of consultation. If you consult repeatedly, you will get the most appropriate farm law that benefits two-thirds of the population that earn a living from agriculture, one source said. However, there are still major gaps in both pieces of draft legislation that could have serious negative impacts on farmers, sources familiar with the bills say. The Farmland Bill, for example, does still not guarantee freedom of crop choice, while the issue of customary law is not addressed. There is also a lack of clarity on some definitions, including what is considered taungya and in what circumstances land can be compulsorily acquired. A spokesperson for the Food Security Working Group agreed that more consultation was needed before lawmakers pass the bill. We are advocating not to approve the bill now, to slow down, to really go through [a] consultation process, the spokesperson told The Myanmar Times last week. If we care enough for our people in Myanmar, especially the twothirds of the population who are subsistence farmers, this land law should not be approved and another consultation process should be used. This is the very important message that we want to give to the parliament members. The spokesperson said the group was very concerned that a poorly formulated law could facilitate systemic corruption. More page 4 thirds of the population relying on agriculture for their livelihoods, the issue is considered critical to efforts to alleviate poverty and promote inclusive and sustainable development. The Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Land Management Bill returned to the Amyotha Hluttaw on February 15, with lawmakers likely to discuss changes made by the Pyithu Hluttaw to an earlier approved version this week. Well-places sources have told The Myanmar Times that a revised

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Opinion

Time to lift veil of secrecy in parliament

By Thomas Kean A BASIC tenet of good governance is transparency, and for many years this has been sorely lacking in Myanmar. However, since President U Thein Seins government took office last year, Myanmar has seen some incremental improvements in this regard. Positive developments include more frequent press conferences and briefings by ministers and other government officials; the debate over the budget and public disclosure of budget figures; and the decision to allow journalists into the parliament. Reduced censorship has led to greater scrutiny of both the public and private sectors, which can only benefit the country in the long-term. But while journalists have been allowed into the hluttaws, and their reporting from Nay Pyi Taw has gone largely uncensored, more needs to be done to improve transparency in this important public institution. Many crucial laws laws that have the potential to define the countrys political and economic future are being drafted and debated. Unfortunately, however, this debate is being confined to the chambers of the national legislatures because drafts are not being released to the public in a coordinated and transparent manner. Some drafts are widely circulated by representatives and parliamentary committees, and there are many cases where laws have been drafted in consultation with stakeholders, such as the publishing law and labour law. However, this process is haphazard and unpredictable: just as many bills are not distributed before promulgation, with the public largely in the dark about their contents. The many different and in some cases wildly divergent figures being published in regards to the 2012-13 national budget are but one example of the problems that arise when there are no definitive sources on which to rely. All eligible citizens are able to elect parliamentarians to represent them in parliament. But it is important that everyone is also given the chance to directly contribute to the law-making process. More opportunities for Myanmar and international experts to provide valuable input will result in better laws, improve trust in the lawmaking process, and ensure new legislation meets the needs of the people, not the vested interests of a particular group. On International Democracy Day last year, Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker U Khin Aung Myint pledged that the hluttaw will take into consideration all voices of the entire people who are not in the hluttaw to the most possible degree. Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann has also regularly said that the decisions of the hluttaw must reflect the will of the people. However, without a transparent process that enables all Myanmar citizens to access drafts of legislation and then make a submission on how they believe the draft should be amended, it cannot be said with certainty that the hluttaws really are considering the voices of all people. This process is standard practice in many countries around the world and is not only essential for achieving good governance but is also considered an important aspect of democracy. It should also not be confined to legislation. The transcripts of parliamentary proceedings, and possibly even parliamentary committee meetings, should be published and made widely available through all forms of media print, broadcast and online in a variety of languages. While state television has aired parliamentary discussions at length, these are edited rather than broadcast live. Myanmars democracy is new and a few teething problems are to be expected. However, it is important to not be complacent. There is no finish line for democracy; it requires constant fine-tuning and can also deteriorate if not given the attention it deserves. Improving transparency and inclusiveness in the legislative process would not cost a great deal of money but would be a significant step forward for the democratisation process. (Thomas Kean is editor of the Englishlanguage edition of The Myanmar Times. He can be contacted on [email protected].)

Managing urbanisation key development challenge: UN

By Ben White WITH a renewed focus on economic development and job creation, managing urban growth poses a major development challenge, as well as opportunity for the government, a United Nations official says. Given the countrys abundant natural and human resources, liberalisation of the economy will have immediate implications for urbanisation, said Mr Srinivasa Popuri, the country manager of UN-HABITAT. The negative aspects of urbanisation like environmental pollution, urban poverty, congestion and increased vulnerability to disasters are more or less well-recognised. It is the positive aspects of urbanisation like its job creating potential and the role it plays in integrating rural economies with the national economy that need fuller recognition in the development of policy and programs, said Mr Popuri. Although their capacity is currently low, he felt that the government was aware of the challenges and what needs to be done, but external support for urban issues is very limited so far. We are expecting a huge boom in the construction sector. The government will need to ensure that all constructions meet safety standards for which, among other things, construction workers will have to be given appropriate training. He said that cities in developing countries are growing rapidly without the corresponding expansion of infrastructure and services, partly because there is no viable system of financing urban expansion in place. And the consequences of this can be seen close to home, in the form of floods that devastated Bangkok late last year. When you build on flood plains, where does the water go? This shows the need to guide private investments with a longer

Yangon residents aboard the circle line train in South Okkalapa township. Managing growth in the city is a key development challenge, the UN says. Pic: Christopher Davy term and wider perspective in mind, said Mr Popuri. In downtown Yangon, water often reaches knee height during rainy season, affecting businesses and residents. Without adequate intervention, these and other planning problems are likely to grow as the city expands. Yangon is already spreading quickly outwards, with growing numbers of urban poor living in areas lacking sufficient infrastructure and services. To address such issues, the Department of Human Settlement and Housing Development under the Ministry of Construction has established an Urban Research and Development Institute (URDI) with the support of UNHABITAT that signalled closer cooperation. At the opening of the institute, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr Ashok Nigam, welcomed the fact that the Ministry of Construction and UN-HABITAT signed a memorandum of understanding only in September 2011 and yet, in a short period of time the new and unique partnership has been able to commence implementation of all four components of the agreed program for safer settlements and urban research. There now exists a clear window of opportunity to promote and strengthen collaboration between the UN, the government and relevant partners fro the socio-economic progress of Myanmar, he said. Mr Popuri also said the civilian government has been better at coordinating policies than its predecessor and was also more willing to discuss previously off-limits topics, such as poverty. The establishment of the institute marks a change in course for UN-HABITAT. While the agency was involved in the response to Cyclone Nargis, more recently it has focused on technical assistance and capacity building, for example by assisting the government to work on a set of National Building Codes and subsequent formulation of a legal framework to ensure safe design and construction of buildings and safer settlements. We soon realised that this was not enough; there is a need for training, research, capacity building to deal with the many aspects of urbanisation. You need a holistic approach. This is what we are doing with the institute, preparing the government to avert an urban crisis, Mr Popuri said, adding that capacity remains a vital issue. In Myanmar there are many trained engineers and technicians, but planners are missing. However, it is easier to make a planner out of an engineer, so there is potential. The institute also provides the government with the means to secure greater international support and funding in addressing its development challenges, with much of the financial support for the institute so far provided by Norway. With the establishment of URDI, the Ministry of Construction is in a better position to introduce a more inclusive and coordinated approach to urban planning, Mr Popuri said, This long term interest is to provide Myanmar with the tools to cooperate with international funding organisations, WB, ADB, IMF etc. Because if your data is not in order, it makes it harder to negotiate loans without their interference. Donors dont listen to advocacy, you need to prove it with research and evidence based data.

The Mail Box

Dear Editor, I agree with U Zaw Zaw, president of the Myanmar Football Federation (MFF), for not allowing Ba Htoo Stadium to be used as a venue for Daw Aung San Suu Kyis political campaign in Mandalay. But I would like to point out one thing: Everyone is equal before the law and no one is above the law, right? Therefore, the MFF and chief ministers of all 14 states and regions should issue a notification that all football stadiums in Myanmar will not be used for large public gatherings, not only political campaigns. Yes we can will only come true when we all have equal opportunities. Nyunt Aung Dear Editor, I read with interest your article in the sports section of the January 30-February 5 edition of The Myanmar Times, Fans ask for more from MRTV-4. While broadcasters should be encouraged to continually improve the quality of their coverage, comparing broadcasts of the Myanmar National League with those of the English Premier League or La Liga in Spain is a bit unfair to say the least. This is clear when you compare the amount MRTV-4 paid for the broadcast rights K500 million, or about US625,000 in 2012 with those leagues the English Premier League earns billions of dollars selling its broadcast rights. Perhaps a better comparison would be with the previous MNL broadcaster, MRTV, and frankly MRTV-4 blows the state-run channel out of the water. Its got more than one camera at the ground, it has slick graphics, its shots are usually in focus and it even shows replays of key moments in the match. Frankly, I dont know how MRTV-4 will be able to recoup the money theyve invested in buying these rights and they should be applauded for supporting Myanmars first professional football league. Kyaw, Bahan

Got something to say? We want to hear from you. Address all correspondence to the Editor, The Myanmar Times (English). We endeavour to respond to all correspondencei n a timely manner. Address: 379-383, Bo Aung Kyaw Street, Kyauktada township, Yangon. Telephone: (+951) 392-928, 253-642. Fax: (+951) 392-706 Email: [email protected]

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UEC chief tells parties to report election violations

By Soe Than Lynn UNION Election Commission chief U Tin Aye has told representatives of parties contesting the April 1 by-elections that they should act as a check and balance on each other to ensure that voting is fair. He also reaffirmed the commissions independence from all of the parties contesting the by-elections. They explained the duties of the election commission at the meeting and seriously listened to advice from party representatives, said New National Democracy Party chairman and Pyithu Hluttaw representative U Thein Nyunt. Commission chairman U Tin Aye told us that parties should act as a check and balance against each other to make sure the by-elections are free and fair. He also said that the commission will not favour any party and will be in conformity with the rules. The chairs and secretaries of 17 parties that have registered candidates for the by-elections were invited to Nay Pyi Taw for the February 14 meeting, which came after repeated vows from Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann that the by-elections would be free, fair and credible. U Thein Nyunt said the commission had outlined a three-step plan to ensure the by-elections met these criteria. As a first step, they met with region and state election commissions. Meeting political parties is the second step. Next they will meet with personnel from departments who will participate in holding the by-elections, including Ministry of Home Affairs, he said. U Tin Aye also told political parties that if illegal and wrongful acts occurred they should be reported to the commission, which would then take legal action. Regarding the commission chairmans guidance, I believe that if the parties and people cooperate there is sure to be a free and fair election. U Sai Hsaung Hsi, vice chairman of the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, said he expected the by-elections would be much fairer than the November 2010 general election. Commission chairman U Tin Aye himself promised that the forthcoming byelections would be free and fair, [improving] on the weaknesses of the 2010 election, he said. NLD chairwoman Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was unable to attend but secretaries travelled to Nay Pyi Taw in her place. Translated by Thit lwin

Yangon Hluttaw session begins

THE third session of the Yangon Region Hluttaw began last week, with opposition representatives again calling for Yangon City Development Committee to improve services. U Kyaw, the representative for Thingangyun 1, said speaker U Sein Tin Win had told parliamentarians the session would run until February 21, longer than the second session in November, which lasted just four days. There are more bills from representatives than the previous session so the number of sitting days is higher. But the speaker also said that they will not have time to hear all the bills that have been proposed, said U Kyaw, of the New National Democracy Party. He said the main issue for discussion would be the Yangon Region budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year, which is expected to feature a large deficit. The budget issue is important but we dont yet have detailed figures so Daw Khin San Myint [also from the New National Democracy Party] and I dont plan to discuss the budget during this session, U Kyaw said. Most of the bills heard related to YCDC, with U Kyaw and Daw San San Myint, the representative for Thingangyun 2, submitting a bill calling for the committee to renovate the retaining walls of Ngamoeyeik Creek to prevent flooding. In his reply, the Yangon Mayor just talked generally about what the committee was doing about drainage in Yangon, he didnt give any promise about [the retaining wall]. But the speaker, U Sein Tin Win, said it should be done and put it on record, U Kyaw said. He said that in August areas of Thingangyun and North Okkalapa townships had suffered flooding because of the lack of a retaining wall beside the creek. In November, U Kyaw submitted a bill that would have required YCDC to provide an adequate supply of clean water to all homes in the municipal area. The bill was voted down 98 to 122 but the speaker said provision of water should be a priority for the committee. Some laws were also amended last week to increase fines for breaches of municipal laws. I asked the Yangon Mayor that if the committee is going to raise fines to punish those that break YCDC laws, what will it do to punish YCDC officers that commit corrupt acts, U Kyaw said. Yangon Mayor U Hla Myint replied that the committee would ensure that its offices do not commit serious breaches of the law. Kyaw Hsu Mon

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi campaigns in Yangon Regions Kawhmu township on February 11. Pic: Kaung Htet

EC throws out objection filed against NLD leader

Philip Robertson had secretly sent US$80,000 more than a decade ago. Under section 10(h) of the Pyithu Hluttaw Election Law, anybody who obtains and utilises directly or indirectly the support of money, land, housing, building, vehicle, property from any individual of a foreign country is barred from running as a candidate. U Tin Yi also questioned whether Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was a Myanmar citizen. U Myat Soe said U Tin Yi had It is obvious that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is a citizen. She has lived in Myanmar for more than 20 years. She lives in her own house. She possesses a [national] registration card. There is nothing suspicious. We are also not aware of whether she is entitled to perks of a foreign government or [received funds from a] foreigner. When we asked her about it, she said no. We took her statement as a reference. We dont have any idea whether there is any information on this made public by government departments. We have just considered [the objection] based on her statement, he said. However, the section of the Pyithu Hluttaw Election Law regarding those ineligible to stand for election does not grant exemption for activities or events that occurred before the constitution was adopted. Before the 2010 election, some candidates were declared ineligible under section 10 because at least one of their parents was not a Myanmar citizen. Had the commission upheld the objection, it would have created a significant headache for President U Thein Seins government, which has worked hard to bring Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy into the electoral process. But U Myat Soe said no pressure had been exerted on the commission to reject U Tin Yis objection. There is nothing to prove but the descriptions in the articles, so we rejected it, he said. We didnt need to get verification from the upper levels concerning this case. Nobody exerts influence on us. Regarding the objection, NLD spokesperson U Nyan Win said it came as a surprise. U Tin Yis accusations do not conform with the law and are false, he said. Translated by Thit Lwin

By Maung Thway Thit ONE of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis opponents in the seat of Kawhmu has vowed to appeal against the election commissions decision to throw out his objection to her candidacy. Yangon Region Southern District Election Sub-commission chairman U Myat Soe confirmed on February 15 the commission had rejected an objection from U Tin Yi of the Unity and Peace Party. We have already informed U Tin Yi. He said he would file an appeal. So we have given him the order and he will proceed, U Myat Soe said. [On February 14] the list of candidates was announced but Kawmhu is pending because we are waiting for him to file the appeal. We will announce [the candidate list] after the outcome is known, he said, adding that an appeal would have to be filed within seven days. U Myat Soe said the Yangon Region Sub-commission would judge the appeal and its decision would be final, with no further opportunities to appeal. U Tin Yi submitted the objection on February 6, arguing that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was not eligible to stand as a candidate because she contravened section 10(g) of the Pyithu Hluttaw Election Law, which bars anybody entitled to enjoy the rights and privileges of a subject of a foreign government or a citizen of a foreign country. In his letter of complaint, U Tin Yi also said she had received cash prizes from more than 100 international awards and these had not yet been transferred to a bank in Myanmar. He alleged that she accepted grant money from overseas organisations and that a person from the United States named

The commission checked all of these

accusations and then concluded that they are not in agreeance with the current situation.

submitted articles published in 1999 and 2000 and transcripts of press conferences as evidence to back up his claim. But the commission decided there were no grounds for barring Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from running for parliament. [U Tin Yi] raised his objection based on receiving perks from a foreign government and doubts about her citizenship, citing articles from about 2000 as evidence. The commission checked all of these and then concluded that they are not in agreeance with the current situation, he said, without elaborating. Myanmar was in a new era and U Tin Yis accusations are related to the period before the constitution was introduced.

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MYANMAR CONSOLIDATED MEDIA Ltd. Chief Executive Officer & Editor-in-Chief (MTM) Dr. Tin Tun Oo [email protected] [email protected] Editor-in-Chief (MTE) Ross Dunkley [email protected] Chief Operating Officer U Wai Linn [email protected] Strategic Management Committee Dr. Tin Tun Oo (Chairman) Committee members Dr. Khin Moe Moe, Ross Dunkley, Bill Clough, U Min Sein, U Myint Maung, U Wai Linn, Thomas Kean (Editor-MTE) and U Zaw Myint (Editor-MTM) Senior Management Consultant U Myint Maung [email protected] [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor MTE Thomas Kean [email protected] Editor MTM U Zaw Myint [email protected] Editor Special Publications U Myo Lwin [email protected] Business Editor MTE Stuart Deed [email protected] World Editor MTE Geoffrey Goddard [email protected] Timeout Editor MTE Douglas Long [email protected] Deputy Editor MTM U Win Nyunt Lwin [email protected] Business Editor MTM U Nyunt Win [email protected] Property Editor MTM Htar Htar Khin [email protected] Timeout Editor MTM Moh Moh Thaw Deputy News Editors Kyaw Hsu Mon, Yadana Htun Chief Political Reporter Shwe Yinn Mar Oo Contributing Editor Ma Thanegi [email protected] Head of Translation Dept U Ko Ko Head of Photographics Kaung Htet Photographers Aye Zaw Myo, Thet Htoo, Yadanar Manager Special Projects U Wai Linn [email protected] Book Publishing Consultant Editor Col Hla Moe (Retd) Editor: U Win Tun MCM Bureaus Mandalay Bureau Chief U Aung Shin [email protected] Nay Pyi Taw Bureau Chief U Soe Than Lynn PRODUCTION [email protected] Head of Production & Press Scrutiny Liaison U Aung Kyaw Oo (1) Head of Graphic Design U Tin Zaw Htway MCM PRINTING [email protected] Head of Department U Htay Maung Warehouse Manager U Ye Linn Htay Factory Administrator U Aung Kyaw Oo (3) Factory Foreman U Tin Win ADVERTISING [email protected] Sales & Marketing Manager Daw Linn Linn Soe Lwin [email protected] Account Director U Nyi Nyi Tun Classifieds Manager Daw Khin Mon Mon Yi [email protected] Upper Myanmar Marketing Manager U Nay Myo Oo ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE Finance Manager Daw Mon Mon Tha Saing [email protected] Assistant Admin Manager Daw Nang Maisy Publisher Dr Tin Tun Oo, Permit No: 04143 Systems Manager U Khin Maung Thaw [email protected] DISTRIBUTION & CIRCULATION Manager Daw Thin Thin Thet Paing [email protected] Deputy Manager U Ko Ko Aung [email protected] ALL ADVERTISING & SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Telephone: (01) 253 642, 392 928 Facsimile: (01) 254 158 Email: [email protected] The Myanmar Times is owned by Myanmar Consolidated Media Ltd and printed by MCM Commercial Printing (licence provided by Swesone Media (08102) with approval from MCM Ltd and by Shwe Zin Press (0368) with approval from MCM Ltd). The title The Myanmar Times, in either English or Myanmar languages, its associated logos or devices and the contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the Managing Director of Myanmar Consolidated Media Ltd.

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MyanMar tiMes
Stability of the State, community peace and tranquillity, prevalence of law and order Strengthening of national solidarity Building and strengthening of disciplineflourishing democracy system Building of a new modern developed nation in accord with the Constitution

Four political objectives

Building of modern industrialized nation through the agricultural development, and all-round development of other sectors of the economy Proper evolution of the market-oriented economic system Development of the economy inviting participation in terms of technical know-how and investment from sources inside the country and abroad initiative to shape the national economy must be kept in the hands The of the State and the national peoples

Four economic objectives

Uplift of the morale and morality of the entire nation of national prestige and integrity and preservation Uplift and safeguarding of cultural heritage and national character Flourishing of Union Spirit, the true patriotism Uplift of health, fitness and education standards of the entire nation

Four social objectives

Fire destroys four houses in Tarmwe township

By Htoo Aung A FIRE in Tarmwe township destroyed four homes on February 14 but no deaths were reported, a spokesperson for the Fire Services Department said last week. The fire started in a wooden house at No 369, Kyaikkasan Road on the corner of 164th Street at about 9am. Residents quickly alerted authorities and it was extinguished about 40 minutes later. Officials said the blaze was caused by a cooking fire that had not been properly extinguished. Damage was estimated at K2.4 million. The fire was reported to us shortly after 9am and was brought under control at 9:25am. It was put out at 9:40am, the spokesperson said. Thirty-four fire engines as well as 314 firemen and 101 auxiliary firemen, helped extinguish the blaze. Almost 50 people from 10 households were shifted to a temporary relief camp established in a nearby Dhammayone, or community hall, he said. Translated by Thit Lwin

A member of the Yangon Region Fire Services Department cleans rubble following a fire in Tarmwe township on February 14. Pic: Kaung Htet

Wrong land law could be 'very troublesome': Stiglitz

From page 1 For example, if the role and responsibilities of the Land Management Committee are not very clear, corruption could happen during the registration process and also during the resolution of land dispute process, during the selling process. All the corruption could systematically happen because of a law thats not properly formulated, he said. While lobbying in late 2011 took place mostly in the halls of parliament in Nay Pyi Taw, the movement for equitable land reform which has developed organically over the past six months and remains mostly uncoordinated has in recent weeks become more public and vocal. Myanmar groups calling for improvements to the laws have also received some heavyweight support in the form of Nobel Prize-winner Joseph Stiglitz, a former chief economist of the World Bank. Speaking at a seminar at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry on February 11, he said that while it was absolutely essential to have a law on farmland, if it is not the right law, it could really be very, very troublesome. He said it was important to have a transparent legislative process, with widespread civil society discussion and a lot of economic analysis. The rules of the game can have a very big effect on creating inequality and poverty or creating a more equal society. And this is an example of a rule of the game; if you dont get it right, you can wind up with more people in poverty, more inequality and a few people at the top becoming much wealthier, Professor Stiglitz said. He said successful land reform needed to be accompanied by other reforms, such as access to technology and credit. If done right, [land reform] can increase productivity, reduce poverty and vulnerability but one has to be very attentive to problems of reversal of land reforms or put another way, agglomeration of land holdings, which has occurred in other countries. Land is a key natural resource. Some of the neighbours like Cambodia are not managing their land very well and it is creating serious problems. That is something one should be aware of as one develops ones land bill here. And if it isnt managed right, you can actually contribute again to [the] natural resource curse. A major concern, say groups with knowledge of the draft legislation, is that the proposed laws would not protect farmers from land grabs for large-scale farming by entrepreneurs. Experts from both Myanmar and abroad say there is strong evidence that small-scale farming is more efficient than plantations for most crops provided farmers have access to credit and inputs and also brings significant benefits for poverty alleviation. A particular concern is the apparent lack of protection for taungya, which sees land regularly left fallow and therefore susceptible to acquisition by large firms. The proposed Farmland Law, along with the proposed Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Lands Management Bill, would legalise and extend many of these land acquisitions (or 'grabs' as critics call them) and create a large class of rural landless, both in lowland Myanmar and in upland areas of the country. This outcome would accelerate the disparities in wealth and incomes, a group of academics from Harvard Universitys John F Kennedy School of Government wrote in a recent report, titled Appraising the Post-Sanctions Prospects for Myanmars Economy: Choosing the Right Path , that was prepared for nongovernment organisation Proximity Designs. Following a recent visit to Myanmar, Dr Clarissa Augustinus, the head of Land, Tenure and Property Administration at UNHabitat, also raised concerns over the lack of consultation in drafting and preparation for implementation of the Farmland Bill. In a report after her December visit, Dr Augustinus wrote that experiences in other countries showed that successful implementation of any land bill rests on prior actions, including costing, the use of studies and pilots to inform policy and law development, capacity development of government officials. [UN-Habitat] encourages [the] government to undertake these activities prior to passage of the final bill in order to increase the impact of the Farmland bill on economic development and poverty reduction in the country, Dr Augustinus said.

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Speaker urges EU to lend a helping hand

By Soe Than Lynn THURA U Shwe Mann has urged the European Union to lend a helping hand to Myanmar in order to support the democratisation process, a likely reference to the blocs continued imposition of economic sanctions. During a meeting with EU Commissioner Mr Mr Andris Piebalgs and a delegation led by German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Mr Dirk Niebel on February 13, the Pyithu Hluttaw speaker said socioeconomic development was as important as political reforms for successfully transitioning to democracy. He said sanctions had in part been justified by Myanmars lack of a body containing elected representatives but this could no longer be used as a reason to maintain them. Though the pace at which Myanmar is shifting to democracy is swift, its system of democracy should be sustainable and strong economic reforms should accompany political reforms. Socioeconomic development is necessary, so both Germany and the EU are requested to lend a helping hand. Political reforms alone are not enough in building a democratic state. Socioeconomic development needs to follow simultaneously and our friends are requested to help with this. Our hluttaw needs to be strong. I am pleased to hear that Germany is willing to give assistance on parliamentary matters and arrange for exchange visits our hluttaw is trying its best to ensure democratic development. If members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) win in their constituencies in the forthcoming by-elections, they will enter the hluttaw. If so, we will welcome [them]. Mr Piebalgs and Mr Niebel said that European countries took an interest in and recognised the reforms that had taken place in Myanmar. Amnesties for prisoners of conscience and peace-making efforts with armed ethnic groups were important steps and Myanmar had to create peace for the country as a whole. A parliamentary team will visit Myanmar soon [from Germany]. They are watching the by-elections. The byelections will hopefully be free and fair so that they will increase cooperation between the two countries, he said. Translated by Thit Lwin

German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Mr Dirk Niebel (left), Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann and EU Commissioner for Development Mr Andris Piebalgs in Nay Pyi Taw on February 13. Pic: Supplied/EU

Trade more important than aid, says EU commissioner

By Shwe Yinn Mar Oo EUROPEAN Union Commissioner for Development Mr Andris Piebalgs last week played down the role of aid in Myanmar, saying that foreign investment that benefited all citizens was more important in the long term. Mr Piebalgs announced a 150 million euro (US$200 million) development assistance package for health, education and livelihoods and said the EU was ready to increase aid to support Myanmars development. Aid is not the panacea for the country but it can act as a catalyst and prepare the ground for economic and social activities. The crucial point is to encourage foreign direct investment. This will only come when market access is restored, he said at a press conference in Yangon on February 14, at the end of his three-day visit. Economic development will only be successful if growth is inclusive. This means benefiting the entire population. He hinted that the EUs remaining sanctions against Myanmar would be lifted at an annual Foreign Affairs Council meeting in April. The conduct of the byelections on April 1 and the release of political prisoners will influence the outcome, said Mr Piebalgs. The EU wants to support the momentum for change, in response to progress. We will step up our dialogue, with a series of high-level visits. I hope that, after April, Myanmar and the EU can engage in a new chapter of political, economic and development cooperation. I think all the ingredients are here to make Myanmar a success story. Mr Piebalgs said the visit had given him a comprehensive picture of the situation in Myanmar. It included meetings with President U Thein Sein, Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann and some members of the Union Government in Nay Pyi Taw on February 12, followed by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and civil society groups in Yangon two days later. Mr Piebalgs also visited an EUfunded humanitarian project in Yangon Regions Dala township. He commended the government for the significant progress it had made in advancing the peace process with armed ethnic groups, which he said was the key ingredient for the countrys future stability and prosperity. We discussed the respect for human rights, the rule of law and the release of political prisoners, he said, adding that the government confirmed its readiness to cooperate with the EU for the release of the remaining prisoners of conscience.

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Government aims to close Kachin State relief camps

By Cherry Thein THE government is hoping to resettle all people displaced by the conflict in Kachin State before May but will not force them to return to their homes, officials told humanitarian groups last week. U Phone Swe, Deputy Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, and Major Zaw Win from the Department of Progress of Border Areas and National Races led the meeting with civil society groups, UN agencies and INGOs in Myitkyina on February 13. A spokesperson from the NGO Karuna who attended the meeting told The Myanmar Times that officials said they would try to arrange for refugees to go home within three months. We were told that they want people to go home when the situation is safe, she said. They also said that ASEANs disaster guidelines recommend that relief camps are only kept open for three months but some in Kachin State have been displaced for eight months, she said. They said they wont force people to return home. They will collect detailed information from the refugees, such as how many houses have been destroyed, whether they really want to go home, where they want to live and so on, she said. If possible and if the refugees want to go home, [the government] will assist them to return home. They also plan to provide two weeks of provisions when they leave the camp so they have food before resuming income-generating activities. Government officials are collecting data on the number of refugees in the camps so that they can arrange provisions. She said that nongovernment participants in the meeting said refugees should return home only when the situation is safe or the conflict has been definitively settled. U Kum Shawng, director of the Community Development Department in th e K ac h in Bap tist Convention, said the Union Government had established a committee to facilitate the resettlement of refugees. They invited two people from each NGO to become committee members. For the time being, they presented their plans and consulted with NGOs and said they wouldnt force [refugees] to return, he said. Internally displaced people should be able to participate in this committee so that they can express their feeling and needs but as far as Im aware, there are none on the committee. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs declined to comment when contacted last week.

Academy fans complain over high ticket prices

MOVIE fans are calling for an overhaul of the way tickets to the Myanmar Academy Awards are distributed, after many were forced to pay high prices on the black market. Others missed out completely on watching the event, which was held in Nay Pyi Taw on February 7. Until 2007, when the event shifted from Yangon to Nay Pyi Taw, tickets to the Academy Awards were sold to fans. However, from 2007 they were instead given away for free to government employees, select private companies and members of parliament. Tickets do not go on sale to the public, confirmed an official from the Myanmar Motion Picture Association. Those who wanted to see their favourite celebrities were forced to delve into the black market, where these free tickets were selling for at least K10,000 each. I was not aware of how to buy ticket. When I asked some of my acquaintances they said they would sell VIP seats for K25,000 a ticket but they wouldnt sell only one, you had to buy two of them. So instead with the help of a friend I bought a standing room ticket from a private company for K10,000, said Ma Kalayar Win, a resident of Pyinmana township. Those who were unable to secure a ticket instead waited outside the theatre to see their favourite movie stars arrive and leave. Its alright if priority is given to government employee but tickets should not go to those who dont have any interest in the event and just want to resell the tickets for profit. There are a lot of people who want to watch the ceremony I usually resort to buying on the outside market at a high price, another Pyinmana resident said. Su Hlaing Tun, translated by Thit Lwin

Foreign travel market booming as Myanmar look abroad

By Zaw Win Than AS tourist arrivals hit a record high in 2011, the number of M y an ma r h e ad in g o v e r se as continued to grow, Yangonbased companies specialising in outbound tours said. The outbound tourism market is really booming, said U Hein Thant, sales and reservation manager from Sun Far Travel and Tours in Yangon. We are offering medical tourism packages, 'free and easy' packages and all-inclusive tour packages. If you compare with two years ago, we are seeing positive growth in every part of the outbound sector. Im expecting that it will continue to grow strongly over the next two or three years. He said about half of outbound travellers headed to destinations in Southeast Asia. Thailand is the top destination, whether its for shopping, medical treatment or leisure. [Myanmar] love to visit Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket. After Thailand, the next most popular destinations are Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia, he said. However, growth is inhibited by the tight visa restrictions most countries place on travellers from Myanmar and the lack of direct air links to all ASEAN countries, including Brunei, Indonesia, Laos and the Philippines. We need to apply for a visa in advance for most countries, even in ASEAN. Its a huge burden for us and if Myanmar can apply for a visa-on-arrival without any visa charges that would be of huge benefit for the outbound market, he said. For this reason outbound travel is likely to increase even more quickly from 2015, when Myanmar will join the ASEAN Economic Community, said U Phyoe Wai Yar Zar, secretary of the Myanmar Marketing Committee. Myanmar travellers wanting to visit other ASEAN countries will not need to apply for a visa from 2015. There should be no barriers between ASEAN countries, and this includes travel barriers, he said. One significant push factor has been the strong domestic currency, which appreciated more than 30 percent against the US dollar in 2011 and also rose strongly against regional currencies. U Lynn Zaw Wai Mang, executive director of Unique Asia Travels and Tours, said the market was growing quite fast as a result. Demand is growing up to 35pc a year. Last year demand was very high because of the exchange rate, which made travel inside Myanmar almost as expensive as going abroad. People are also starting to think more about going abroad for knowledge, fun and business, he said. He said the most popular attractions for Myanmar travellers were theme parks, temples and, most of all, shopping, but also added that ASEAN countries could do much more to promote their tourism destinations among Myanmar travellers. One issue for agencies specialising in outbound tours is the lack of Ministry of Hotels and Tourism support. Outbound agencies are not eligible to register with the ministry and o u tb o u n d to u r i sm i s r ar e l y promoted. The outbound market is really booming. There are many outbound travel agents and there is strong competition between them. If the ministry grants licences it will improve the sector and make it easier for customers to choose a reliable agent, said U Htun Lwe, managing director of Golden Image Travel and Tours in Sanchaung township. The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism figures released last month showed that Myanmar received 359,359 tourists through the Yangon gateway in 2011, up 21.76pc on 2010 when the country received 295,147 visitors. The ministry does not provide figures for outbound tourism.

KNU/KNLA Peace Council meets with NLD leader

A DELEGATION from the Kayin National Union/ Kayin National Liberation Army Peace Council met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi last week to discuss possibilities for future cooperation. The leader of the 14member delegation, General Saw Htay Maung, explained that the Karen National Union breakaway group wanted to work hand in hand with both the government and the NLD for the benefit of the people. The meeting with the NLD chair at her lakeside residence on February 10 lasted more than an hour and focused mainly on development and ethnic affairs. Speaking in Kayin language, General Saw Htay Maung told reporters after the meeting that the group had been seeking an opportunity to talk with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for a long time. I hope everyone would be happy for this meeting, he said through an interpreter, Brigadier General Dr Timothy. Whether Bamar or Kayin or other ethnic groups or even Thai, we are the same and never discriminate. We need to continue [working together]. The delegation also invited Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to meet the residents of their region, an invitation that the NLD leader accepted. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that while it was the first time she had met the KNU/KNLA Peace Council, both sides shared many similar views and discussions were friendly. When we talked, we found that we shared so many views. That is a very good sign for the future of our country, she said. The union must be like that. With the union spirit, every [nationality] must be like brothers and sisters. The meeting came just days after discussions with government officials in Nay Pyi Taw, at which the Peace Council reached a preliminary peace agreement. Shwe Yinn Mar Oo

SKorea scholarship entries open

THE South Korean embassy in Yangon is calling for applications for a graduate scholarship program for courses beginning in September. The program is organised by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED), a body under South Koreas Ministry of Education, and offers masters and doctoral scholarships of two to three years to students from 90 countries. Myanmar citizens who hold a bachelor or masters degree and are aged below 40 as of September 1, 2012 can apply for the scholarship. Those interested can find out more information by visiting http://www.gks. go.kr or http://www.niied. go.kr or contacting the South Korean embassy at No 97, University Avenue, Bahan township. The deadline for applications is March 6. Moh Moh Thaw

General Saw Htay Maung with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on February 10. Pic: Kaung Htet

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UNESCO to support Sri Ksetra project

THE United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation plans to launch its first cultural project in Myanmar in 10 years, a senior official said last week. The capacity-building project aims to develop knowledge of preservation techniques and management of government staff at the Pyu city of Sri Ksetra in Bago Region. The Italian government has contributed 400,000 euros (US$526,000) to the 12-month project, which has been designed in close collaboration with the Ministry of Cultures Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library. UNESCO assistant director general for culture Mr Francesco Bandarin said in a statement that Myanmar faced a huge task to preserve its rich cultural heritage and the project would raise awareness and technical capacity for restoring and managing cultural heritage sites. It will build up capacity in three priority areas, including conserving and managing heritage sites, establishing cultural heritage information management system using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and nominating World Heritage sites, according to UNESCO. Mr Sardar Umar Alam, program manager for UNESCO Myanmar, said the funding from Italy would help mobilise international expertise to assist Myanmar in protecting its important heritage sites, including Bagan and Sri Ksetra, an ancient Pyu settlement. Training in technical conservation will be delivered through on-site demonstration restoration activities, resulting in visible and practical improvement at selected sites, UNESCO said in a statement. Deputy head of mission at the Italian embassy in Yangon Ms Mara Borserini told The Myanmar Times by email that Italy has more World Heritage sites than any other country and has a keen interest in safeguarding cultural heritage both at home and abroad. We aimed at supporting the commitment of the government to protect the magnificent historical and cultural heritage of the country, she said. Italian experts worked on the preservation of mural paintings at Bagan that were damaged during the 1975 earthquake. Unique 12th century cloth paintings found in Bagan temples were also restored in Italy at the beginning of the 1980s. She said Italian experts would be invited to conduct seminars at the archaeological school in Pyay as part of the project. Cherry Thein

MPs tackle first budget in decades

Making budget debate public a major step forward for transparency in parliament process
NAY PYI TAW The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is slaving over its first budget, a daunting task for the inexperienced body in a country where the army has long been used to dipping into state coffers at will. It has been almost a year since Myanmar, after decades of military rule, embarked on a political transition with a new nominally civilian government. For the novice lawmakers in the nations twin-chamber parliament dominated by soldiers and former military personnel that means once impenetrable dossiers are now open to fierce debate. We have a broad framework but it is very complex, said Dr Aung Tun Thet, an adviser to the United Nations in Yangon, referring to the draft budget prepared by President U Thein Seins government in December. During the long era of successive juntas, the budget was prepared by the government alone. There was no assessment, no discussion, no dialogue. Now for the first time in many, many years, we have a chance to discuss the budget and its priorities, Dr Aung Tun Thet said. Its a very refreshing step forward, he added. Its a demonstration of the checks and balances between the legislative and the executive. Although the army-backed ruling party holds an overwhelming majority, lawmakers have embraced their new-found power debating laws, voting and shuttling bills between the two chambers. Some of the spending plans will surely please the West. According to the Ministry of Planning and Development, the plan is to double the education budget and spend four times as much on health as in the last fiscal year. government of comparing Myanmar with neighbouring countries that are developed whereas we are not. We cannot talk about it openly now as its a sensitive matter to discuss, he said. If the draft budget is approved, the armys slice would officially rise 50pc to $2.35 billion compared to the previous year. But debates are made even more difficult because the earlier budgets were never published, de facto considered as state secrets. It is unlikely that even Myanmars military government can accurately calculate the full cost of the countrys armed forces, it added in its annual report. Experts concur that the army helped itself to the countrys funds for nearly half a century, notably profiting from a wide portion of the oil revenues. But advocates of Myanmars recent reform efforts promise the army will not be given free reign in this years budget. The money discussions are expected to last a few more weeks. The result will be the first budget debated in parliament since the first post-colonial military coup in 1962. The discussion provides a historic opportunity to redefine national spending priorities and bring fiscal transparency, said Ms Meral Karasulu, who headed an International Monetary Fund mission to Myanmar last month. She welcomed the apparent willingness to boost health and education, and the prediction of a moderate fiscal deficit of about 4.6pc of GDP, slightly down from last year. A prudent fiscal policy is essential to maintain macroeconomic stability, she said. AFP

and balances Its a demonstration of the checksexecutive. between the legislative and the
It would be a welcome change. Myanmar has a record of committing just US$7 a year per person to healthcare, a mere 1.8 percent of the total budget, one of the lowest health spending rates in the world according to a 2009 UN report. But the government is also seeking to spend 15.33pc of the budget on the armed forces. We cannot agree on what they asked for, an opposition lower house member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said of the military spending request, accusing the Dr Aye Maung, an upper house representative and chairman of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP), one of Myanmars ethnic-based political parties, said he was ready to approve the request for more military spending. We can accept it. But we dont know whether this number is realistic or not as we dont know the previous budget. In 2009, defence intelligence organisation Janes Sentinel estimated the army budget to be around $1.5 billion.

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Committee urges action on failing irrigation projects

By Soe Than Lynn THE Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is to consider a bill that would see inefficient water pumping, reservoir and dam projects abandoned, after the AuditorGenerals Office found that many were irrigating far less acres than originally projected. Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, U Thurein Zaw, submitted a proposal to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw on February 10 to discuss the recommendations his committee had made based on the Auditor Generals report. The committees recommendations were read out to the hluttaw on January 26 and were seconded by five representatives. U Thurein Zaw said it was crucial for the entire nation that the hluttaw took action to implement the recommendations, which include transferring some pumping stations to other states and regions where they will be more beneficial and allowing farmers in irrigation areas to grow the crops of their choice. The Public Accounts Committee compiled its recommendations based on an investigation by the AuditorGenerals Office into whether 67 river pumping stations and 237 reservoirs and diversion dams had met their projected acreage targets. The results were damning, to say the least. Sixty-seven river water pumping stations have achieved 16.3 percent of their target, providing water to 48,833 acres out of the 299,895 acres originally planned. The government has invested K1.149 billion (about US$1.4 million) in these projects, he said. He said that some of the reservoirs and diversion dams inspected by the Auditor-Generals Office could not supply water at all. He said a major part of the problem was that farmers in irrigation areas were usually instructed what crops to grow, which made them reluctant to utilise water resources from the pumping stations, reservoirs and dams. Farmers who consume water will only take an interest in the project if they are allowed to grow the kinds of crops that are marketable and costeffective for them, U Thurein Zaw said. The committee also called for more accurate projections of the benefits of irrigation projects before they were undertaken. Translated by Thit Lwin

Bago Region residents receive water during a drought in May 2010. Pic: Christopher Davy

With development beckoning, national water policy needed

By Aye Sapay Phyu A NATIONAL water policy should be drafted before it is too late to sustain and develop the countrys water resources, a retired deputy director general of the Irrigation Department said last month Myanmar has abundant water resources but it has plans to develop [its economy] and also the challenge of climate change. In this context, problems can happen with water resources so it is not too early to lay down a national water policy, U Zaw Win said at a paper-reading session at the Myanmar Engineering Society on January 13. He said expansion of agriculture, urban and industrial uses for land would place greater strain on water resources and possibly harm water quality. The largest consumer of water is the agriculture sector, with irrigated farmland increasing from 4.7 million acres (1.9 million hectares) in 2000-01 to 5.7 million acres (2.3 million hectares) at the end of the 2008-09 financial year. Domestic and industrial water needs have also increased, while demand for hydropower generation is likely to grow in future. Water is already a scarce resource but will become even scarcer in the future. Another important aspect is water quality. Improvements to existing strategies are needed to raise awareness of the importance of [conducting environmental impact assessments]. Development in urban areas also needs to be sustainable, and water plays an important role in that. U Zaw Win said planning and implementation of water-related projects involved a number of issues, such as environmental sustainability, dam safety, forest degradation and water quality deterioration. He said the development and over-exploitation of groundwater resources in certain parts of the country had flagged the need for judicious management and conservation measures. Many of Myanmars rivers are shared with neighbouring countries and integrated water resources management and benefit sharing with these neighbours will be important for the future of these waterways. U Zaw Win said that all these concerns need to be addressed through common policies, strategies and guidelines. Water policy has not yet developed in Myanmar but it is required. Many other countries have recognised the need for national policies to guide water resources development and management in a sustainable manner, he said. Drafts of environmental and land use laws have been developed but water policy is not even at the draft stage. He said that collaboration between water-related government departments, nongovernment organisations, the private sector and other experts and stakeholders was needed for successful implementation of policy. He said Myanmars estimated surface water resources stood at 876 million acre feet, while ground water potential is 401 million acre feet. At present the country is utilising only 10pc of those resources, mostly for agriculture. To get higher living standards throughout the country, national perspectives have to guide efforts to develop, conserve, utilise and manage these important water resources in a sustainable manner, he said. Daw Hla Oo Nwe, assistant director of the Irrigation Department, said that climate change, in the form of flooding, droughts, and saline intrusion, had negatively impacted on the countrys water resources. Speaking at a seminar at the Myanmar Engineering Society in late December, she said that the green economy and green growth philosophy offered a pathway to combating the effects of climate change, adding that water security and land management were central elements in achieving green growth. Drought and ecosystem degradation are some of the major causes of water insecurity. Declining ecosystem results in reduced water quality, quantity and land productivity, she said. She said the integrated water resource management (IWRM) principle, and approach that helps to overcome fragmentation across sectors and levels of authority, should be used to guide sustainable development of agriculture, water and ecosystems. Daw Hla Oo Nwe said that IWRM was initiated in Myanmar in 2003 with the introduction of the National Water Vision, which aims for sustainable use of water resources while at the same time meeting the needs of the people in terms of health, food security, economy and environment.

Hitachi, BAJ to build tube wells

JAPANESE non-profit organisation Bridge Asia Japan and electronics manufacturer Hitachi have joined forces on a water supply project in Magwe Region. The project will run from August to October and will see wells dug in 18 villages in Magwe township, said Ms Akiko Mori, country representative for BAJ. We did a preliminary survey in 216 villages in Magwe township and finally we selected 18 villages, she said. We will start the project first in Gyoe Gyar Kan village because this village is a higher priority than the others, according to the survey. Hitachi is preparing to launch a fundraising drive to cover some of the projects costs, a company spokesperson said. With every purchase of the selected Hitachi home appliances from March to October this year, US$1 to US$3 will be donated to the Magwe Water Supply support fund, said the spokesperson. Life will be much easier if residents have a well supplying fresh water at their doorstep. Ms Mori said BAJ will provide technical assistance and the use of an excavator for the project. The project is expected to cost more than US$50,000, she said, adding that Hitachi would cover the full cost regardless of how much money was raised through the fundraising drive. We plan to handover the project to village authorities in November. We will follow up for a year to enhance technical and maintenance knowledge. But later [residents] will have to take care of the wells themselves, she said. Zaw Win Than

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YCDC to introduce colour-coded rubbish bags

By Noe Noe Aung YANGON City Development Committee is introducing a colour-coding system for waste disposal, an official said last week. From April 1, Yangon residents will be required to use different coloured bags for wet and dry waste products, said U Than Lwin Oo, head of the committees Department of Pollution Control and Cleansing. Blue bags will be used for wet waste, including food, flowers and other kitchen refuse. Green bags will be for dry waste, including boxes, wooden products, glass, bottles and plastic. We found that its not a good idea to mix waste from the kitchen with other things, U Than Lwin Oo said. Public will be able to put out wet waste every day, while dry waste can be disposed of only on Wednesdays and Sundays. He said that YCDC had met plastic bag manufacturers in January to discuss the plan. Companies are producing those plastic bags now so we have enough in April. And they will distribute them with other plastic bags. Members of the public will be able to buy them easily at shops and stores all around Yangon, he said, adding that they would come in two sizes and prices would be reasonable. We are going to give people six months to adjust to this system. After that, we will take action against those who throw the waste without using our standard plastic bags. Regular fines like K10,000 for throwing waste recklessly still apply during that period. The system will initially be implemented in 33 of the 45 townships under YCDC.

Rare monkey facing extinction

By Ei Ei Toe Lwin A RECENTLY discovered species of monkey is threatened with extinction and conservation programs should be expanded as soon as possible, environmental researchers said last week. A program to survey the Myanmar snub-nosed monkey population has been launched in Kachin State, along with an education campaign to reduce hunting and wildlife trafficking. However, experts say more needs to be done to protect the species, which is so rare that researchers have never seen a live individual. We are conducting an education program to conserve the snub-nosed monkey and assess its population status. We estimate there are about 330, said U Ngwe Lwin, project manager of the Myanmar Primate Conservation Program. He said wildlife trafficking and logging were a major threat not only to the Myanmar snubnosed monkey but also other endangered species in northern Myanmar. There has been an increase in hunting and illegal wildlife trafficking to the Chinese market. The skull of a monkey costs US$10 or $20 in the [Chinese] market. Today, it is also easier for hunters to sell these pieces because logging companies build roads to transport logs to the Chinese border, he said. It is difficult for our team to conduct conservation activities in this area on its own. We need to increase cooperation with other organisations. The project will be implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, local authorities from other snub-nosed monkey species found in Vietnam and China and has not been found outside Kachin State. Mr Frank Monberg, Asia director for program development at FFI, said in a statement released on January 10 that the Myanmar snubnosed monkey was critically endangered and very rare. The Myanmar snub-nosed monkey was described by science in 2010 from a trophy collected from a local hunter. As yet no scientist has seen a live individual, Mr Monberg said. On February 29, the FFI and ministry will jointly hold a workshop in Nay Pyi Taw to draft a conservation action plan for the snub-nosed monkey in Myanmar. U Ye Htut, deputy director of the ministrys Forest Department, said that stopping wildlife trafficking was essential for safeguarding the species future. We are ready to cooperate with the conservation team to conserve the Myanmar snubnosed monkey. It is difficult for our ministry to control wildlife trafficking on its own. We do not have enough staff and face transportation difficulties. Additionally, we cant open checkpoints at the border [with China] in these areas, he said. So at this workshop we plan to invite international organisations and experts and hope to get technical and financial assistance. There are fives species of snub-nosed monkey, with three found in China and one in Vietnam. We will invite snub-nosed monkey conservation experts from China and Vietnam to share their experience with us, said U Ngwe Lwin.

A rare Myanmar snub-nosed monkey, a species only discovered in March 2010. Pic: Supplied/BANCA and communities. The Myanmar snub-nosed monkey was discovered in March 2010 when a joint team comprising members of the Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA), Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and People Resources and Conservation Foundation (PRCF) photographed an individual using camera traps placed in the high, forested mountains of Kachin State. We got information about this monkey in 2009 when conducting the [environmental impact assessment] for the Myitsone hydropower project but we could not do a survey because we didnt have the time or expertise, BANCA chairman Dr Htin Hla said. So when we arrived back in Yangon we discussed the survey with the FFI and it was launched in March 2010 as a part of the Myanmar Primate Conservation Program. I was extremely excited to finally see a photo of this rare and endangered snub-nosed monkey in the wild. We need to quickly protect this species from extinction as there are many threats, such as hunting and habitat loss, related to its close proximity to the China border, he said. We have to take practical action as soon as possible. If not, we will lose a priceless species. A study of the new species of snub-nosed monkey appeared in the October issue of the American Journal of Primatology. According to the survey, the species has black fur, prominent lips and wide upturned nostrils that fill with water when it rains, causing the monkeys to sneeze. It differs

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi receives UNESCO prize

By May Sandy DAW Aung San Suu Kyi has finally taken receipt of the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence, 10 years after being declared the winner. Mr Ryuhei Hosoya, executive director of the Office of the DirectorGeneral of UNESCO the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation presented the trophy to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at her home on February 10 on behalf of the organisations director general, Ms Irina Bokova. UNESCO awarded her the prize in 2002. Mr Ryuhei Hosoya also passed a message to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on behalf of Ms Bokova that said: UNESCO and the director general herself stand ready to assist in the process of reform and reconciliation in this country. The UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence is dedicated to advancing the spirit of tolerance in the arts,

Ryuhei Hosoya, executive director of the Office of the Director-General of UNESCO, hands a trophy to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon on February 10. Pic: AFP education, culture, science and communication. The prize is awarded every two years to individuals or institutions for outstanding contributions to the promotion of tolerance and non-violence. It is named after Madanjeet Singh, a writer, diplomat, UNESCO goodwill ambassador and founder of the South Asia Foundation. Mr Singh instigated the prize in 1995 on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the birth of the Mahatma Gandhi. Mr Hosoya told the The Myanmar Times that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was a more than worthy winner. Its about recognising the struggle that she has conquered and also looking forward to the future of the country and the statue itself signifies the beginning of eternity, he said. It represents tolerance and non-violence from the past and to the future. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also received a US$100,000 cash prize with the award, which has already been donated to a foundation she has established in Myanmar.

Export tax breaks tipped to continue

By Aye Thidar Kyaw

TiMESbusiness
By Aung Kyi USED car trading websites that have opened in the past month could be endangering a proud feature of the market the broker a number of businessmen and dealers said last week. The flood of newer vehicles that have entered the market since the overage car import substitution plan was unveiled in September has prompted an unheralded increase in trading and brokers have been found wanting say some buyers. Before I discovered some car trading websites, I had to rely on brokers and had to regularly telephone them to make single appointments to look at cars with buyers or sellers and then negotiate pricing, said U Aung Min Moe a 34-year-old car broker in Yangon. He said the most important things for buyers were visual inspections and description, which were easier and faster to check online through sites such as www. myanmarcarsdb.com and www.omphwa.com. Ive sometimes found that the descriptions provided by brokers were seriously inaccurate, sometimes they even gave the wrong colour for the vehicle, he said. He added that other problems included exorbitant brokerage fees, which saw deals fall through. But the creation of dedicated websites meant that buyers and sellers no longer needed brokers and could find prices and descriptions transparently, all from the comfort of a computer desk, he said. He added that savvy brokers would also use the websites to buy and sell cars as well. U Khin Win, who runs an import and export business in Latha township, said the new websites offered a way for consumers to eliminate the middlemen. The availability of car trading websites has made life much more convenient for buyers and sellers, and it means that people dont have to go through brokers anymore, he said. He added that car brokering zones, such as Hantharwaddy in Yangon, were frustrating places for buyers.

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Car trading websites excite buyers

companies will still need these brokers or agents to work for them. For instance car showrooms would hire such people as salespeople because they have much experience in selling cars, the spokesperson said. And the process of buying and selling cars will be different from now ... and they will have to adapt to the new process of buying and selling cars, he added. Sanchaung townshipbased car broker U Chit Shwe said the arrival of the Myanmar-language car trading websites would likely curtail the amount of business brokers received. The more attention and sales the websites receive, the less there is for brokers to handle, he said. But there are many car owners and buyers, especially older people, who have no experience using the internet and who will continue to rely on brokers. And the people who would like to change or substitute their cars, many of them will also go to brokers because we have more information and know the market better.

EXPORT taxes on a variety of commodities that were due to expire on February 14 will stay at 2 percent for the next six months, several sources close to the Ministry of Commerce said last week. Commerce officials say they are negotiating with the Ministry of Finance and Revenue, and have sent letters asking to have the tax break extended. Export taxes charged on seven different types of commodities, including rice, beans and pulses, sesame, rubber, maize, fisheries products and animal products were cut from 10pc to 7pc in mid-July and then to 2pc from August 15. Export taxes on garments and some value-added goods were also cut to 2pc on September 1. Bank fees charged on foreign workers remitting money were cut to 2pc on the same day. Dr Maung Aung, an adviser to the Minister for Commerce, told The Myanmar Times on February 11 that the government would extend the tax breaks for at least

A newly imported Nissan Cedric sedan is unloaded at a port in Yangon in December. Pic: Thet Htoo If you wanted to buy a car 4, with more than 328,000 and went to somewhere like views. He added that by the Hantharwaddy you couldnt second week of February the just go up and ask the prices site had 420 registered users of the cars, even if they were and 180 advertisements. About 40 cars had been right there, he said. Instead, you had to approach brokers sold by advertisers by the and ask them, which could second week of February, take a long time, said U he said. He said the website had Khin Win. B u t t h e c a r i m p o r t been created to provide users substitution program gave with a more convenient way many car buyers their first of trading cars. We hope to encourage taste of online buying because they had to go through online people to use the internet to car auction sites to find what buy and sell cars here because its common elsewhere, he they wanted. A s p o k e s p e r s o n f o r said. In the near future, many myanmarcarsdb website said it had received more than car dealers and showrooms 10,000 unique visitors since will be established all over it was launched on January the country. And these

reality, the Inof the illegal size trade volume is usually twice as large as legal exports.

another six months, even though there had been no official announcement as yet. He said other exports, such as onions, mangoes, melons and flowers would likely be added to the list of commodities subject to the 2pc export tax. Minister for Commerce U Win Myint told government officials and traders during a trade promotion workshop in Nay Pyi Taw on January 23 that the government was discussing the cuts in depth. Dr Pwint San, Deputy Minister for Commerce, said the volume of legal exports was probably only half as large as those that left the country illegally. In reality, the size of the illegal trade volume is usually twice as large as legal exports, he said. Dr Maung Aung said the government had instituted a number of measures in the past 12 months such as cutting export taxes, expediting trade licence applications and allowing the legal import of previously banned goods to encourage businesspeople to operate within the legal fold.

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Malaysian business team visits

MALAYSIAS Minister for International Trade and Industry, Dato Sri Mustapa Mohamed, was due to lead a trade and investment delegation to Myanmar on February 23-4, a press release stated last week. The visit also marked the launch of the Malaysian Myanmar Business Council (MMBC) on February 24. The delegation of more than 30 included leading Malaysian businessmen and senior Malaysian government officials, as well as the heads of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) and Malaysian Investment Development Corporation (MIDA). Matrade is Malaysias national trade promotion agency, while MIDA is the lead investment promotion agency. Mr S Jai Shankar, Matrades Trade Commissioner for Myanmar, said the objective of the mission was to enhance bilateral trade and investment flows between Malaysia and Myanmar. The visit also included a business seminar entitled Malaysias Potential as a Trade and Investment Partner to Myanmar on February 24 at the UMFCCIs headquarters in Lanmadaw township in Yangon. Mr Shankar said Dato Sri Mustapa Mohamed would deliver a keynote address at the seminar to discuss Malaysias economic development as well as the trade and investment opportunities available in Malaysia. Dato Sri Mustapa Mohamed would also take questions from the audience at the end of the seminar, Mr Shankar said. Mr Shankar added that the event would also see the official launch of the Malaysian Myanmar Business Council (MMBC). The objective of the business council is to assist the embassy of Malaysia in promoting closer bilateral trade and investment relationship between Malaysia and Myanmar, he said. MMBC is also expected to be a major conduit for communication between the business communities of both countries. Malaysias total trade with Myanmar expanded by 98.9 percent from US$300.56 million in 2000 to $597.80 million in 2010, he added.

Singapore hints at increased role

By Aye Thidar Kyaw A HIGH-LEVEL business delegation from Singapore last week wrapped up a week-long fact finding mission to Myanmar, a Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry spokesperson said. The delegation of more than 100 of Singapores top businessmen, representing 71 companies, visited Myanmar from February 12-18 to meet the business community, government ministers and officials, he said. The business mission was jointly organised by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), International Enterprise Singapore and the UMFCCI. SBF and UMFCCI signed an agreement to develop trade, jointventure businesses and investment on February 13 in Yangon. This delegation has a strong influence in Singapores business community and was not like other delegations, said an official from UMFCCIs International Relations Department. He said the delegates represented companies engaged in trading, manufacturing and investment, distribution, oil and gas production and logistics. Myanmar Investment Commission chairman and businesses and investments would enter Myanmar. SBF chairman Mr Tony Chew Leong-Chee said: I am confident that Singapore can contribute towards Myanmars economic development. He added the International Monetary Fund had said in a January 24 press release that Myanmars economic growth in the next financial year would be about 5.5pc of its gross domestic product. However, that growth would depend on a stable currency and political environment. A spokesperson for a domestic logistics company who took part in a business matching session in Yangon on February 13, said he had noticed a keen interest in the Dawei project. In my opinion, these logistics businessmen were most interested in the Dawei deepsea port, where they want to invest during the planning period. They want to earn market share in Dawei that theyve lost in Singapore, he said. Ministry of Commerce statistics show that bilateral trade in the 2011-12 year to December amounted to about $2.4 billion, with exports of mainly agrobased goods earning $460 million and imports of machinery and electronics worth about $1.95 billion.

A delegate delivers a speech to Singaporean businesspeople visiting Yangon last week. Pic: Juliet Shwe Gaung Minister for Industry U Soe Thein said at the Myanmar International Convention Centre in Nay Pyi Taw on February 15 that Singapore and Myanmar had enjoyed strong business links in the early to mid1990s but had drifted apart in recent years. However, he hoped to reignite old ties and encourage Singaporean businesses to play a bigger role in Myanmar. Myanmar has weaknesses in [its] economy and other political issues [and has been] left behind neighbouring countries. But President U Thein Seins reforms are aimed at economic and political consolidation, he added. As of December 2011, Singapores investment in Myanmar amounted to US$2 billion, with most invested in hotels and tourism, real estate, industrial estates and oil and gas. In 1997, Singapore was Myanmar's biggest foreign direct investor but had fallen to sixth by 2011, MIC figures showed. Thats obviously because Singapore is a small country and we dont have anywhere near as many projects as China, which has brought a lot of investment into Myanmar in recent years, said Ms Edith Cheong, a member of the delegation. She added that as Myanmar continued in its economic reforms, amended its investment laws and welcomed Western countries, Singapores trade, joint-venture

Ration fuel price increased again: MPTA

By Juliet Shwe Gaung MOTORISTS buying governmentrationed gasoline were last week greeted by the second price rise in two months. From February 11, one gallon (about 4.5 litres) of gasoline cost K3550 in Yangon, a 6 percent increase from K3350 a day earlier. The increase followed a much larger K2500 to K3350 jump on January 1. A spokesperson for the Myanmar Petroleum Trade Association (MPTA) said the increase was countrywide, adding that the Ministry of Energy was responsible for the move. The MPTA spokesperson said the increase was intended to stabilise the market, adding that it was accompanied by an increase in supply of about 5000 gallons a day to some filling stations. Another plan that has been introduced in the past month is to provide each filling station with a fixed amount of gasoline that they are allowed to sell at a price of their choosing, he said. A black market fuel seller in Mingalar Taung Nyunt township said the plan was good as long as the government was able to guarantee supply in the long term. However, gasoline buyers in centres outside of Yangon will pay a premium to account for the added cost of transporting the fuel and other miscellaneous fees that vary from place to place. Mandalay buyers will pay K3700, while Rakhine residents will pay K4000. However, the increase has had little impact on black market prices as yet, sources in Rakhine State said, adding that 1 gallon costs about K4300. By February 17, the black market price in Yangon was about K3700 a gallon. The MPTA spokesperson said Myanmar imports about 145,000 tonnes of diesel a month, and another 1200 tonnes or high octane gasoline. He added that motorists should be prepared for further price rises. In the future, we have plans to set the price of fuel like a stock exchange. We are ensuring that private companies are handling the sales of fuel well and provide good security, quality and customer service, he said.

Workshop to mull new weight and measurement standards

campaigns in cooperation with the UMFCCI, he said. Also present at the workshop were representatives from THE government plans to Yangon City Development enlist the help of leading Committees Market industry associations to Department, the Ministry standardise weights and of Science and Technology measures across the country, and wholesales commodity an official from the Union of centres. Myanmar Federation of U Myint Zaw said members Chambers of Commerce and of MES and UMFCCI would Industry said last week. initially provide Speaking at K3 million to a workshop at the Myanmar Weights and measures need to be assist with the changeover to Engineering Society (MES) in exact because weight scales are the s t a n d a r d i s e d measurement Hlaing township but would o n F e b r u a r y basis of commodity transactions. contribute more 10, UMFCCI as the program joint general secretary U Myint Zaw i n c l u d i n g g o v e r n m e n t accelerated. He said standardisation said the government was departments and the MES, planning to standardise to ensure customers and would have a significant measures soon but it wasnt businesses were prepared impact on farmers and clear whether it would opt for when the legislation on commodity traders. Weights and measures for the viss (the equivalent standardised measures is need to be exact because of 1.66 kilograms) or a promulgated. M E S w i l l d i s t r i b u t e weight scales are the basis of metric unit. We plan to [provide and certify weights and commodity transactions, he assistance] to [traders] to measures to ensure they said, adding that the second get the right weights and conform with the new law phase of the program is measurements according and also conduct education expected to begin by June. By Htar Htar Khin to what the government decides to use, whether its viss or kilo unit. We hope that they choose the metric system and this topic is being discussed in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, said U Myint Zaw, who is also an executive committee member of the MES. He said UMFCCI was working with other groups,

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Job watch
Request for Quotation
Request for Quotation is extended to all those qualified to provide English Language Training Services for the U.S. Embassy Yangon. If you are interested in this opportunity, please follow the instructions in the solicitation description that will be provided at the following website on Friday, February 24, 2012. h t t p : / / b u r m a . u s e m b a s s y. g o v / c o n t r a c t opportunities.html please direct any inquireis to GSO by telephone #536509/505113 Ext: 4135

Greeces Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos exits the Presidential Palace after his meeting with the president in Athens on February 15. Pic: AFP
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Myanmar is seeking a qualified local applicant to fill the post of: Senior Protection Associate (GL-7) to be stationed in Yangon with frequent and extended visits to other operational areas. The detailed Terms of Reference for this position are available on request from UNHCR offices in Yangon, Maungdaw, Mawlamyine, Myeik, Taungoo and Myitkyina. Closing date: 24 - 2 - 2012 www.unhcr.org

Greece rescue at a crossroads as shortfall in debt cut grows

By Roddy Thomson BRUSSELS A massive rescue package for Greece faced a substantial rewrite on February 16 after officials revealed that Athens would miss its debt targets and divisions deepened over its future in the eurozone. Were back to square one, Dutch Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager told a parliamentary committee hearing in the Hague. Greece is in a much worse state than had been anticipated when a 230-billion-euro (US$300 billion) second bailout was first agreed in October. As the eurozone tightens the screws to monitor every detail of a debt rescue package after losing patience over unkept promises from Athens, a number of governments want watertight commitments from Greeces entire political spectrum that austerity and reforms will be carried out even after April elections. De Jager said Greece, up against a 350-billion-euro ($455 billion) debt mountain, still had not taken all the measures required to seal the deal which is vital if the country is to stave off bankruptcy. We will approve it only if all the necessary measures are taken, he said. Athens faces a bigger funding shortfall than first thought, with officials confirming that the long-disputed aid would not be enough to bring Greek debt down to an agreed target of 120 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2020, from 160pc of GDP now. The level of indebtedness has been calculated at 129pc of output, said one official from a eurozone government, indicating a 5.5-billion-euro ($7.2 billion) gap if the overall sums are to remain on track. The 129pc figure must fall to within a couple of percentage points of the original target before his government would sign off the overall bailout, said another official from another state in the 17-member eurozone. The upshot is that when the Eurogroup of finance ministers meet in Brussels on February 20, they now plan to issue an initial green light for the launch of an offer to private investors to agree a complicated writedown. This is aimed at chopping 100 billion euros ($130 billion) off Greeces debt to avoid a messy default on March 20, when 14.5 billion euros ($18.9 billion) must be repaid to bondholders. The idea is to maintain Greece on the equivalent of a drip-feed while more radical changes are enacted, centred on strict day-to-day surveillance of the governments income and spending. That means a decision only in principle to proceed with work on fresh government loans worth 130 billion euros ($169 billion), 30 billion ($39 billion) of which is needed to stabilise Greek banks that will be hit hard by losses from the writedown of government bonds. We believe that we will get the green light from the Eurogroup on Monday to continue the procedures to complete the debt writedown with private bondholders and unlock the aid funds, said Greek government spokesman Pantelis Kapsis said on February 16. The focus now falls on how to secure fresh assurances from minor political leaders in Greece. AFP

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Myanmar is seeking a qualified local applicant to fill the post of: 1. Assistant Community Services Officer (NOA) (LICA) to be stationed in Maungdaw 2. Assistant Community Services and HIV Officer (NOA) (LICA) to be stationed in Mawlamyine 3. Assistant Community Services, Health and HIV Officer (NOA) (LICA) to be stationed in Yangon with frequent and extended visits to other operational areas. The detailed Terms of Reference for these positions are available on request from UNHCR offices in Yangon, Maungdaw, Mawlamyine, Myeik, Taungoo and Myitkyina. Closing date: 29.02.2012 www.unhcr.org

Foreign direct investment in China falls in January, again

BEIJING Foreign direct investment in China fell in January for the third straight month, figures showed last week, and a commerce official warned of a tough year ahead due to the European debt crisis. Investment by overseas companies fell 0.3 percent year-on-year to US$10 billion last month, the commerce ministry said, compared with $12.2 billion in December. The foreign investment situation this year is relatively grim, commerce ministry spokesman Shen Danyang told reporters. He said uncertainties over global economic growth, particularly Europes fiscal woes, had dragged on foreign investment in China. Investment from Europe fell 42.49pc from a year earlier to $452 million in January, figures showed. But US investment rose 29.05pc to $342 million as Walt Disney Co brought in funds for a theme park being built in the commercial hub of Shanghai, Shen said. He gave no figures, but investment in the Disney park has been estimated at $3.7 billion. Foreign investment from countries in the Asia-Pacific region which accounted for the bulk of total investment rose slightly, edging up 0.77pc to $8.59 billion. Chinas own overseas direct investment in non-financial sectors, meanwhile, reached $4.38 billion in January up 59.9pc from a year earlier, Shen said. He said that growth in foreign direct investment was weak all over the world, but added Chinas rising costs and labour strife would have a negative impact on overseas investment in the Asian powerhouse. China has been hit by a series of strikes at foreign and domestic firms since November last year, as workers protest over low salaries, wage cuts and poor conditions amid cutbacks due to the global economic slowdown. A survey published on February 15 also showed that US companies in China said they were growing less optimistic about their operations, as rising costs and violations of intellectual property rights hurt their businesses. More than 90pc of 300 firms surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai said higher costs for labour and materials were hindering their business, threatening Chinas competitive advantage. However, analysts have warned that economic data for January may be distorted by the unusually early Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, which fell in January. Many companies close their doors during the week-long break, also known as the Spring Festival, so employees can travel home to celebrate the most important festival in the Chinese calendar with their families. AFP

Australian Government AusAID

Thai economy could rebound this year, says minister

BANGKOK Thailands economy could grow by 7 percent in 2012, rebounding sharply from the impact of devastating floods last year, the countrys finance minister said in remarks published on February 17. The Bank of Thailand sees growth of between 4.5-5pc this year, but if we can manage it right it could be 7pc growth without any overheating, Kittiratt Na-Ranong said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra predicted that the kingdom would see growth of about 5pc in 2012, marking a sharp pick-up from 2011 when the export-reliant economy grew 1.5pc, according to government estimates. Months-long floods last year took a heavy toll on Thailands industrial heartland north of Bangkok, with many factories forced to close temporarily. Kittiratt said that he anticipated export growth of 15pc this year and increased consumer spending thanks to a rise in the minimum wage. AFP

AusAID - 5 Vacancies The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) is the Australian Government's agency responsible for managing Australia's overseas aid program. The objective of the aid program is to assist developing countries reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development. AusAID is seeking to recruit the following (our on-going positions for its office at the Australian Embassy: Administrative Officer (US$10.200 - $11,820 per annum) Senior Program Officer - Scholarships (US$13,344 - $15,456 per annum) Program Manager - Corporate and Effectiveness (US$44,592 - $51,636 per annum) Senior Program Manager - Education <US$59,400 - $68,772 per annum) AusAID is also accepting applications for the following expected vacancy: Senior Program Officer - Health/Education (US$13,344 - $15,456 per annum) The duty statements can be obtained from the Australian Embassy, 88 Strand Road, Rangoon, Myanmar, or at the Australian Embassy website: http://www. burma.embassy.gov.au/rang/aboutus.html Closing date for the applications will be 4PM (Rangoon time) February 22, 2012.

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as expected and, on the basis of the figures released so far, the contraction of the eurozone economy as a whole was not as deep as feared. Coupled with the recent improvement in some of the leading indicators, [the data] may raise hopes that the region will expand again in the first quarter and hence avoid a technical recession, said Jonathan Loynes, chief European economist at Capital Economics in London. But there were also reasons to be cautious, he warned. For a start, what details of the breakdown of growth we have at this stage are not particularly encouraging. Much of the upside surprise on French GDP came from a drop in imports, while consumer spending and net trade were both negative in Germany, he said. And more generally, with Greece still on the edge of disaster and the fiscal crisis deepening, the eurozone economy faces enormous challenges in 2012. Annalise Piazza at Newedge Strategy said the dip in area-wide GDP had been expected as the negative effects of the debt crisis have filtered on to the real economy. However, recent surveys showed signs of bottoming out in early 2012. Activity remains close to very weak levels but the economy doesnt seem to be on a freefall, she said. Howard Archer, chief European economist at IHS Global Insight, was not so optimistic. The eurozone had one foot back through the recession door in the fourth quarter of 2011, with the data for struggling southern periphery eurozone economies making for largely grim reading, he said. Despite some recent improved eurozone surveys and evidence that Germany is returning to growth, we doubt that the eurozone will be able to avoid further contraction in the first quarter and very possibly the second as well, Archer said. He predicted the euro area would start growing gradually again during the second half of 2012 but would show an overall contraction of 0.6pc across the whole year. Ernst & Young Eurozone Forecast agreed that there was little good news in the GDP data. The current weak economic conditions also highlight the need for the ECB to keep providing ample support to the banking sector in the form of liquidity provision and to the real economy in the form of interest rate cuts, she said. Commerzbank economist Christoph Weil predicted that the euro area will contract against in the first quarter of 2012. But then the worst should be over and activity could start picking up in the spring as long as the sovereign debt crisis remains under control, he said. AFP

MyanMar tiMes

Debt crisis threatens EU with recession

By Simon Morgan FRANKFURT The sovereign debt crisis brought economic growth all across Europe to a standstill and even pushed a number of countries into recession at the end of last year, data showed on February 15. Both the 27-nation EU and the 17-member eurozone saw their economies contract by 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to a flash estimate by the Eurostat data agency. Germany, the regions biggest economy, saw its gross domestic product (GDP) shrink by 0.2pc in the period from October to December as the longrunning debt crisis slammed exports, its traditional engine of growth. Similarly, activity in Austria, Britain, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania and Spain ground to a halt, while Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal all found themselves in recession, technically defined as two consecutive quarters of GDP contraction. Among the countries to publish preliminary fourthquarter GDP data so far, only Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Latvia and Slovakia saw their economies expand, while zero growth was recorded in Cyprus and Finland. France, the euro areas second-biggest economy, provided the main positive surprise, notching up modest growth of 0.2pc in the final quarter of last year. Analysts said that at first glance the data did not appear to be as dire

That means the European Central Bank may have to cut key interest rates from their current historically

low level of 1pc soon, Archer said. Marie Diron, senior economic adviser to the

Ex-Olympus chief Kikukawa arrested

TOKYO The former president of under-fire Olympus has been arrested in Tokyo, prosecutors said on February 16, in one of the biggest ever financial scandals to rock corporate Japan. Tsuyoshi Kikukawa who has been named as a key player in a scheme to shift US$1.7 billion of losses from the camera-makers balance sheet was arrested on suspicion of violating laws banning falsification of financial statements. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office also said in a statement that it had arrested former vice president Hisashi Mori, 54, former auditor Hideo Yamada, 67, as well as former brokerage house executive Akio Nakagawa, 61. Three other officials of an investment fund were arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department, the prosecutors office said. All seven conspired to falsify Olympuss balance sheet, reporting that its consolidated net assets stood at 344.871 billion yen ($4.4 billion) in fiscal 2006 instead of 233.737 billion yen, the prosecutors statement said. They also made a false statement in fiscal 2007, reporting net assets of 367.876 billion yen, windowdressing the real value of 254.246 billion yen, the statement said. Prosecutors will press ahead with their probe and continue to raid locations related to the case, including Kikukawas house, public broadcaster NHK reported. The three Olympus executives have admitted to prosecutors their involvement in the falsification of financial statements, TV Asahi said. We will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities to uncover the facts, an Olympus spokesman said, according to Dow Jones Newswires. Olympuss admission that a small group of top executives used overpriced deals to cover up bad investments dating back to the 1990s has shaken confidence in Japanese corporate governance. The firm eventually admitted in early November that it had hidden the losses after the allegations were first aired by Michael Woodford when he was ousted as chief executive and president the month before. AFP

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The Empire State Building towers over the Manhattan skyline on February 13. Pic: AFP
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Empire State Building set for public listing

NEW YORK Investors will soon be able to own a piece of one of New Yorks greatest views, as the owners of the Empire State Building filed on February 13 to list it on the New York Stock Exchange. Manhattans most famous landmark, which reigned as the worlds tallest for more than four decades, is included among New York properties included in a new real estate investment trust being floated to investors. The Malkin family that owns the tower filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission saying they hoped to raise as much as US$1 billion in an initial public offering for the company, Empire State Realty Trust. Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs were named as the underwriters of the offering. At 381 metres (1250 feet) and 102 floors, the art decostyle building is one of New York Citys most popular tourist destinations, enjoying its second stint as the citys tallest building since the higher World Trade Center twin towers were destroyed in the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. It was the worlds tallest building from its opening in 1931 until 1974, when the 442-metre Sears Tower was completed in Chicago. In recent years it has been dwarfed by new skyscrapers in Asia and the Middle East, with the current global champion Dubais 828-metre, 160-storey Burj Khalifa, which opened last year. AFP

US homebuilders see market improving

WASHINGTON US homebuilders are growing more confident the depressed housing market may be on the mend, their outlook the brightest in more than four years, an industry survey showed on February 15. The National Association of Home Builders said that its index of home-builder confidence rose for the fifth straight month in February, to 29 from 25 in January. The rise in confidence was stronger than expected and comes just ahead of the traditional spring home buying season. Although an improvement, the NAHBs Housing Market Index (HMI) remained below 50, an indication that builders still generally view conditions as poor, the NAHB cautioned. This is the longest period of sustained improvement we have seen in the HMI since 2007, which is encouraging, David Crowe, NAHB chief economist said in a statement. However, it is important to remember that the HMI is still very low, and several factors continue to constrain the market for new home sales, he said, citing competition from foreclosed properties, low-ball appraisals and lending barriers. All three components of the index how builders see current conditions, how they see conditions over the next six months, and the traffic of prospective buyers were all at their highest levels since mid-2007, Jennifer Lee of BMO Capital Markets pointed out. This is yet another sign of improvement in the housing sector, which is greatly needed to get the fragile economy back on a sustainable growth path, she said. The Federal Reserve repeatedly has blamed the depressed housing market and high unemployment for holding back the economys recovery from the 2008-2009 economic meltdown. I a n Sh e p h e r d s o n a t H i g h Frequency Economics said the NAHB confidence reading was An artist's impression of Kanbawza Tower, which will be built by Naing Group Construction. Pic: Supplied now consistent with new home sales rising to more than 450,000, compared to the recent trend of just over 300,000. The story here is that pent-up demand is being freed by much easier mortgage conditions, low rates and rising employment. Its real, he said. The unemployment rate dropped for a fifth consecutive month in January, to 8.3 percent from 8.5pc in December, thanks to a spike in business hiring. AFP

People's Park fountain cinema to open in April

A FOUNTAIN at Peoples Park in Sanchaung township that will also double as a cinema will be finished in mid-April, the engineer working on the project said last week. We have nearly finished installing all of the equipment but still need to do the final touches to the software to control the fountains, said U Zaw Htay Aung, an engineer for Natural World company, which is installing the fountain. Work on the project started in mid-2011, he said. We want to make sure that everything works before we unveil it to the public, he added. Noe Noe Aung

Thuwanna upgrades to be finished in April: MFF

WORK to upgrade the Thuwanna sports ground in Thingangyun township is expected to be finished in April, a Myanmar Football Federation spokesperson said last week. [The] authorities in charge of the project hope that work will be finished in April, U Soe Moe, MFFs media officer, said last week, adding that work started in April 2011. U Soe Moe said the upgrades include the addition of a new grandstand that will increase maximum seating to about 35,000, from 20,000. ACE Construction company, which is headquartered in Thaketa township, is doing the construction work. MFF has spent about K700 million on these upgrades. Noe Noe Aung

Naing Group to build KBZ office tower

By Htar Htar Khin NAING Group Construction announced that it had been contracted to build a K20 billion (US$25 million) multiuse tower for Kanbawza Group of Companies at the corner of Pyay and Bargayar roads, near the Myaynigone junction in Sanchaung township. U Zaw Naing Oo, chairman of Naing Group, said during the launch ceremony at Traders Hotel on February 14 that the tower would be built in three years, with work expected to start on August 1. We will build Kanbawza Tower as one of our luxury developments that will reflect a modern lifestyle, he said. We aim to complete this 16-storey high-rise project within three years. He added that customers could buy office or residential space in the development through hire purchase arrangements with Kanbawza Bank. He said hire purchase buys would require a 30 percent downpayment with the remaining 70pc to be paid off over four years. U Htet Naing Oo, an architect from Myanmar New Generation Design Group, said at the ceremony that the tower was a mix of office and residential space and would include penthouse apartments at the top. The ground floor, first floor and second floors will be taken up by Kanbawza Bank, while the third to fifth floors will be set aside as modern office space that include energy saving glass panels, he said. He said the top floor would include an infinity swimming pool, a restaurant, sauna, spa and gym. The two-level basement would include parking for more than 60 cars and the tower would include three 13-person elevators.

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Londons Shard to be EUs tallest tower

By Katy Lee LONDON Gazing over London from the top of the Shard, the European Unions tallest building, will feel like flying, world-renowned architect Renzo Piano told AFP on a tour of the near-completed skyscraper. Its always a surprise when you come on site, the Italian shouted over a cacophony of hammering on one of the middle floors of the tower, which will eventually loom 310 metres (1017 feet) over southeast London. You spend years drawing and making models, making mock-ups, and then this, he said, as his eyes took in the unplastered walls and the wires dangling from the ceiling, 12 years after he first started sketching the Shards jagged tips. The enormous glass-clad structure, which will comprise a total of 95 floors, is already winning critical acclaim for 74-year-old Piano. But the Shards futuristic silhouette has angered traditionalists who say it will ruin Londons skyline when the external structure is finished in May, dwarfing landmarks such as St Pauls Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. English Heritage, the national body responsible for protecting historic sites, says the skyscraper has tainted a view of St Pauls, one of Britains best-loved monuments. But Piano, renowned for his work on the distinctive Centre Pompidou arts centre in Paris with its mesh of colourful external pipes, dismissed the criticism with an elegant wave of the hand. St Pauls is the icon of London and will remain the icon of London, he said, even though the Shards website describes it as an icon for London. This building is not arrogant, he insisted. The skyscraper will be like a spire, its glinting walls reflecting its neighbours and the capricious London skies. Its always a bit difficult to accept new buildings, he added. But St Pauls was modern at the time. In any case, he pointed out, though the Shard has shot upwards at a

Dubais Emaar posts 27pc fall in 2011 profit

DUBAI Dubai-based real estate giant Emaar Properties announced on February 14 a 27 percent drop in 2011 net profit to US$489 million. The 1.794 billion dirhams net profit compared with 2.448 billion dirhams ($665.2 million) a year earlier, the company said. Net operating profit was at 2.058 billion dirham ($560 million) in 2011, down 32pc from 3.034 billion ($826.7 million). But net profit in the fourth quarter surged 161pc to 716 million dirhams ($195 million) from 274 million dirhams ($74.66 million). Losses due to provisions made for impaired assets reached 264 million dirhams ($71.9 million), compared to write-offs of 533 million dirhams ($145.2 million), it said. The company behind major property developments in Dubai, including the worlds tallest building, Burj Khalifa, said annual revenues fell 33pc to 8.112 billion ($2.209 billion) from 12.150 billion dirhams ($3.31 billion). But it boasted that its Dubai Mall was the worlds most visited shopping and tourism destination with record visitor numbers of 54 million people in 2011. Shopping malls and retail businesses contributed 2.14 billion dirhams ($583 million) to annual revenues, or 26pc of the total, and 13pc higher than their 1.9 billion dirhams ($517 million) a year earlier. Revenues from Emaars hospitality and leisure business rose 22pc, contributing 1.22 billion dirhams ($332 million) in 2011, or 15pc of total revenues, compared to 1 billion dirhams ($272 million). The robust financial performance of Emaar in 2011 is a testament to Dubais status as the Middle East regions business and lifestyle hub, said chairman Mohamed Alabbar. With the Dubai Mall hosting more than 54 million visitors, the city has firmly established its global credentials as an international business and leisure destination, he said. This status perfectly complements the strategically diversified business interests of Emaar, supported by our shopping malls and retail and hospitality and leisure businesses, which achieved solid growth in their contributions to recurring revenues in 2011, he added. Revenues from international operations almost doubled to 1.81 billion dirhams ($493 million) from 973 million dirhams ($265 million), with its share of revenues increasing to 22pc from 8pc. AFP

People look at the Shard building (2nd right) under construction from Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath in London. Pic: AFP speed that has startled Londoners, construction only started after a lengthy public inquiry by Britains then Labour government. When youre making a building like this, thats so important for the city, you have to be absolutely sure that its the right thing to do, said Piano. He added wryly: As an architect, if you make a mistake it stays there for a long time. The unfinished Shard is already the European Unions tallest building, having overtaken Frankfurts 300metre Commerzbank Tower in December as it edges up, but it is still some way behind the worlds tallest tower the 828-metre Burj Khalifa in Dubai. But as construction began on the Shard in 2009, just across the River Thames a crisis was gripping one of the worlds top financial hubs. The architect conceded that seeing through the 450 million (US$706 million) project amid the economic slump was not easy. And as Britain teeters again on the brink of recession, many wonder whether the Shard will stand over a city in long-term decline. Piano, however, hopes the skyscraper will provide a much-needed lift to Londons economy. Sometimes buildings have been built in a recession and become a symbol of energy, he says. I think this will happen like that. The Shard will house Britains first Shangri-La hotel as well as luxury flats, restaurants, office space and a viewing observatory on floors 68 to 72 that will give 360-degree panoramas of the British capital. The idea, said Piano, is to build a vertical city within a city, operating 24 hours a day offices, a hotel, public spaces like restaurants. And youll have the viewing gallery up there, which will receive one million visitors a year. The Shards wealthy inhabitants, he admits, will need a strong head for heights. But Piano says those who move in to floors 53 to 65 Britains highest residential properties will enjoy unparalleled views of the city. It will feel like flying. Its a constant aspiration, the idea of taking off, of breathing fresh air, he beamed. I think that will be lovely. AFP

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Broken cable slows internet: MPT

By Htoo Aung THE internet connection speed slowed to a crawl last week after a fibre-optic cable linking Myanmar to China broke on February 14, a Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications official said. The official, who works in MPTs Information and Documentation Department, said the cable broke at about 1am on February 14, adding that the cable had already been repaired by February 15. He said the cable broke between near Phyugyi in Bago Region and had been repaired by adding new backup lines. However, the internet connection speed will be slow for a couple of days, he said. There are two main lines running to the east of the Ayeyarwady River to Bago and Pyay. The line broke on the Bago side and we had to connect new lines around the breakage, which slows the connection down because it can only handle twothirds of the bandwidth. But the internet connection speed should have improved from February 16, he added. We are now trying to connect to the SEAME-WE 4 international cable via Bangladesh this year to upgrade local internet service and communication systems, he said.

Expat develops taxi talk app for Yangon

A NEW mobile telephone application launched on February 9 makes anybody fluent in taxi-speak, its designers said last week. The Yangon Taxi Translator was co-designed by Hong Kong-based E-publishing company Triple Happiness Publishing and Swedish expatriate Erik Frisk. Mr Frisk said the inability to adequately communicate with taxi drivers was as frustrating for visitors as it was for long-term expatriates. I remember when I was a newcomer to Myanmar, Mr Frisk said. I tried my best to communicate with cab drivers but sometimes ended up on the other side of town. And with help from Myanmar friends and Triple Happiness Publishing, Mr Frisk set out to solve the problem. The result is an application for iPhones and Android-equipped smartphones that translates the names of Yangons street and township names, as well as major hotels, residential areas and sightseeing destinations. Even though the application has only been available for about a fortnight, Mr Frisk said he had already been contacted by a number of satisfied clients. He added that the application also includes a Taxi card email service to allow addresses to be sent from a suitable telephone, which he said would be handy for hotels and businesses as the number of international visitors grows. The Yangon Taxi Translator is available in Apples App-store and in Android Markets.

TAKING OUT THE TRASH, IN SPACE: A handout image released by Swiss Space Center shows an artists impression of a CleanSpace One satellite chasing a piece of debris. Pic: AFP PHOTO /EPFL/Swiss Space Center

A definitive look at the SIM card price debate

Shwe Pyitagons recent failed bid to offer K5000 SIM cards ignites discussion over mobile phone costing
By Stuart Deed and Contributors A RECENT article in The Myanmar Times made the argument that Myanmar would reap huge economic benefit from reducing the cost of a mobile phone connection (SIM cards) to zero. Since then the Myanmar media has been abuzz with stories of a K5000 SIM card proposed by Shwe Pyitagon Company. The story was refuted and a K5000 SIM card ruled out as impossible by MPT; which insists that the only workable price for Myanmar is K300,000. So, who is correct should SIM cards cost nothing? K5000? Or K300,000? The short answer is that everyone is correct because the price simply reflects different inputs (costs) that go into the various business models. The long answer requires analysis at a level much deeper than just that of price. At a recent economics seminar held at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), Nobel economist Professor Joseph Stiglitz alluded to this, saying that there is a need for a national dialogue on possibilities and priorities, while also insisting that development and growth be both equitable and inclusive for all Myanmars citizens. In other words, growth must be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. Firstly, lets look at some important features of the K5000 SIM card proposed by the Shwe Pyitagon Company. The first observation is that Shwe Pyitagon is a private company, whose primary objective is profit. Therefore, in order to maximise profit any private company would inevitably focus its investment and operations in densely populated areas the towns and cities, while placing a much lesser priority on the sparsely populated rural areas. For a private company this is a rational choice based on commercial viability. However, the company also said that communications play an important role in poverty reduction, yet by inevitably under-serving rural areas, those who could most benefit from access to communication services will remain, for longer, in the poverty cycle. The second observation relates to Shwe Pyitagons desire to seek the necessary licences to launch such an operation. Unfortunately, current telecommunications law clearly prohibits private companies from owning telecoms infrastructure, a fact that would severely weaken the Shwe Pyitagon investment model. Moreover, it appears that there is no getting around this without a new telecommunications law being drafted and then approved by parliament. While reform of the telecommunications law is a possibility, is it a priority when economic, currency, land and so many other reforms are also required? In Professor Stiglitzs seminar presentation at the UMFCCI, titled Development Strategies for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth, the Nobel laureate explained how Myanmar has the advantage of being able to learn from the mistakes made by other countries that have faced similar challenges. The advantage of being late [is that] you can learn from the mistakes and successes of others to avoid making the same mistakes but imitate the successes, Professor Stiglitz said on February 11. For example, the simplistic privatisation of national assets has in many cases, such as Russia, resulted in increased cronyism, thus becoming a new source of Simply stated, due to the perceived lack of access to cheap capital, the cost to MPT of building a mobile network is considerably higher and the SIM card cost is correspondingly higher. Nevertheless, MPT is making an effort to expand given the public obligation to do so as the sole legal operator. The benefits of telecommunications development especially mobile telephones are widely understood. The impact to baseline gross domestic product growth in developing countries has shown increases of up to 1.2 percent with every 10pc increase in mobile penetration. Furthermore, there is the employment potential for the creation of up to 300,000 mobilerelated jobs in Myanmar. Coupled with this are the many social benefits, which include the promotion of social cohesion and economic welfare; economic empowerment, especially in low-income rural areas; extension of communications to users with low education and those on low incomes; dissemination of educational and health information; and faster assistance in disaster relief. It is probably fair to say that universal access to telecommunications services is a humanitarian necessity, with the potential to fulfil all the objectives for development outlined by Professor Stiglitz. That being the case, there are clearly weaknesses to both the Shwe Pyitagon and MPT models. So is there another model that combines the relative strengths, whilst avoiding the respective weaknesses? As Myanmar continues to reform, access to additional official development assistance (ODA) will rapidly expand. A soft or low interest loan(s) could facilitate the rapid deployment of a uniform nationwide communications infrastructure that would be owned by MPT. It would also ensure the network quality, not just for an internetenabled mobile network but additionally a nationwide fibre-optic backbone and broadband internet networks available to every township in Myanmar. The ODA would also arrive as technical assistance that would provide the necessary capacity-building that MPT also requires. With MPT as the owner of the infrastructure (as recipient of the soft loan) MPT could then act as the catalyst for ICT services development based on a uniform and regulated network with deregulated services, creating a highly competitive and entrepreneurial environment that would be built on a level playing field. International best practice also suggests that service providers would be made to contribute a percentage of revenue into a social development fund that could be used to fund a multitude of social programs at the township level. There are many benefits to this ODA-based development model. Firstly, the government is able to add value within the economy that benefits the whole country, rather than selling off telecoms national asset, which only benefits a privileged few. Also, the rapid proliferation of ICT services throughout the country including, for example, mobile banking and money transfers will further enhance the utility of the network through the network effect. Additionally the competitive environment will inevitably drive SIM card prices down to zero, and the full potential of telecommunications development would be unleashed. It is definitely a possibility but will it become a priority?

An Indian man sits in an auto-rickshaw as he speaks on a mobile phone at Old Delhi Railway Station in New Delhi. Pic: AFP inequality, a far cry from the equitable development that the citizens deserve. The third observation is to question whether privatising the telecommunications sector (at such an early stage in the countrys development) by issuing licences to one or two private companies is really in the long term public interest. Would it not be better to build up a national infrastructure as a universal service public utility, which could then be privatised some years in the future, generating tens of billions of dollars in revenues for the country? This, again, is a possibility but should it also be a priority? Lastly, there is the critical question of price. There is no doubt that a business model that results in a SIM card costing K5000 is possible. The key determinant in this model is access to, and the cost of, capital. Any company with access to US$50 million, raised either as equity or as debt, would be able to start a basic GSM service and then expand the service through cash flow. However the expansion would be extremely slow, and as indicated earlier, would require a focus on densely populated areas, which would completely fail to deliver the equitable development that best serves the public interest. So if that is the case, why is MPT insisting that the correct price is K300,000? Part of the answer is simply that MPT does not have access to cheap financing and no real budget to speak of. In order for MPT to embark on its current 1.2 million line expansion, MPT has turned to Myanmar companies to provide the financing for the base stations, telecommunications towers, fibre-optic cables and microwave backbone. The local companies pay upfront to buy the equipment and install the towers. When the hardware is commissioned the company is then allowed to sell a limited number of SIM cards in order to recoup its investment and earn a profit. Of course, the number of SIM cards available to the financier is also limited by the size of the network capacity. Not only that, but this fragmented approach has resulted in GSM base-station costs that are markedly higher than the prices that are available to larger, more powerful telecommunications operators. Similarly, the desire for profit results in quality issues and the use of inferior products that will result in significantly higher operations and total lifetime costs.

TiMESWORLD
UN demands halt to Syrian crackdown
DAMASCUS The UN General Assembly last week demanded an immediate halt to Syrias brutal crackdown, which human rights groups say has claimed more than 6000 lives during the past 11 months. In a strongly worded resolution adopted by a 137-12 vote on February 16, UN member states demanded that President Bashar al-Assads regime stop attacking civilian demonstrators and start pulling its troops back to barracks. China, Russia and Iran opposed the largely symbolic text put forward by Arab states with Western support just days after Beijing and Moscow vetoed a similar resolution in the UN Security Council. The strong vote in favour of the resolution adds to mounting pressure on Assad to curb a crackdown that left at least 41 people dead on February 16 in fresh bloodshed as security forces targetted focal points of dissent. Egypts deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Osama Abdelkhalek, said the General Assembly had sent an unambiguous message to Damascus: It is high time to listen to the voice of the people. But his Syrian counterpart, Bashar Jaafari, lashed out at other Arab nations, saying Western powers had exploited the Arab League to internationalise the crisis. His Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khazaee warned the resolution would only deepen the crisis. Assads troops pummelled the central city of Homs for a 13th straight day on February 16, with 18 people reportedly killed in Hama province and four dying in the southern city of Daraa. Another 19 people, including 11 from the same extended family, were killed in a massacre in Idlib province as troops attacked villages in the Sahl Erruj valley, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added. Its very methodical, said a Daraa resident, reached by telephone from Beirut. The Free Syrian Army is trying to push them back but it is not equipped and is forced to retreat, the resident said, referring to rebel forces. Regime troops are taking revenge. AFP Related report, P. 20.

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Girls dressed as angels at celebrations in the Libyan city of Benghazi on February 16, the eve of the anniversary of the first protests against the regime of Moamer Kadhafi. The uprising spread throughout the North African country and ended with the killing of Kadhafi in his hometown, Sirte, on October 20. Pic: AFP

Xi backs broader US-China military ties, says Pentagon

WASHINGTON Chinas leaderin-waiting Xi Jinping and US defence chiefs agreed on the need for expanded military ties between the two powers in talks at the Pentagon last week, a US military spokesman said. Chinas top brass has shown less enthusiasm for deepening security ties with the United States but Xi, the countrys vice president, endorsed more military contacts at talks with US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, Pentagon spokesman George Little said on February 14. The two sides discussed improving communication between their armed forces as a crucial element to the US-China relationship, Little said in a statement. They agreed on the need for enhanced and substantive dialogue and communication to foster greater understanding and expand mutual trust, Little said after Xi met Panetta and the top US military officer, General Martin Dempsey. Citing recent reciprocal visits by the chiefs of each countrys armed forces, Xi voiced support for an exchange of visits between Panetta and his Chinese counterpart, Little said. Xi urged both sides to maintain and strengthen practical exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries, while Panetta suggested humanitarian assistance and counter-piracy efforts as productive areas for deepening cooperation, he said. Chinas military chiefs have often suspended contacts in recent years because of Washingtons arms sales to Taiwan and territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Anxious about Chinas growing military power, US commanders have long urged a more regular dialogue with their Chinese counterparts designed to avoid misunderstandings and potential crises. Before the meeting, Panetta called for more transparency from Chinas military and said forging a better security dialogue would ensure stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. The United States and China are Pacific powers and we welcome the rise of a prosperous and successful China that plays an active and responsible role in regional and global security affairs, Panetta said. To build a cooperative partnership, it is essential that we enhance mutual trust and understanding between our two military establishments, Panetta said. Xi said he had travelled to the United States to deepen mutual trust and to promote a cooperative partnership between the two countries. AFP Related report, P. 21.

Tehran exaggerating: Israeli defence minister

JERUSALEM Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak last week accused Iran of exaggerating progress on its disputed nuclear program a day after Tehran unveiled what it said was its first domestically-produced 20percent enriched uranium. The Iranians are continuing to progress but what they presented yesterday was a show. There are many things which have been presented in an exaggerated manner, partly to dissuade the world from going after them, he told public radio by telephone from Tokyo on February 16. His remarks came a day after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unveiled what was billed as Tehrans first domestically-produced, 20percent enriched nuclear fuel for its research reactor. He also said Tehran had installed another 3000 centrifuges to increase its uranium enrichment abilities and was stepping up exploration and processing of uranium yellowcake. The Iranians are boasting of successes they have not achieved and they still have much to do to reach the second or third generation of centrifuges, said Barak. Uranium enrichment is at the heart of an escalating dispute between Iran and the international community which fears that Irans nuclear program has military objectives, despite denials from Tehran. The fact that Iran had moved some of its enrichment facilities into an underground site was aimed at making it more difficult to carry out surgical strikes to halt it, Barak said. In recent weeks, there has been feverish speculation that Israel was getting closer to mounting a preemptive strike on Irans nuclear program, but last month, Barak said such a decision was very far away. Tensions between the two arch-foes rose significantly last week after a series of bomb incidents in India, Thailand and Georgia targeting Israeli diplomats, which Israel blamed on Tehran. Barak again accused Iran of being the worlds biggest sponsor of terrorism and urged the international community to respond strongly to Irans adventurism. AFP Bombings, P. 27.

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Political street-fighter on the ropes?

Profile by Deborah Pasmantier
PARIS Five years ago, Nicolas Sarkozy enjoyed the enthusiastic backing of a clear majority of French voters, who felt that to break with Frances sleepy past they needed some of his brutal energy. With about 10 weeks to go before a re-election battle that he is odds on to lose, he has lost none of his determination, but France has tired of his aggression and appears to be looking for a more reassuring new champion. But Sarkozy hasnt changed. If the 57-yearold political street fighter does manage to swing the election his way before the May 6 second-round vote, it could only be thanks to the same restless drive that brought him to power. A right-wing activist at 19, a town mayor at 28, lawmaker at 34 and minister at 38, winning the presidency at 52 brought him no relief from what his predecessor Jacques Chirac called his insatiable appetite for action. His time in office was as busy in his personal life as it was in politics. He divorced his second wife after a tumultuous struggle to woo her back from her lover, married supermodel Carla Bruni and had a daughter with her. At the height of his powers he was the most popular president since General Charles de Gaulle. I have no right to disappoint, he said. But he did. First with his overbearing swagger and eventually through his actions. The first faux pas came on the very evening of his election, when he feted his victory in fine style in the glitzy eatery Fouquets with some of Frances richest people, setting the seal on his image as a fan of tasteless excess. One of his worst decisions was to allow his son Jean, 23, while a university undergraduate, to try to take charge of the powerful public development agency in the La Defence business district. Then came the 2008 credit crunch and the subsequent financial crises. Sarkozy tried to rise to the occasion as a global statesman, staging crisis summit after crisis summit, but his high-rolling Rolex and Rayban image sat ill with an age of austerity, and French voters turned their backs on him. French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced his re-election bid on February 15 but faces a tough challenge from the Socialist partys Francoise Hollande. Pic: AFP man of the people. Chirac was never happier than when greeting farmers, tasting food and admiring prize cattle at the Paris agricultural show. Sarkozy was famously filmed there telling a grumpy bystander: Get stuffed, you stupid bastard. He often irritated his own ministers, usurping the day-to-day governing role of his low-key prime minister Francois Fillon, and pushing his agenda with a series of surprise initiatives and edicts from the Elysee Palace. If he does fall in May, what will he have left behind him? His supporters highlight the reforms that he managed to push past a dubious parliament and public an unpopular increase in the retirement age from 60 to 62 and a measure to ensure the independence of universities. He has had an impact on the international stage, helping negotiate an end to Russias drive into Georgia and leading the NATO intervention that helped Libyan rebels topple Moamer Kadhafi. French banks and the euro as a whole remain perilously exposed to the sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone, but neither collapsed on his watch. Nevertheless, his hyperactivity cannot conceal a patchy record. He began more reforms than he ever finished, but at least he tried to deal with some things that his predecessors never even dared face, said Bruno Jeanbart, of the polling institute OpinionWay. Those most disappointed are those who believed in his slogan work more to earn more unemployment is approaching 10 percent and he has not lived up to his promises to tackle tax loopholes and discrimination. He has shocked many by flirting with far-right themes. He linked crime to immigration, expelled EU citizens of Roma descent and launched a debate on the threat Islam supposedly poses to French national identity. Sometimes, Sarkozy has admitted mistakes. Often, he has announced that he has changed, matured, grown into his role. Now, he appears to finally have admitted to himself that he must look defeat in the face. If Im beaten, you wont hear any more from me, he said last month. AFP

According to pollsters, his average approval rating during his five-year term has been the lowest of any president of the Fifth Republic. The most important factor is the way in which he vulgarised politics and lowered the status of the presidential office for his own ends, said political scientist Stephane Rozes of the Cap Institute. What the French reproach him for is his personality and his way of going about things, he said. Sarkozy had a unique style in French politics. Former presidents were

aloof, monarchical. The man once mockingly called Sarko the American wanted to shake France up with an unapologetic, transparent and pro-market agenda. But after Fouquets and a post-election break on a billionaire friends yacht, his whirlwind and very public romance with a wealthy supermodel painted the picture of a leader more in love with his own success than with France. Chirac and his wife was also a wealthy couple, but Sarkozys predecessor was careful to play the role of a charismatic, beer-drinking

Syrians to vote on changes to charter

activists said troops stormed the central city of Hama and stepped up assaults nationwide, defiant in the face of mounting Arab and Western peace efforts. Amnesty International said on February 15 that more than 607 people had been killed in Syria, including 45 children, since February 3, when government troops launched a major assault on the flashpoint central city of Homs. Rights groups say more than 6000 people have been killed since regime forces began cracking down on democracy protests launched 11 months earlier. Chinas Premier, Wen Jiabao, said on February 14 that Beijing would not protect the Syrian government. China will absolutely not protect any party, including the government in Syria, Wen told reporters in Beijing during an EU-China summit. His comments came after the United Nations top human rights representative said the inaction by the United Nations had emboldened the Syrian government to use overwhelming force against its own civilians. China and Russia have faced a barrage of criticism for blocking a UN Security Council resolution on February 4 that condemned the bloody crackdown on protests in Syria. AFP

DAMASCUS Syrias president on February 15 called a constitutional referendum that would effectively end nearly 50 years of single-party rule, state media said. A day after rejecting UN allegations of crimes against humanity, Bashar al-Assad called the referendum for February 26, in a move aimed at placating growing global outrage over the bloodshed during an uprising against his rule. The proposed charter drops Article 8, which declared the ruling Baath Party as the leader of the state and society, allowing for a multiparty system, state television said. In April, Assad scrapped emergency rule in force since 1963, when the Baathists took power in a coup detat. But he has repeatedly promised reforms that have failed to materialise since the uprising erupted in March. The embattled 46-year-old president, who succeeded his late father Hafez in 2000, has said the constitution would usher in a new era for Syria, the state-run SANA news agency said. The United States dismissed the move as laughable, with White House spokesman Jay Carney saying it made a mockery of the Syrian revolution. Promises of reforms have usually been followed by an

A supporter of President Bashar al-Assad at a rally in Damascus on February 15. Pic: AFP increase in brutality and have never been delivered upon by this regime since the beginning of peaceful demonstrations in Syria, he said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said we certainly believe a new constitution to end oneparty rule in Syria is a step forward. It is a welcome idea and we hope the constitution will be adopted. The opposition Syrian National Council is likely to reject the constitution, given that one of its main guiding principles is to overthrow the regime using all legal means. Regardless, the proposed chAssads decision came as

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Briefs
Hondurans irate after jail inferno kills 355
COMAYAGUA, Honduras Anger rose in Honduras on February 16 as word spread of witness accounts that inmates were left trapped in a raging prison fire, or were shot trying to flee a blaze that killed 355 prisoners. The blaze that engulfed the overcrowded Comayagua prison was thought to be the worlds worst jail fire. How can you believe 350 people died just like that? Its because they let them die. They (guards) did not come with the keys, said Angelina Raudales, 62, whose husband was among the victims.

Xi forecasts new start in US ties

WASHINGTON Chinese heir apparent Xi Jinping heralded a new historical starting point for ties with the United States on February 15, wooing US business leaders with a glimpse of a more cooperative future. Speaking during a lavish ballroom luncheon with the upper crust of corporate America, Vice President Xi described deeper SinoAmerican ties as an unstoppable river that keeps surging ahead. Glossing over the tumultuous twists and turns in 30 years of Cold War-dominated relations, Xi said interests had become ever-more intertwined. It is a course that cannot be stopped or reversed, he said. Xi was on his maiden visit to the United States as a top official, a trip many hope would help close a chapter in relations characterised by mistrust and mudslinging, particularly in the commercial sphere. With Xi widely tipped to lead China from 2013 and Obama in a November re-election battle, the visit was being regarded as a dress rehearsal for the next generation of US-China relations. In a broad-ranging speech that was short on specifics, Xi told business leaders on February 15 that increased understanding, mutual respect for core interests, trade and cooperation in international affairs should form the basis for relations. Over the past 33 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the friendship between our two peoples has deepened, mutually beneficial cooperation has expanded and our interests have become increasingly interconnected, he said. Xi largely steered clear of specific policy pronouncements, but stressed the mutual benefits of trade, saying that 47 of 50 US states had seen their exports with China grow in the last decade. In the last decade, trade between the two countries has increased over 275 percent and is worth half a trillion dollars a year. But Chinese exports still comprise 80 percent of bilateral trade, despite China joining the World Joe Biden sharply criticised Chinas decision to join Russia in vetoing a UN resolution condemning violence in Syria, as well as Beijings rights record. We have been clear about our concern over the areas in which, from our perspective, conditions in China have deteriorated and about the plight of several very prominent individuals. We appreciate your response, Biden said. Xi responded that China has made tremendous and wellrecognised achievements in human rights but added: There is always room for improvement. We will, in light of Chinas national conditions, continue to take concrete and effective policies and measures to promote social fairness, justice and harmony and push forward Chinas course of human rights, Xi said. At the luncheon, Xi said the United States and China should should address each others economic and trade concerns through dialogue and consultation, not protectionism, and uphold the mutually beneficial pattern of ChinaUS economic relations and trade. AFP

Chinas Vice President Xi Jinping addresses business leaders in Washington on February 15. Pic: AFP Trade Organisation a decade ago, leading to accusations of protectionism from US industry. President Barack Obama also raised economic issues in talks with Xi at the White House on February 14. Welcoming Xi to the Oval Office, Obama said Washington welcomed a prosperous China and praised its extraordinary development over the last two decades, but stressed that power came with increased responsibilities. We want to work with China to make sure that everybody is working by the same rules of the road when it comes to the world economic system, Obama said. That includes ensuring that there is a balanced trading flow not only between the United States and China but around the world, Obama said. The US leader also raised concerns about human rights, saying Washington would continue to emphasise what we believe is the importance of realising the aspirations and rights of all people. Speaking later at a luncheon for Xi at the State Department, Vice President

Four life sentences for terror plotter

DETROIT, Michigan A Nigerian who tried to blow up a packed airliner in a botched al-Qaeda plot on Christmas Day 2009 was handed multiple life sentences by a US judge on February 16. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 25, showed no emotion as Judge Nancy Edmunds handed down the maximum sentences for the eight counts to which he pleaded guilty in October, which amount to four consecutive life sentences and an additional 50 years behind bars.

US unveils Europe troops withdrawal

WASHINGTON The United States vowed on February 16 to retain close military ties with its European allies after unveiling plans to withdraw more than 11,000 troops from Germany and Italy as part of a strategic shift to Asia. The details of the troop reduction were announced as Defence Secretary Leon Panetta hosted his German counterpart, Thomas de Maiziere, for talks at the Pentagon. Both men endorsed the drawdown at a joint news conference, with Panetta promising the move would not alter Washingtons commitment to the NATO alliance.

$11,700 collar stolen from dogs grave

PARIS French police are investigating the theft of a diamond-studded dog collar from a grave at the worlds oldest pet cemetery. The collar, worth 9000 euros (US$11,700), was stolen when the grave was opened on the night of February 5, police said on February 16. A wealthy American industrialists wife buried the dog in 2003 in the Paris suburb of Asnieres-sur-Seine in a marble tomb with a headstone featuring a large red heart and an image of a black poodle. AFP

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1.8m dead Americans on voter lists: think tank study

WASHINGTON More than 1.8 million dead Americans remain listed as active voters, said a study released on February 14 which described the US voter registration system as plagued with errors and inefficiencies. The research conducted by the non-partisan Pew Center on the States also revealed that one in every eight voter records contains inaccuracies and at least 51 million eligible voters are not registered to take part in elections. The study comes as the United States prepares for presidential and congressional elections in November. Voter registration is the gateway to participating in our democracy, but these antiquated, paper-based systems are plagued with errors and inefficiencies, said David Becker, director of election initiatives at Pew. These problems waste taxpayer dollars, undermine voter confidence and fuel partisan disputes over the integrity of our elections. Of about 24 million incorrect voter registrations throughout the country, or 13 percent of the national total, more than 1.8 million are for people who are dead, the center found. Another 2.75 million people are registered in more than one state. About 12 million records contain incorrect addresses, meaning either the voters have moved or the US Postal Service would have trouble finding them, it said. Some of the errors can be explained by the fact that one in eight Americans moved during the 2008 and 2010 election years, mainly young people and members of the US military. A case study carried out in the northwestern state of Oregon showed that every new voter registration cost US$7.67, compared with 35 cents a voter spent in Canada, which uses better technology to maintain voter lists. The 51 million eligible voters who are not registered represent nearly a quarter of all eligible citizens. In Canada, 93pc of the eligible population is registered, according to Pew. The center said it was working with state election officials on ways to ensure greater accuracy including the cross-checking of voter lists with other data sources such as motor vehicle records and allowing voters to register online to minimise human error. AFP

Santorum surges in polls

WASHINGTON Rick Santorums drive to capture the Republican presidential nomination gained momentum on February 14 as he surged to the front of the field in national polls and extended his lead over Mitt Romney in his rivals native Michigan. But Romneys supporters were just rolling out the big guns massive spending on television and radio ads that drove previous poorly funded challengers from the field in key states like Florida and Iowa. Michigan, where Romney was born and raised, is looming as a crucial, mustwin state for the candidate, who has struggled to convince Republicans he is the man to go up against President Barack Obama in November elections. I am a son of Detroit, Romney proclaimed in an op-ed piece published in the Detroit News on February 14 ahead of the February 28 primary vote. A new television ad also touted Republican primary voters, followed by Romney (27pc), Paul (12pc) and Gingrich (10pc). Another poll, by CNN/ORC International, had Santorum at 34pc to 32pc for Romney, but found low enthusiasm among Republican voters for any of the candidates. A survey in Michigan released by Public Policy Polling on February 13, had Santorum in front at 39pc, trailed by Romney (24pc), Paul (12pc) and Gingrich (11pc). Santorum, a Christian conservative, has appeared to benefit from his image as a politician with working class roots from Pennsylvania, a northeastern state with a similar industrial profile to Michigan. His poll surge has come amid a sudden eruption of fights nationally over explosive cultural issues such as religion, gay marriage, contraception and womens rights. Those issues play to Santorums record. AFP

Republicans condemn Obamas $3.8b budget

WASHINGTON US President Barack Obama unveiled a $3.8 trillion budget on February 13 packed with tax hikes on the rich and jobs programs, fleshing out a populist vision that he hopes to ride to a second term. But the blueprint immediately sunk into the toxic mire of Washington politics, with Republicans branding it a mere campaign document and an example of an America drowning in debt. Obama said his 2013 budget would sustain new economic growth, create jobs, change an economic system tilted towards the wealthy and make long-term cuts to deficits due to top $1 trillion four years in a row. We have got to do everything in our power to keep this recovery on track, Obama said, as he unveiled the document, the embodiment of his election message of restoring a fair shot for average Americans in a recovering economy. There is little chance of much of the document becoming law in a divided Congress in an election year. But Obama used the budget to set political traps for Republicans, whom he wants to brand as obstructionist foes of the middle class. He called for more than $600 billion in construction, research and development, training and innovation spending designed to create jobs and nurture a newly skilled American work force and 21st century infrastructure. Obama would modernise 35,000 schools, repair roads, railways and airport runways; pour billions of dollars into education; and require the Pentagon to reconfigure missions and spend $487 billion less than planned in 10 years. But the Defence Departments request of $613 billion for 2013 holds military spending steady after a war-torn decade. The document also included a request for $800 million to strengthen political and other reforms in Arab countries undergoing pro-democracy revolutions. The plan projects a $1.3 trillion deficit for the current fiscal year and sees the shortfall dipping below $1 trillion in fiscal year 2013 at $901 billion. Obama plans to pay for his proposals by repealing tax cuts for those earning more than $250,000 a year passed by his predecessor George W. Bush. Officials also put forward a $206 billion proposal to tax dividends of the richest taxpayers at the rate of the top level of income tax. Obamas previous attempts to hike taxes on the wealthy have foundered on calls of class warfare from Republicans who warn they will slow growth and harm small businesses which are the engine of job creation. AFP

Opinion polls put Rick Santorum ahead of Mitt Romney ahead of a primary vote this week in the crucial state of Michigan. Pic: AFP him as a hometown boy. But national polls showed Santorum surging ahead of longtime frontrunner Romney and the ground shifting rapidly against the former Massachusetts governor since he lost three state nominating contests to the former Pennsylvania senator the previous week. All four remaining Republican candidates Santorum, Romney, Texas congressman Ron Paul and former House speaker Newt Gingrich have agreed to take part in a CNNhosted debate in Arizona on February 22, less than a week before the primary there and in Michigan. A national CBS/New York Times poll released on February 14 had Santorum at 30 percent among likely

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Reg.No. iV/5087/2008 Reg.No. iV/3954/2010 Reg.No. iV/917/2012 in respect of Class 33: Vodka. Above Trade Mark has already renewed in 2010 that was cancelled (partially) at Myanmar registration. khine khine U, Advocate LL.B, D.B.L, LL.M (Uk) For Hardy Way, LLC #731, 7th Fl., Traders Hotel Yangon. Dated. February 20, 2012

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Italian court convicts pair in landmark asbestos case

TURIN A Swiss billionaire and a Belgian baron were found guilty and sentenced to 16 years each in prison by an Italian court on February 13 in a groundbreaking trial over 3000 alleged asbestos-related deaths. Stephan Schmidheiny, the former owner of a company making Eternit fibre cement, and Jean-Louis Marie Ghislain de Cartier de Marchienne, a major shareholder, were sentenced in absentia after being found guilty of causing an environmental disaster and failing to comply with safety regulations. They were ordered to pay 30,000 (US$39,000) in damages to relatives of people It just goes killed by asbestosrelated diseases and 35,000 for every sick person, as well as other payouts set to total hundreds of millions of euros. Hundreds of relatives of victims had waited anxiously for the verdict in a trial which was closely watched as a potential precedent around the world, and they wept, cheered and clapped when the sentence was read aloud. Prosecutor Raffaele Guariniello, who worked on the case for the past five years, said: This verdict gives us, not just in Italy but in the entire world, the right to dream that justice Defence lawyers said they would appeal, a process that could take several years in the Italian justice system. They had denied the accused had direct responsibility for the company, and the pair were absent from court throughout. A legal source close to the defence said that under Italian law the pair was under no obligation to serve their sentences or pay the damages until the case had been heard by both the appeal court and Italys supreme court. It could also go before the European Court of Justice, he said. The hearing was watched by around 1500 relatives and supporters who to show, David can win against Goliath! huddled around large screens streaming the According to the defence, Schmidheiny hearing live, and reaction was mixed and De Cartier have been sentenced to between joy at a guilty verdict and anger pay over 250 million in damages to at the length of their sentences. This trial will go down in history... various civil parties involved. The town of Casale Monferrato, one of but it will not bring my dad back, said the worst hit by cases of asbestos-related Piero Ferraris, whose father Evasio died illnesses, was awarded 25 million in in 1988 of lung cancer after working in damages, while Cavagnolo village got an Eternit factory from 1946 to 1979. Eric Jonckheere, a representative for 5 million. The national institute for work- Belgium victims whose father, mother related accidents or injuries, INAIL, and two siblings were killed by asbestoswon 15 million while the Piedmont related diseases, and who had attended region, where the largest Eternit factory the hearing, said: It just goes to show, David can win against Goliath! AFP was based, was awarded 20 million. can and should be done. Lawyer Sergio Bonetto told AFP that the case was far from over. It was a fair verdict which acknowledges their responsibility but the problem now is to see if the condemned men will face up to their obligations and pay the damages. They are unlikely to go to jail any time soon. Schmidheiny is 64 and De Cartier, 90. Their crimes usually carry a maximum 12-year sentence, but prosecutors had sought a harsher punishment because they say the fall-out continues to affect victims.

Monsanto ordered to compensate farmer

LYON, France A French court last week found US agro giant Monsanto legally responsible for the poisoning of a farmer with one of its herbicides in 2004, in a verdict that could have global implications. Monsanto is responsible for Paul Francoiss suffering after he inhaled the Lasso product ... and must entirely compensate him, said the judgement from the court in the southeastern city of Lyon on February 13. This concerns farmers around the world, said the farmers lawyer, Francois Lafforgue. Grain grower Francois, 47, inhaled the powerful weedkiller when he opened up a sprayer in 2004. He was unable to work for a year. Monsanto was accused of keeping Lasso on the French market until 2007 despite bans of the product in Canada, Britain and Belgium. The company also failed to say what its product contained on the label or warn of the risks of inhalation or advise users to wear a mask, Lafforgue said. Monsantos lawyer JeanPhilippe Delsart had argued that there was no proof of poisoning as the farmers symptoms, which included nausea and headaches, did not appear until months after the inhalation. Monsanto said it would appeal against the ruling. We feel that there are not sufficient scientific elements that demonstrate the causal link between the use of Lasso and Mr Francoiss health problems, said Yann Fichet, Monsanto Frances head of institutional relations. Generations Futures, which lobbies against the massive use of pesticides, hailed the ruling. The recognition of Monsantos responsibility in this matter is essential: plant care companies know that from now on they can no longer shirk their responsibilities, said spokesman Francois Veillerette. This is an important step for all farmers and the other victims of pesticides who can at last see firms responsibility challenged for painful illnesses that affect them, and have their suffering compensated. AFP

Cruise liner survivors lodge $528m lawsuit

Our goal is to get the cruise MIAMI Thirty-nine survivors of the Costa lines to stop ... spending Concordia cruise ship that money on ads that market capsized off Italy last month dream vacations that cant filed an amended lawsuit be fulfilled because they in Florida state court on invest nothing in security February 14 seeking more or personnel training, said than half a billion dollars in Oscar Aleman, a Venezuelan passenger who lost his damages. The suit filed against personal documents in the M i a m i - b a s e d C a r n i v a l shipwreck. The Costa Concordia had Cruise Lines Inc., and its subsidiary Costa Cruise 4229 people aboard including Line which owns the Costa about 1000 staff when it ran Concordia seeks US$78 aground on January 13 near million in damages and Giglio, a picturesque island $450 million in punitive off Tuscany. Thirty-two people are damages. The defendants acted believed to have died in in a severely reckless and the tragedy, although the willful, wanton manner, bodies of 15 have not been with complete disregard for recovered. Captain Francesco the safety, lives and well being of the plaintiffs, Marc S c h e t t i n o , w h o f a c e s charges of Bern, a lawyer manslaughter representing n the passengers, We believe we a b a n d o n i n d a g said outside ship before all the Miami will succeed. passengers court where w e r e the case was evacuated, is under house filed. Legal experts say that arrest. Since the disaster, several it could be difficult to win the case in a US court consumer associations have because the Costa Cruise announced their intention Line tickets stated that to bring a class action any legal action against the against Costa Cruise Lines company should be taken despite the firms offer to pay passengers on board in Italy. Lewis Shelton, another the doomed liner more than passenger lawyer, was $14,000 each. Costa extended until undeterred. W e b e l i e v e w e w i l l March 31 a deadline for succeed, Shelton told passengers to accept the reporters. Florida is proper cash payout. Carnival officials have because Carnival and Costa are essentially the same not responded to calls from AFP. entity with offices here. The original suit filed late The 39 plaintiffs include passengers from Italy, the last month by six passengers United States, Germany, demanded $460 million in Canada, South Korea and compensation from Carnival Cruise Lines. AFP China.

Heavy snow blankets the Kosovo capital, Pristina, on February 13, when the death toll in the Balkans from two weeks of icy weather reached 56. Pic: AFP

Cold snap toll climbs in Europe

MOSCOW Some 215 Russians have died this year in a prolonged period of abnormally cold winter weather, the health ministry said on February 13 as the overall death toll for Europe rose to well over 600. Heavy snow continued to fall in Romania and Bulgaria on February 13, but the cold snap that froze much of Europe for the previous two weeks began to ease in the west of the continent. In Russia, 215 people died and 5546 people suffered from hypothermia and frostbite, including 154 children, between January 1 and February 13, the ministry said in a statement. In Moscow, the temperature was minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus four Fahrenheit) on February 13, the state weather service said. While Russian apartment blocks are generally well heated, the homeless are particularly at risk. In the 24 hours to February 13,, the coldest temperature measured in Russia was minus 52.8C ( minus 63 F) in Toko in the northern Sakha republic, the state weather service said. In Romania, the death toll from the cold increased to 74 on February 13 as new snowfalls blanketed the south of the country. Snow disrupted road and railway transportation in the south and in Bucharest. More than 300 passenger trains were cancelled, officials said. In neighbouring Bulgaria where heavy snowfalls also took place, the newspaper Trud reported on February 13 that 47 people had died of cold or drowned since late January. In Bosnia, a woman, 84, was found dead of cold in Foca, while in neighbouring Montenegro one of 80 passengers who had been stranded in a train for the previous three days because of an avalanche died of a heart attack. The total number of deaths in the western Balkans was put at 56. Twenty people have died in Serbia, 13 in Bosnia, 10 in Kosovo, five in Montenegro, three in Croatia, three in Albania and two in Montenegro. In Sarajevo the heavy snow caused the roof of the Olympic sports hall in Skenderija to collapse but no one was injured. During the past two weeks at least 135 people have died of the cold in Ukraine, 82 in Poland, and 45 in Italy. In western Europe, temperatures began to return to normal February averages. AFP

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The incredible journeys of a featherweight flier

LONDON A tiny songbird weighing just two tablespoons of sugar migrates from the Arctic to Africa and back, a distance of up to 29,000 kilometres (18,000 miles), scientists reported last week. The size of an undernourished sparrow, the northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) tips the scales at just 25 grammes (0.9 ounces). But biologists who tagged the tawnyand-white insectivore were stunned at its flight endurance. They attached minute geolocators, each weighing 1.2 grammes (0.04 of an ounce) to the legs of 46 wheatears in Alaska and on Baffin Island in northeastern Canada. The Alaskan birds spent the winter in Africa before returning home, a journey of about 14,500 kms (9,000 miles) each way, in which they flew on average 290km (181 miles) a day. They travelled over Siberia and across the Arabian desert, heading to Sudan, Uganda and Kenya, a trip that took about 91 days on the outward trip but 55 days for the return leg. A tagged bird from Baffin Island flew over the North Atlantic, landed in Britain, travelled southwards across continental Europe, the Mediterranean and Sahara to winter on the coast of Mauritania, West Africa, taking 26 days out and 55 days back for a trip of about 7500km (4700 miles). They are incredible migratory journeys, particularly for a bird this size, said Ryan Norris of the University of Guelph in Ontario. Think of something smaller than a robin but a little larger than a finch raising young in the Arctic tundra and then a few months later foraging for food in Africa for the winter. The study was published on February 15 in Biology Letters, a journal published by the Royal Society, Britains de-facto academy of sciences. Birds with larger wingspans such as the cuckoo and albatross are famous for their transcontinental migrations, but this study provides incontrovertible evidence that a songbird can do the same, say the scientists. Scaled for body size, this is one of the longest round-trip migratory journeys of any bird in the world and raises questions about how a bird of this size is able to successfully undertake such physically demanding journeys twice a year, particularly for inexperienced juveniles migrating on their own. AFP

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Arrests a witch hunt: tabloid

LONDON London police last week defended a string of arrests at Rupert Murdochs British tabloid The Sun, which has accused the force of carrying out a witch hunt against its journalists. The arrest of five staff on February 11 for allegedly bribing officials has plunged Britains biggest-selling newspaper into crisis. The London Metropolitan Police said on February 13 that the seriousness of the allegations meant the resources it is devoting to its inquiries into bribery, phone hacking and computer hacking by journalists were not disproportionate to the enormous task in hand. The response followed a stinging attack in The Sun by its associate editor, Trevor Kavanagh. The Sun is not a swamp that needs draining. Nor are those other great News International titles, The Times and The Sunday Times, Kavanagh wrote. Yet in what would at any other time cause uproar in parliament and among civil liberty and human rights campaigners, its journalists are being treated like members of an organised crime gang. News International is the British newspaper subsidiary of News Corporation, the US-based media empire of which Murdoch is founder and chairman. Kavanagh later told the BBC there were elements in some political parties who wanted The Sun to shut like the News of the World, its Sunday sister paper which Murdoch closed in July amid a scandal over phone hacking. There are people who will stop at nothing to destroy News International, he said. A judicial inquiry set up last year by Prime Minister David Cameron completed its first set of hearings on the ethics of the press earlier this month. Later sessions will deal with collusion between journalists and police and between journalists and politicians. Up until February 13, 21 people had been arrested in an inquiry into alleged corrupt payments made by journalists to police officers and other public officials in exchange for information. They include an army officer, a defence ministry official and policemen, who were arrested on February 11 at the same time as the five senior Sun journalists. Another 17 people have been arrested in a separate inquiry into the hacking of mobile phone voicemails, including former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and Camerons former spokesman Andy Coulson. Kavanagh admitted that some Sun employees were angry at News Corp because its Management and Standards Committee, set up after the hacking scandal, had given police the information that led to the latest arrests. AFP

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British MPs planning visit to disputed isles

LONDON British lawmakers will visit the Falkland Islands next month, stoking tensions with Argentina before the 30th anniversary of the war between the two countries, The Times reported on February 15. Members of Britains Defence Select Committee will make the first such visit in almost a decade days before the anniversary of the invasion of the islands known as the Malvinas in Spanish by Argentine forces on April 2, 1982. Given that we have a significant military presence in the Falklands... it is only right that the defence committee goes and sees first-hand what taxpayers money is being spent on and what it is doing, said Thomas Docherty, a Labour member of the committee. One of my priorities given the historic connection this year will be the anniversary. It is important this year that we recognise the sacrifices made, he told the paper. Argentinas foreign minister Hector Timerman on February 10 protested at the United Nations about Britains militarisation of the islands, saying it had increased its military firepower fourfold there. Britains UN ambassador Mark Lyall Grant warned Argentina about trying to take advantage of the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War, and vowed Britain would defend our position and defend it robustly. The MPs visit coincides with Prince Williams sixweek tour of duty on the islands, which Argentina believes is an act of provocation by Britain. AFP

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The flaw in modernisation theory

RECENTLY in Bangkok, I found myself wandering through the strange but distinctive arena for one of Asias latest conflicts: CentralWorld, supposedly the biggest shopping mall in Southeast Asia. Protesters supporting Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailands populist former prime minister, had set up base camp in the malls plaza in May 2010. During a widely covered clash with security forces, they had set the building on fire, destroying much of it. The newly renovated mall and the traffic outside, restored to Bangkok gridlock can project again an image of prosperity and consumption. However, Thailand itself, governed by his sister, who is prime minister, and remote-

Analysis by Pankaj Mishra

controlled by Thaksin from Dubai, looks no more stable, or closer to being a functional democracy, than at any other time since the Asian financial crisis in 1997. From the late 1950s onward, most Western commentators reflecting on the fate of democracy in the developing and mostly nondemocratic world shared a broad assumption: that middle and other aspiring classes created by industrial capitalism would bring about accountable and democratic governments. This was an axiom of modernisation theory. First proposed during the Cold War as a gradualist and peaceful alternative to communist-style revolution, it was revived in the 1990s to explain events in South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, where educated and politicised populations emerged to demand elected governments from their authoritarian-minded rulers. The theory always had some strong critics, most notably Samuel Huntington, whose Political Order in Changing Societies (1968) questioned whether social and economic transformation in developing societies is always benign, or leads to democracy. The theory also naively assumed that the rising middle class would form a progressive avant-garde and it failed to consider the profound isolation and insecurity of the middle class in largely poor and extremely unequal countries. Modernisation theorists, inhabiting a simple world defined by the ideological binaries of communism and capitalism, could hardly anticipate the vast, complex A Red Shirt protester behind a barricade in central Bangkok, in a file photo taken on April 30, 2010. When the government sent troops to crush the protest a few weeks and unpredictable forces later the Red Shirts set fire to a massive shopping mall just a few kilometres from of economic globalisation: where this photo was taken. Pic: AFP how they would weaken In Russia, the small raised during the heyday of national sovereignty and Thailand. Projecting, like turn electoral democracy Putin in Chechnya, an m i d d l e c l a s s c r e a t e d modernisation theory. Today, itself into another source of image of brute machismo, during Putins long reign a political inquiry about the seemingly permanent T h a k s i n b e c a m e E a s t co-existed happily, until any country should start p o l i t i c a l c o n f l i c t a n d Asias leading exemplar of very recently, with an with this question: Which instability in much of the crony capitalism, installing oligarchic dictatorship that figure or political formation his friends and relatives impoverished the majority looks likely to manage the world. social, political and economic This is true of Thailand, in strategic positions in of Russians. The lack of progressive conflicts unleashed by among many other nation- the state and the private political choices is evident uneven globalisation and states. Much like Vladimir sectors. F i n a l l y , T h a i l a n d s even in India, routinely on whose behalf? Putin in Russia, Thaksin, Certainly, as the cases a self-made, extremely rich older, paternalistic elites described as the worlds businessman, emerged after revolted against Thaksins largest democracy, where of China, India, Russia a devastating economic attempt to create a one- a middle-class campaign a n d T h a i l a n d r e v e a l , crisis in the late 1990s, man democracy. Confronted against corruption last year a u t h o r i t a r i a n f i g u r e s promising to restore the with an invincibly popular was led by a man with a offering quick technocratic Taliban-like faith in the solutions to political and pride of a virtues of hanging, flogging economic problems are country that a n d a m p u t a t i o n . L a s t here to stay. They will felt itself month a survey in India seek support among the scorned and Today revealed Narendra beneficiaries of globalisation humiliated by Modi, a Hindu nationalist even as they try to keep the foreigners. implicated in a pogrom that masses passively committed But after killed 2000 Muslims in 2002, to, or distracted by, the initially as the middle classs top larger project of national attracting greatness. choice as prime minister. the support Of course, once the masses Middle classes in of the urban Singapore and Malaysia h a v e b e e n a w a k e n e d , middle class, complained little about they will demand a larger Thaksin and the strictures imposed by share of the political and his socialtheir governments. The economic goods, bringing welfarist conservative nationalism them inevitably into conflict schemes and of Chinas middle-class with already privileged aggressive beneficiaries of post-Mao classes. rhetoric soon It would be absurd to economic growth is wellalienated documented. Until the Asian predict a repeat of the its members financial crisis, the Suharto 1 9 3 0 s , w h e n f r e s h l y and an regime in Indonesia enjoyed politicised mass societies, i m p o r t a n t Thaksin Shinawatras populist policies broad and eager support angered by internal chaos constituency as prime minister won the support of the among the countrys middle and humiliations abroad, in Thailand urban and rural poor. Pic: AFP and frustrated with the class. the royalist In some countries, the weaknesses of bourgeois elites in the military and politician, they were forced bureaucracy. Like many to resort in 2006 to an old- elections that are usually d e m o c r a c y , e a g e r l y successful populists, Thaksin fashioned military coup, the means to the end of embraced authoritarian had sighted an electorally endowing Thaksin with democracy have become ends rulers. No pivotal event like underrepresented majority the aura of a martyred in themselves. Thailand has the burning of the Reichstag among Thailands rural and d e m o c r a t . S u c c e s s i v e had its nak leuaktang, or has so far occurred. Yet, urban poor. As it turned out, elections, most recently electocrats, professional walking through Southeast securing their votes was as in 2011, have proved that politicians primarily devoted A s i a s b i g g e s t m a l l , I far as he was willing to go in a majority of Thais still to self-enrichment. Indias couldnt help wondering the direction of democracy. back Thaksin, despite his leading public intellectual, if its immolation in 2010 Even as he instituted contempt for civil liberties. Ashis Nandy, believes that might one day possess the B u t t h e n a g a i n , t h e his countrys much-battered same iconic significance. universal health care and consolidated his base middle class that ultimately democracy, too, is dwindling Bloomberg News (Pankaj Mishra, whose among a large population turned against Thaksin has into psephocracy. S o w h a t , y o u m i g h t book, From the Ruins of left behind by economic even weaker democratic growth, Thaksin cracked credentials. Certainly, the wonder, is the fate of Empire: The Revolt against down on media freedom, Cold War prejudice that democracy in large parts the West and the Remaking undermined the judiciary middle-class beneficiaries of of the world? But that is of Asia, will be published in and started a bloody assault capitalism are programmed not the question we should August, is a Bloomberg View o n t h e M a l a y M u s l i m for democracy looks ready for be asking now, even if it columnist, based in London was piously and frequently and Mashobra, India.) population of far southern the trash-heap of history.

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Maldives leader agrees to hold fresh elections

MALE Maldivian President Mohamed Waheed on February 16 agreed to demands for early elections, after taking power the previous week in what his ousted predecessor described as a coup detat. The Indian Ocean island nation has endured a political stand-off since February 7 when protesters backed by police toppled Mohamed Nasheed, the Maldives first democratically elected leader. The government will hold discussions with political parties to hold elections at an early date, Waheeds spokesman Imad Masoud told AFP in the capital Male. The government will work towards creating conditions that will permit such early elections to take place... if necessary the government will consider any constitutional amends that need to be made. Waheed previously planned to form a national unity government and hold scheduled elections by late 2013 a proposal strongly backed by the US. The change of policy was likely to be seen as a victory for Nasheed, who has refused to accept the new administration and repeatedly called for elections to be held as soon as possible. A nine-member Commonwealth ministerial mission was due in the Maldives on February 17 on a fact-finding mission to study the events surrounding Nasheeds resignation and the transfer of power. AFP

Images taken from closed-circuit television footage and released by the Thai police on February 15 showing the three suspects in the botched bomb plot in Bangkok the previous day. Pic: AFP/Royal Thai Police

Malaysia nabs Iranian over failed Bangkok bomb plot

KUALA LUMPUR An Iranian in Malaysia. However, the Thai device at Thai police while fleeing after national arrested in Malaysia for authorities have said they would seek an apparently unintended explosion at a Bangkok house, officials said. suspected involvement in a botched his extradition. He was said to be in stable condition Zadeh was arrested over unspecified bomb plot in Thailand was trying to board a flight to Iran when he was violations of Malaysian immigration in a Bangkok hospital. The other Iranian suspect was detained, the government said on rules, the government has said. Two other Iranians have already detained trying to board a flight out February 16. The arrest the previous day of been charged in Thailand in connection of Thailand. Thai police chief Phrewphan Masoud Sedaghat Zadeh, 31, at Kuala with plot on February 14, the third to Lumpurs international airport showed shake world capitals in less than 24 Damapong said Israeli diplomats were the intended target of the plot, Malaysia was very serious and hours. which came to light after committed to addressing the an apparently unintended threat of terrorism, said Home Minister Hishammuddin Thai police say Israeli diplomats were explosion at a house in Bangkok on February 14. Hussein. Observers said the use of The authorities of this the intended targets of the plot. motorbike assassins to blow country will never allow up targets cars with magnetic Malaysia to become a location, An Israeli diplomat in New Delhi bombs closely mirrored the method base, or transit point for terrorists or individuals who are wanted by suffered grave shrapnel wounds after a used to murder nuclear scientists in any other country, he said in a motorbike assailant attached a bomb to Iran in the past two years. Thai police said explosives and her car on February 13, when police in statement. It gave no further details other Georgia defused a bomb attached to an magnets were found inside a house used by the suspects. than to confirm the suspect had fled Israeli diplomats car in Tbilisi. Bangkok has been on the watch for Thai police say Israeli diplomats were to Malaysia on February 14 and was a suspect in a series of botched the intended targets of the botched plot, a terror attack since police last month explosions in Bangkok on February prompting Israeli accusations that Iran charged a Lebanese man suspected of was behind a terror campaign, which planning a strike, after a US warning 14. that tourist areas might be targeted. Malaysias government and police Tehran has denied. Security in Thailand was tightened One of the suspects had his legs have declined to say if the Iranian suspect would be deported or charged blown off as he tried to hurl an explosive after the failed plot. AFP

Sri Lankan army to probe war crimes allegations

COLOMBO Sri Lankas army on February 15 agreed for the first time to probe war crime charges against its troops and investigate allegations of prisoner executions made in a British TV documentary. Army chief Jagath Jayasuriya appointed a court of inquiry to investigate charges that troops were responsible for killing civilians and prisoners in the final stages of their war against Tamil rebels in 2009, an army statement said. The dramatic U-turn from the military came two days after the United States warned that the Indian Ocean island would face censure at next months UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva. Jayasuriya asked a fivemember panel of officers to investigate allegations made in a documentary by Britains Channel Four. The military had previously insisted that it did not kill a single civilian in the May 2009 offensive. The army said the inquiry was ordered after the governments own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, a panel which probed why a 2002 truce collapsed, said civilians had died as a result of military action. AFP

TRADE MARk CAUTioN

NOTICE is hereby given that Sumitomo Rubber industries Limited. a company organized under the laws of Japan and having its principal office at 6-9, 3-chome, Wakinhama-cho, Kobe, 651 Japan is the Owner and Sole Proprietor of the following trademarks:

Pakistani PM charged with contempt

Chaudhry ordered a ISLAMABAD Pakistans and disobeyed orders from of state, and a prosecutor prime minister was charged the Supreme Court over re- in Switzerland has said it full medical examination. w i t h c o n t e m p t b y t h e opening alleged laundered will be impossible to re-open Intelligence agencies last them as long as he remains month handed over the countrys highest court on money cases. The court ordered the president and is immune men to the custody of the February 13, pleading not provincial government in the guilty to charges that could attorney general to prosecute from prosecution. In a separate development northwest, after the Supreme see him jailed for six months the case. Gilani was exempted from on February 13, seven men Court took up the case. and disqualified from office. Four of the men were S u m m o n e d o v e r t h e appearing in court until allegedly held by Pakistans feared intelligence services reportedly held in the governments two-year further notice. T h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r appeared in court under northwestern city of Peshawar refusal ask Swiss authorities to re-open corruption cases has always insisted that orders from the Supreme and three ina tribal region near the Afghan border. against the president, Zardari is immune from Court. There should Yousuf Raza Gilani is be proper medical Pakistans first premier to be charged in office. There should be proper medical treatment treatment and they shall not be shifted to President Asif Ali internment centre in Zardari and his late T h e c a s e c h a l l e n g e s Parachinar, so long as the wife, former premier Benazir prosecution as president and Bhutto, were suspected of says the cases are politically perceptions that Pakistans matter is pending before the Inter-Services Intelligence court, Chaudhry said. using Swiss accounts to motivated. Lawyer Tariq Asad, who In December 2009 the operates above the law. launder about US$12 million The seven men appeared represented the detainees, in alleged bribes paid by Pakistani court overturned companies seeking customs a two-year political amnesty frail, weak, unable to talk and said the court ordered the inspection contracts in the that had frozen investigations unable to walk properly when ISI and Military Intelligence into Zardari and other they appeared before chief to submit details at the next 1990s. justice Iftikhar Muhammad hearing on March 1 about Reading out the charge politicians. The Swiss separately Chaudhry, more than a their detention and under sheet, Judge Nasir ul-Mulk said the prime minister had shelved the cases in 2008, year and a half after being which law they were held. AFP willfully flouted, disregarded when Zardari became head allegedly arrested.

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(Reg: Nos. iV/4631/1996 & iV/2269/1999) The above two trademarks are used in respect of:Tyres, tyre tubes, tyre repair and tyre retread materials Any fraudulent imitation or unauthorized use of the said trademarks or other infringements whatsoever will be dealt with according to law. U Kyi Win Associates for Sumitomo Rubber industries Limited. on behalf of United Trademark & Patent Services P.O. Box No. 26, Yangon. Phone: 372416 Dated: 20th February, 2012

asia
February 20 - 26, 2012
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Aquino urges citizens to back move against judge

MANILA Philippine President Benigno Aquino on February 16 urged the public to rally behind his campaign to oust the nations top judge, warning the fight against widespread corruption hinged on the result. Invoking the famous people power revolution that installed his late mother to the presidency in 1986, Aquino said ordinary Filipinos had the power to ensure Supreme Court chief justice Renato Corona was removed from office. Corona is on trial in the Senate, accused of violating the constitution to protect graft-tainted former president Gloria Arroyo from prosecution and also for allegedly amassing a personal fortune above the limits of his salary. We should not allow ourselves to become victims of injustice. We must take a stand now, Aquino told a meeting with students at a Roman Catholic college in Manila. He did not say how the masses could take a stand. But he recalled how supporters of his late mother, Corazon Aquino, forced then dictator Ferdinand Marcos into exile by protesting peacefully, waging a civil disobedience campaign and boycotting firms linked to the strongman. Aquino said he trusted the impeachment process, but he wanted the public to understand that Corona and his backers were using a wide range of tactics in an effort to derail the case. Aquino said that if the Senate acquitted Corona, it would make his efforts to rid the country of corruption extremely difficult, if not impossible. Aquino won a landslide election victory in 2010 on a platform to end corruption which has plagued the Philippines for decades and he says worsened dramatically during the decade that Arroyo led the country before him. Arroyo was arrested in November on charges of rigging the 2007 senatorial vote and is awaiting trial in a military hospital where she is being treated for what she says is a rare spinal illness. Aquino then marshalled his allies in the lower house of parliament to impeach Corona, labelling him a rogue magistrate loyal to Arroyo. Under Philippine law, the Senate holds a trial to validate the lower houses impeachment charge. AFP Malaysian Department of Wildlife and National Parks officers display the confiscated tiger skins and ivory to the media, in northern Kedah state on February 15. Pic: AFP

Briefs
US confirms role in Afghan talks
WASHINGTON The White House confirmed on February 16 that it was taking part in an Afghan-led reconciliation process, after President Hamid Karzai said secret three-way talks were taking place with the Taliban. The Taliban had earlier dismissed the claim made by Karzai in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, adding to intrigue over exploratory contacts among the three sides that US officials have said are under way. We are obviously part of this process that is Afghanled, we keep the Afghan government abreast of any conversations that we have, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters.

Tiger skins seized in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR A Malaysian court on February 15 charged a man arrested near the Thai border in possession of tiger skins and African ivory, in the latest case pointing to a thriving market for endangered wildlife. A district court in northern Kedah state, bordering Thailand, charged Malaysian citizen Mohamad Nor Sharmizam Nasir, 29, with possessing eight tiger skins, 22 tiger skulls and other bones, and nine pieces of African ivory. He was arrested in a raid on his house where the animal parts were seized, said Shahruddin Othman, an official with the states wildlife department. The penalty in Malaysia for possessing the parts of protected wildlife such as tigers is up to five years in jail and a fine of up to 500,000 ringgit ($160,000). Shahruddin said investigations were continuing into the provenance of the animal parts and who else might have been involved. He said the parts were likely destined for Malaysia and other neighbouring countries. Activists say the smuggling of endangered wildlife throughout Southeast Asia is extensive, with some animal parts still used in traditional medicines. Steve Galster, director of the Freeland Foundation, a Bangkok-based group combating wildlife and human trafficking, commended Malaysian authorities on what he called an important case. Last month, Malaysia seized elephant tusks worth 2.4 million ringgit (US$760,000) from South Africa. Conservation groups say Malaysia has become a key trans-shipment point for smuggled animal goods such as ivory, although the South African tusks were believed destined for Malaysia itself. AFP

Taliban issue taunt to mark anniversary

KABUL Afghanistans Taliban insurgents seized on the February 16 anniversary of the Soviet Unions withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989 to mock US-led NATO forces, saying they faced the same fate. Today on this glorious anniversary the US invaders and their coalition allies are facing the same defeat as the Russian invaders, the Taliban said in a statement on their website. The Soviets were driven out after a 10-year occupation by the righteous jihad of the Afghan people, the statement said.

Villagers moved out of big cat reserve

JAIPUR, India An entire village inside a north Indian nature reserve has been moved to make more room for local tigers in a bid to protect the countrys dwindling big cat population, an official said on February 15. The village of Umri was relocated from Rajasthan states Sariska tiger reserve the previous week, said R.S. Shekhawat, the field director of the national park. The process took place with the cooperation of the families. It will help in securing a proper habitat for big cats, so both the governments of the state and the centre (federal government) are working in this direction, he told AFP. He said the authorities compensated the affected families with either a lump sum payment of 1 million rupees (US$20,274) or a combination of land and cash to build their new homes. India is home to half of the worlds rapidly shrinking wild tiger population but has been struggling to halt the big cats decline in the face of poachers, international smuggling networks and loss of habitat. The Sariska national park is in the Aravalli mountain range and is about 167 kilometres (104 miles) from the national capital, New Delhi. Currently home to just five tigers, officials in the desert park are working on relocating more villagers in the months ahead, Shekhawat said. We expect to relocate all families in different villages inside the reserve by 2013, he said. India has employed a series of measures recently to stem the decline in the number of tigers. Last month officials announced that armed commandos would be deployed in the jungles of southern India to prevent poachers from capturing and killing the big cats. India has seen its tiger population plummet from an estimated 40,000 animals in 1947, when it gained independence from British colonial rule, to just 1706 in 2011. AFP

Toilet protester gets $10,000

NEW DELHI An Indian woman has been rewarded for her bold decision to leave her marital home within days of the wedding to protest against the lack of a toilet in the household, an official said on February 16. Anita Narre was handed US$10,000 by Sulabh International, a non-profit group, for refusing to defecate in the open and sparking a toilet revolution in her village in central Madhya Pradesh, said the district magistrate. Narre motivated other women of her village to coax their partners to build toilets. The village is transformed today, thanks to her bold act, B. Chadrasekhar told AFP by telephone. Narre left the household of Shivram, a labourer, after her marriage in May last year because the house had no toilet. She returned only once he had built one with help from district officials. A UN study in 2010 found more people in India have access to a mobile phone than to a toilet. AFP

US drone strikes kill 13 in Pakistan

MIRANSHAH, Pakistan Two US drone strikes struck Islamist militants in Pakistans tribal badlands on February 16, killing at least 13 fighters in North Waziristan near the Afghan border, officials said. The aircraft fired missiles hours apart on separate targets in what is considered the main bastion of Taliban and al-Qaeda in Pakistan as the government in Islamabad welcomed the Afghan and Iranian leaders for a summit.

Aboriginal child mortality rates falling, says Gillard

SYDNEY Australia is on track to halving Aboriginal child mortality and progress is being made in raising indigenous life-expectancy rates overall, Prime Minister Julia Gillard told parliament on February 15. Aborigines are the most disadvantaged Australians, with indigenous children twice as likely to die before their fifth birthday as other children and Aboriginal men estimated to die 11.5 years earlier than other males. Delivering her annual report on the nations indigenous people, Gillard said bridging the gap on the overall life expectancy was a 25-year project and while the challenge is very large... some progress is being made. The target of halving the infant mortality rates for indigenous children under five by 2018 is on track, the prime minister said. The report said the gap in mortality rates has been narrowing and under-five mortality rates were declining for indigenous children due to improvements in antenatal care, sanitation and public health conditions. But it also noted that child mortality rates were volatile due to small numbers. Just nine fewer deaths in the target year of 2018 are needed to meet the government goal. The report said the biggest gap in mortality rates was not for children but for adults under 55, with indigenous Australians aged 35-44 more than four times more likely to die than non-indigenous Australians. Circulatory conditions, cancer and injury including suicide and traffic accidents were the leading causes of death among indigenous people between 2005 and 2009. While many Aborigines live in urban areas, large numbers also live in remote, outback regions where access to health and other services are lacking and alcohol abuse rife. Gillard said in three key states and territories Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory the indigenous mortality rate had declined by 36 percent from 1991 to 2010. The prime minister said decades of under-investment in services and infrastructure in areas with high Aboriginal populations were unquestionably a major cause of disadvantage, especially for the very young. AFP

China names head for Tibetan area

BEIJING Beijing has appointed a career law enforcement official to head an ethnically Tibetan area of southwest China where a number of monks and nuns have self-immolated in recent months. An official Communist Party website for Sichuan provinces Aba prefecture said Liu Zuoming, 54, was appointed on February 11. Liu said he would make maintaining stability in Aba his priority, said the website on February 15. AFP

Time out
By May Sandy AN office for the executive board in charge of developing a biographical film about Bogyoke Aung San opened in Yangon on February 13, the 97th anniversary of the birth of the hero of Myanmars independence. At the opening ceremony for the office, located on Dhammazedi Road in Bahan township, Aung Sans daughter, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, joined actors, directors, political activists and journalists for a minute of silence to honour the fallen hero, who was assassinated on July 19, 1947. My father came from humble origins in Natmauk village in upper Myanmar, and served the cause of the Union, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told the gathered crowd. So, it is only fitting that an epic movie that will become world famous has humble beginnings like this office. She said people called her father Bogyoke (general) not only because he was a leader of the army but also because he was a leader of the people. The most important cause of my father was that of

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Bogyoke Aung San film office opens

they have Bogyokes spirit and believe themselves to be Bogyoke, she said. Ko Tay Za, 27, one of the aspiring actors who has applied for the role of Aung San, told The Myanmar Times at the office opening that nationalism was the only reason he wanted to be in the film. This is not just a role for an actor. This is a role for our leader, so I want to be serious about this. I will pursue it to the extent of my abilities, for my people, he said. Ko Tay Za said he left his construction job and his family in Bilin, Mon State, to live in Yangon and study the life and mannerisms of Aung San. I have been practising his speeches and conducting research to gain knowledge about his life. I have also been watching movies like Gandhi and The Lady to learn more about biographical films, he said. During last weeks opening c e r e m o n y, U M o e T h u , chairman of the executive board, said he welcomed contributions of mementos from Aung Sans life from the public, to help with researching the film. We will keep donated books, photographs and records from the public for the Bogyoke Aung San Museum, he said. At the meeting in early December, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said the film would have international support. According to director Kyi Phyu Shin, financial contributions have already come from France, and more were expected from India, Japan and the United States. If we can get plenty of international support in terms of technology and equipment, it will be easier than doing it on our own. The only challenge we have is the time constraint. Even a classic movie like Gandhi took six years to make. For us, we only have three years, Kyi Phyu Shin said last week. Support has also come from local sources. At the opening ceremony, Ashin Cendadhika made his second of four donations of K3.2 million each for the film, while traditional dancer Pho Chit contributed K40 million and U Sein Tin pledged the services of his A Myo Thar (National) movie production company.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi greets Ashin Cendadhika at the opening ceremony for the Bogyoke Film Executive Board Office in Bahan township, Yangon, on February 13. national unity. His effort was to instil Pyi Htaung Su, or Union spirit. I would like this movie to emphasise this, she added. Min Ko Naing, a political and student activist, said he was inspired by Bogyoke Aung Sans days as a student activist in the 1930s. Although I never had the chance to read our Bogyokes memoirs, [the film] is a unique opportunity for us to experience his activism when he was a student, he said. I hope this movie will resound throughout history with the oe way call of the peacock, he said. The Bogyoke Film Executive Board was formed in December after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi held a meeting with actors and directors at her residence, at which she announced her desire for a biopic about her fathers life to be made. Director Kyi Phyu Shin, a spokesperson for the executive board, told The Myanmar Times that the next step in developing the film was to work on storyboards for the scenes and choose three new actors from among public to play the role of Bogyoke Aung San at different stages of his life. We will train the new actors for at least six months. We have to drill them until

The Lady fails to impress local, foreign audiences

By Zon Pann Pwint IT is a common practice for scriptwriters and directors of movies that are based on historical events to take some liberties with their subject matter, tweaking reality in the interests of telling a compelling story. Notable examples of such artistic license include Oliver Stones JFK (1991), Mel Gibsons Braveheart (1995), Roland Emmerichs The Patriot (2000) and Michael Bays Pearl Harbor (2001). It is also not unusual for people with intimate knowledge of the subject in question to harshly criticise such films for their inaccuracies, while those less familiar with the historical facts are generally more willing to accept the errors and instead judge the film according to its artistic merits. The Lady, a biographical film about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi by French director Luc Besson, seems to be failing on both accounts. Released late last year, the 132-minute movie has been slammed by international critics as lack[ing] passion and depth, leaving nothing more than a kitchen sink drama (The Guardian) and an overlong film [that] trudges through decades of turbulent recent history via an approach thats part oldfashioned miniseries and part simplistic after-school special (Hollywood Reporter). Criticism from within Myanmar has been equally harsh, but predictably focuses less on the quality of the scriptwriting or directing, than on the historical inaccuracies. In a departure from international critics, writer Maung Wuntha said The Lady was a work of great artistic merit but added that the real historical accounts are much fictionalised and the film stretched the truth to a degree that was not logical. It is understandable. If the director imposes rigid control on facts, the film would not be very artistic. But from my perspective as a Myanmar national, I dont think the historical accounts should have been dramatised or rewritten for the film, he said. Maung Wuntha said the film would touch the hearts of people who dont know the historical accounts of Myanmar but Myanmar audiences wont like it much because it has many flaws in its [historical] account. I dont think it would have spoiled the film to use the original accounts, he said. Also, [actress Michelle Yeoh] fails to portray the real characteristics of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Maung Wuntha also cited the film Beyond Rangoon (1995) by John Boorman, which also received a lukewarm response from international critics, as having some artistic merit b u t a s s u ffe ri n g u n d e r the burden of historical inaccuracy. Comedian Myittar said he was wary about the message of The Lady because it spotlighted past occurrences at a time when the country was trying to move forward. The events portrayed in the film are shadows that occurred far back in history. Now we are making rapid progress towards democracy and I dont want the filmmakers perceptions of our country to thwart our attempt to progress, he said. Director Maung Myo Min said he did not like the film, which he had expected to be as good as Richard Attenboroughs 1982 biopic Gandhi. It wasnt satisfying. The film was directed by foreigners, so it lacked the sentiment of Myanmar, he said. Among his criticisms was the lack of authenticity in the period costume design, particularly the outfits worn by Bogyoke Aung San. Also, in real life Bogyoke Aung San always had a serious expression on his face and rarely smiled. But in the film the actor smiled at everyone he met, Maung Myo Min said. He conceded that the reasons for his dislike of the film paralleled the low More page 31

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Director born with movie industry still has passion for film
By Yadana Htun ARE you tired? Thats a question that veteran film director U Tin Yu has heard frequently in the past few years, and although it is always asked out of concern for his health, its one he doesnt particularly enjoy hearing. Despite my age, I never get tired when Im involved in making a movie, said the 91-year-old director. U Tin Yu ca n be sa id to have been born along with the movie industry in Myanmar. The first feature film produced in the country was Myitta Hnint Thura (Love and Liquor), which premiered on October 13, 1920. U Tin Yu was born three days later. My uncles directed and acted in Myitta Hnint Thura. Ours is a moviemaking family, he said, adding that the pioneering Myanmar Aswe Film Studio, founded in 1923, was owned by his grandfather U Ba Nyunt and grandmother Daw Nyein Shin. At one point my uncles planned to move to England, but later gave up the idea and started producing one movie after another. Then Myanmar Aswe Film Studio was established, which later became A1 Film Company [in 1933], he said U Tin Yu explained that his mother was Daw Mya Khin, the eldest daughter in the family that founded A1 Film Company. His uncles U Tin Maung U Nyi Pu and U Tin Nwe were actors and directors, and his auntie Daw Khin Khin worked as a cinematographer. But U Tin Yu said he has a keen interest in the movie industry not because he was born into a movie family, but because movies were in his blood and veins. I used to watch my relatives making films. Most of the shooting was done at A1 Studio [in Mayangone township, Yangon]. There used to be a big, old house where most of the films were made, he said. While studying in school, I secretly started taking notes about filmmaking. When my uncles found out what I was doing, they said it would make no difference whether I kept studying, so I just dropped out of school and didnt sit for the exams, he said. At the age of 16 he entered the filmmaking industry, and started composing and recording songs. At the age of 21 U Tin Yu directed his first film, Shwedaungtaung (Golden Peacock), making him the youngest director in Myanmar up to that time. U Tin Yu quickly gained a reputation as a creative director, doing away with old ways and replacing them with innovative approaches. In historical movies, male actors had to wear long hair. I dont like wigs, so my actors, Nyunt Maung and Aye Kyu, were not allowed to accept other movie roles while acting in mine, to let their hair grow long enough, he said. Directors at the time used toy swords made of wood and painted silver, but I used iron swords. I also used race horses instead of cart horses. And while foreign films were shot at 24 frames per second, Burmese films were shot at 16 frames, making the movements jerky. I tried to shoot at 18 frames per second to smooth the movements. U Tin Yu said that on the movie set, the director has always been king. While shooting A Kyaw A Maw, I asked leading actress Kyi Kyi Htay to wade into the lake in the middle of the A1 Studio compound. The water was not clear and was full of leeches, and she refused to go into the lake. I got angry and shouted at her, and she cried and complained to uncle U Tin Maung, U Tin Yu said with a laugh. Not all actors were so resistant to taking risks to please the director. U Tin Yu said that he once made a film in which leading actor U Tin Maung played the role of a dacoit who in one scene had to dive out of a window. When I said, Uncle, you have to dive from here, he replied, You are the director. I must do what you ask me to do. And then he dove out the window, U Tin Yu said. In the course of 70 years, U Tin Yu has lived through several major changes in the movie industry, from silent films, to sound films, to colour films and now video. He has directed more than 60 movies, and in 1960 his film Myitta Shwe Yi (Gold Water of Love) won a Myanmar Academy Award

Philippine film biz in decline

MANILA The number of films produced in the Philippine movie industry has halved over the past decade in the face of piracy and Hollywood competition, a government study released last week showed. Only the rise of independent filmmakers has saved the industry from declining further, with indie movies now accounting for more than half the total made in the Philippines, the study said. There are many factors causing the fall. There is piracy and competition from foreign movies. Local movies are also not given as much support from the public, said government statistical coordination officer Gerald Clarino. The report by Clarino and other officers of the National Statistical Coordination Board found that from 1960 to 1999, the Philippines produced an average of about 140 movies each year. This gave local films at least 20 percent of the domestic market, the report said. At the time, the industry boasted of being one of the most prolific movie producers in the world after Hollywood and Indias Bollywood. But from 2000 to 2009, local film output fell to an average of 73 annually with only 11pc of the market, the report said. Last year 78 local films were made. Clarino said the topgrossi n g movi e s i n t h e Philippines were typically US-made films with multimillion-dollar budgets that the local movie industry could not afford. He said the most popular local movies were usually light, romantic comedies that did not require big budgets. Clarino also cited copyright piracy as a problem, with bootleg DVD copies of Philippine movies sold in Manilas streets sometimes on the same day the films opened in cinemas. Highlighting the extent of the problem, a top aide of President Benigno Aquino was last month caught buying bootleg DVDs in Manila, but escaped any major punishment. Movie industry leaders have also previously blamed high taxes on tickets and a general lack of government support for their sectors plight. Amid the overall decline, indie filmmakers have emerged from virtually nowhere a decade ago to produce 45 films in 2010 and 44 in 2011, the report said. Filipino indie directors, such as Brillante Mendoza, Pe p e D i o k n o a n d J i m Libiran, have won awards at prestigious foreign film festivals. But their films, which often tackle serious social problems in the corruptionplagued and impoverished Philippines, have rarely achieved box office success at home. AFP

U Tin Yu. Pic: Hein Latt Aung for cinematography. Before I made the film I told the public that it would win an Academy Award, he said, adding: I always do what I like when I make movies. He also worked with J a p a n e s e d i r e c t o r Ko n Ichikawa on The Burmese Harp (1956), and in the 1990s he cooperated with Japanese and Myanmar directors to make Thwe (Blood). Due to production problems it took 14 years to complete the film, and it was only shown to the public in 2003. U Tin Yu has taught classes sponsored by the Myanmar Motion Picture Organisation (MMPO). He helped train technical staff for Myawady Television and has produced short films for the station. He also worked on director San Shwe Maungs Moe Goke Set Wyne Ko Kyaw Lun Yeuh (Beyond the Horizon, 2005), which earned Myanmar Academy Awards for best leading female actor and cinematography. U Tin Yu continues to lecture about character training sponsored by the MMPO, and every Saturday he visits the Myanmar Motion Picture Museum and explains the history to visitors. His life remains inseparable from the movie industry. He still attends the Academy Award ceremony every year, and on his 90th birthday in 2010, a documentary of his life in motion pictures was made by director Aung Soe Oo. Translated by Ko Ko

Bosnian war film a wake-up call, says Jolie

By Rusmir Smajilhodzic SARAJEVO Hollywood star Angelina Jolie said on February 14 that her film about the Bosnian war should be a wake-up call for the world to act in time to prevent atrocities like those now happening in Syria. Jolie and her partner Brad Pitt arrived in Sarajevo to attend the premiere of her directorial debut film In the Land of Blood and Honey, which was screened in a sports hall before an audience of some 5000 people. Greeted with standing ovations, Jolie broke in tears when she got on the stage after the screening. To see you receiving it so well means a world to me. I feel so deep for all of you in this country, said Jolie, dressed in a long black dress, with a brief Thank you in Bosnian. E a r l i e r, J o l i e s a i d s h e w a s satisfied with the film, a story of a Muslim woman and a Serb man who have a fling before Bosnias 1992-1995 war only to meet again when the woman is a prisoner in a unit of the Bosnian Serb army commanded by her former lover. I feel very strongly about [the film] and I believe that its core issue which is the need for intervention and need for the world to pay attention to atrocities when they are happening is very, very timely and especially with things that are happening in Syria today, Jolie told journalists. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay warned that the nature and scale of abuses committed by Syrian forces indicate that crimes against humanity are likely to have been committed since March 2011. Jolie said that it is very important that this film is out at this time. If this film points the finger at anybody it is the international community, so I hope it remains a wake-up call for them, she said. Muradif Hatonic, 77, said he was deeply moved. It brought me back to war years. I was in hell again. As if I was telling them my war experiences, Hatonic said. Many women with tears in their eyes said they were shocked. I lived through the war but I was spared the horrors other women suffered. Thank you Angelina for speaking about Bosnia like this, said 30 year-old Suzana Omeragic. The film has already had a special preview screening in Bosnia for war victims organisations as a number of them had expressed concern that it would not correctly present their plight. Most eventually hailed the movie as objective and sincere. But in a Serb part of Bosnia many reacted angrily, accusing Jolie of being biased against their ethnic community, which they say she has portrayed as villains. In a protest against a distributors refusal to show the film in cinemas, a Serb woman from the western town Prijedor organised a private screening last weekend with Jolies approval. We will do that for anyone who wants to have a private screening. And we hope that we encourage the people to see it somehow, Jolie said. Jolie denied her film was antiSerbian. I understand that it is sensitive, but I also know that the Serbian people are intelligent and openminded people, she said. Bosnias war between its Croats, Muslims and Serbs claimed some 100,000 lives. Some 20,000 women were raped during the conflict, according to the local associations estimates. Jolies film, shot in 2010 with a number of actors from the former Yugoslavia, had its international premiere in December in New York. It goes on general release in Europe this month and was also be screened at the 62nd Berlin Film Festival. On February 17, it premiered in neighbouring Croatia, while in Serbia, it will open later this month, despite overwhelming disappointment with the film. Po l i t i c a l l y, i t i s b i a s e d Artisticly speaking, it is shallow and did not go further than a spaghetti western, said Mirko Beokovic of the Serbian Academy for Cinema and Art. AFP

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Kachin concert to benefit the needy

By Zon Pann Pwint A CONCERT featuring Kachin singers will be held at Myawsin Kyun in Kandawgyi Park on February 25, with proceeds benefiting needy people in Kachin State, the organiser said last week. We Kachin musicians are eager to give the needy people of Kachin State any assistance we can, said well-known singer L Khun Yee, who is organising the concert. When a native of Kachin State urged me to hold a fundraising concert, I consulted with other Kachin singers and they were all very enthusiastic about taking part. For the concert, L Khun Yee has gathered a roster of Kachin singers, many of whom have already released albums in the Myanmar language, including L Lun Wah, Naw Nor, Daung Hlwan, Jat San Tun, Kay Gyar Nu, Kaw Mai, L Sai Ze, Rebecca Win and N Kai Ra. A traditional Kachin dance group will also perform. Kachin singers have good singing voices, but if we invited all the Kachin musicians from upper and lower Myanmar to take part, the concert would go on for hours. Because of this I have focused on including singers who are already known to Myanmar audiences, L Khun Yee said. The concert, which will be titled Manaw Ahla Gita Nya (The Beauty of Manaw, the Night of Music), will feature well-known songs about the beauty and the rich natural resources of Kachin State. New songs composed by singer L Lun Wah will also be introduced. The proceeds from the concert will go to help needy people in remote mountain villages, L Khun Yee said, adding that musician who take part in the concert will depart for Kachin State on March 2 to make donations and perform for villagers. The Htoo Foundation is providing 30 airline tickets for our trip to Kachin State, so we can donate directly to the villages and perform. I hope our songs will provide some comfort for their hard lives, she said. L Khun Yee added that some businesses have already contributed to the fund for the needy, including Air KBZ, which contributed K20 million. Singer K Jar Nu said she and other singers were offering music as an expression of sympathy and care for the people of Kachin State. In my homeland, the Kachin Manaw festival is usually held in January. Its sad that it wasnt held this year. All people are wishing for peace, and we singers are also craving peace, she said. The concert will start at 6:30pm. Tickets are priced at K10,000 and K5500 and are available at Dagon Centre. will be held at City Centre Shopping Mall on February 26. Prizes are K300,000, K200,000 and K100,000, and application forms are available at Brilliant Model Agency, Room S-8, City Centre Shopping Mall. Tel: 09-508-9868, 09-73076596.

Bagan FM to hold singing competition

By Nyein Ei Ei Htwe LOCAL radio station Bagan FM is planning to hold a singing contest starting next month with the aim of discovering new vocal talent from throughout Myanmar, organisers said last week. Contestants must sing songs composed by Sai Kham Late, whose music has been made famous by singer Sai Htee Sai, said well-known musician Zaw Win Htut, who is also a spokesperson for Bagan FM. In the past, people felt that these songs were owned by Sai Htee Sai and no one wanted to hear versions by different singers, but recently weve enjoyed hearing May Sweet singing some of these popular songs in her own style, Zaw Win Htut said. He said that before the contest takes place, the radio station plans to release a CD of 12 songs composed by Sai Kham Late and recorded by famous vocalists. Subsequent CDs will feature Sai Kham Late songs recorded by winners of the contest. Weve already recorded some tracks with singers like Ringo, Sithu Lwin, L Lun Wah, Phyo Gyee, Rebecca Win, Shin Phone and Eaint Chit. Some of the younger singers were not familiar with Sai Htee Sais original versions, so I think they will be free from the older singers influence, Zaw Win Htut said, adding: We dont want contestants to just be the next Sai Htee Sai. He said contestants will record their own versions of the songs, and the recordings will be broadcast on Bagan FM. After each song is played, judges will rate the performance and give their reasons for the rating. The winners songs will be released on future CDs of Sai Kham Late compositions. They will also be trained by famous vocalists, and get support to release albums and perform at concerts. The idea is to help make sure they dont lose their way after they win, Zaw Win Htut said. However, he said that he has faced many difficulties in his 40 years as a musician, and he did not want to give the impression that contest winners would automatically become superstars. They will face many challenges, but if they believe deeply in what theyre doing, then they can succeed, he said. The contest is mainly to help amateur singers become real vocalists. Zaw Win Htut said decisions were still being made about the details of the contest, including the exact dates, application process and fees. He invited anyone to call Bagan FM (+95-1 655301, 655-302, 655-305) with suggestions. Bagan FM started broadcasting in Mandalay Region, Magwe Region, Sagaing Region and Chin State in January 2010, and has recently started transmitting in Yangon Region.

Bruce Springsteen performs at the Staples Center during the 54th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 12. Pic: AFP

Events Flash
with ...

Angry Springsteen gauges loss of the American dream

Other tracks pour bile over the robber barons of the financial system and wave an angry fist at anonymous corporations, able to destroy a town without a shot being fired. The banker man grows fat / The working man grows thin / Its all happened before and it will happen again, says Jack of All Trades, which adds, If I had me a gun / Id find the bastards and shoot em on sight. Springsteen said the album was triggered by the 2008 financial crisis, which he said was a culmination of three decades of deregulation and unbridled profiteering. Until the Occupy Wall Street movement began last year, no one was even deemed accountable for the disaster, he said. A basic theft had occurred that struck the heart of just what the entire American idea was about, really. It was a complete disregard of history, of context, of community, and all about, what can I get today?, he said. So it was an enormous faultline that cracked the American system wide open, and its repercussions were really just beginning to really be felt. Springsteen said he had always had a close interest in inequality and unfairness in America and hit at those who chose to misinterpret

Nuam Bawi

Piano recital
Latvian pianist Lauma Skride will perform the music of Mozart, Schumann, Bach, Mendelssohn-Hensel and Liszt at a recital at Strand Hall on February 22. Entrance is free the event starts at 7pm.

Phay Nyunt Wai art exhibition

Artist Phay Nyunt Wai will showcase 15 sketches of General Aung San and his daughter Aung San Suu Kyi at an exhibition at Lokanat Gallery from March 1 to 4. The gallery is open daily from 9am to 5pm. have sold them other films packaged as The Lady. They have had to buy two to three copies before finally getting the real one, he said. Maung Myo Min also complained that he had been cheated by pirates three times before he found a real copy. The first copy I bought was Beyond Rangoon, the second was a compilation of speeches by Bogyoke Aung San and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the third was a copy of The Lady, but even that was missing parts of the film, he said.

Youth Style 2012 Contest

A youth style competition From page 29 opinion that Indians held of the film Gandhi. It wasnt surprising that audiences in India didnt favour Gandhi. As a foreigner, I liked the film very much, but local audiences thought the director failed to portray the nature of Gandhi, he said. M a u n g Wu n t h a a l s o warned people against buying pirated copies of The Lady being sold by street vendors. My friends have been screwed by vendors who

PARIS Bankers, developers and deregulators come in for one of the fiercest lashings in the history of mainstream rock next month when Bruce Springsteen issues an album that he admits seethes with anger. Wrecking Ball, presented to journalists in Paris on February 16 ahead of release on March 6 and a US and European tour, is a tableau of the American dream that has gone horribly wrong. Anger at unfettered greed, sympathy for the poor and the unemployed, and gospelstyle appeals for hope are the emotional threads that run through the 17th studio album in Springsteens 38year career. Springsteen said America had become a society where people were locked into the strata under which they were born. Weve destroyed the idea of an equal playing field, he said. Thats a big promise thats been broken. Theres a critical mass point where a society collapses, and you cant have a civilisation with a society thats as factionalised as that. The 11-track album kicks off with the already-released We Take Care of Our Own, which contrasts glib patriotic slogans with the dour reality for Americans fighting to keep a job or save their homes from foreclosure.

his lyrics as unpatriotic, as happened in the 1984 classic Born in the USA. There is a feeling of patriotism underneath in my best music, but at the same time, its a very critical, questioning, often angry sort of patriotism, he said. Thats not something that Im prepared to give up for fear that someone might simplify what Im saying. He added: My work has always been about judging the distance between American reality and the American dream. How far is that at any given moment? he said. The first part of the album cedes to songs that have an almost biblical feel in their longing for hope, solidarity and salvation. Asked about this, Springsteen referred to a working-class Catholic childhood in New Jersey, where he lived next door to a church. I got completely brainwashed as a child with Catholicism, he said. Its given me a very active sense of spiritual life and made it very difficult sexually, he quipped. In musical terms, the album borrows on folk, gospel and 1930s recession songs for what Springsteen described as historical resonances to convey social themes. AFP

entertainment news
February 20 - 26, 2012
the

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64th Anniversary of Independence Day of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Franco in fridge sculpture stirs up Spain art fair

MADRID A sculpture of former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco set inside a fridge was a star attraction at a major contemporary art fair, which opened last week in Madrid. The work by Spanish artist Eugenio Merino depicts the general wearing a green uniform and dark sunglasses with his knees bent inside the fridge, which is decorated with a white and red design similar to the Coca-Cola logo. Merino said his piece Always Franco is meant to be a comment on how the former dictator, who ruled from the end of the Spanish Civil War in 1939 until his death in 1975, continues to make headlines in Spain. It represents the idea that in Spain people are keeping the image of Franco alive. We dont stop talking about him, debating about him. A fridge is where things are kept alive and fresh, he said at the ARCO art fair. He cited the trial this month of top judge Baltasar Garzon for trying to prosecute Franco-era atrocities, and a controversy over the publication last year of a favourable biography of Franco by Spains Royal Historical Academy. The sculpture made of resin, silicon and human hair was one of the most sought after by photographers, television crews and visitors to the five-day fair, which featured works from 215 art galleries in 29 countries. There are people who really like it, others who cant stand it. Spain is very divided on the topic of the dictatorship, said Merino, who was born just months before Franco died at the age of 82. Merino has made headlines at previous editions of the art fair. In 2010 the Israeli embassy in Madrid protested over his sculpture Stairway to Heaven, which depicted an Arab man on his knees praying, with a Catholic priest on the Arabs back also knelt in prayer and a Rabbi in turn standing on the shoulders of the priest. The artist also sparked controversy at the fair in 2009 with a sculpture depicting British artist Damien Hirst shooting himself in the head. AFP

Chief Minister U Myint Swe, H E Mr Handunnethi Rannulu Plyasiri and wife

Officials

Guests

Opening Ceremony for Royal Ruby Hotel

Officials

Whitney Houstons songs climb the pop charts again after death
LOS ANGELES Whitney Houstons songs rocketed up the pop charts last week, in some cases a quartercentury after their initial release, as fans sought to recapture the magic of the divas iconic voice in the wake of her death. Amazon.com said on its website that seven of the top 10 bestselling music collections were recordings from Houston, while her Greatest Hits album was the top seller on iTunes. Meanwhile, British music tracker Official Charts said that sales from February 12 to midnight on February 13 were so brisk that seven of Houstons recordings were heading for the Top 40. The company said in a statement that topping the sales was Houstons smash hit I Will Always Love You, her cover of a classic tune by country star Dolly Parton. Houstons version of the ballad spent 10 weeks at number one 20 years ago this year. Houston was found dead on February 11, at age 48, in her bathtub in a luxury suite of the Beverly Hilton hotel. AFP
Ma Myo, Ma Thida Lay Naing and Ma Wah

Staff members

Lily Beautiful Feet Contest

Zue Myat Htet, Htet Htet Moe Oo and daughter

Guest and Ma Nandar

US comic book wins international manga award from Japanese govt

TOKYO American comic book I Kill Giants has won the top prize in the Japanese government-sponsored annual international award for manga, the foreign ministry said. The 2008 book, created by American writer Joe Kelly and Spanish cartoonist J M Ken Niimura, was awarded the gold prize out of 145 entries from 30 countries and areas, the ministry announced on February 14. It portrays a socially isolated girl battling monsters both real and imagined as she comes of age. The three silver prizes went to Asian artists: Pan Liping of China, Cory of Taiwan and Tanis Werasakwong of Thailand. Ten other works were honourably mentioned. The award ceremony for the Fifth International Manga Award was held in Tokyo on February 17. The award, which excludes Japanese works, was created in 2007 under the lead of manga fan and then foreign minister Taro Aso, who later served as prime minister for a year, to promote manga as a Japanese cultural export. AFP
Tin Moe Lwin

Nay Toe

U Moe Min

Khin San Win

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soCialite
February 20 - 26, 2012
THE first stop on Socialites meandering path of social engagements was Taw Win Centres 1st anniversary celebration on February 7, while on the same night attending the Myanmar Academy Awards dinner in Nay Pyi Taw. (Dont ask how she accomplished this. Just relax and believe in the magic of Socialite.) On February 10 she enjoyed the Lily Beautiful Feet Contest at Sedona Hotel, and on the following day her presence graced the Panasonic Air-conditioner Showroom opening at Mingalar Taung Nyunt township, the bYSI new product launch at Taw Win Centre and the Search for Oramin-F Queen Contest at Myanmar Convention Centre. Socialite wrapped up her amazing week at the Miss Shampoo lucky draw program at Junction Maw Tin.

MyanMar tiMes
Search for Oramin-F Queen Contest

Taw Win Centre 1st Anniversary

Contestant

Contestant

Contestant

Performer

bYSI New Product Launch

Panasonic Air-condition Showroom Opening

Ms Candy, Ms Josephine, Ma Khin Thida Win and Ms Baey Ko Thiha Zaw and U Win Naing Singing contestant Daw Thiri Htwe

Ma Aye Chan Moe and Ma Hay Man Ma May Thi Khine

San Yati Moe Myint, Make-up Toe Toe and Yu Thandar Tin

Ma Htay and May Sweet

Moe Hay Ko

Miss Shampoo Lucky Draw Program

Mr Ho Sea Han

Ko Aung Zaw Linn

Ma Nilar

Models

Yadanar Mai

Eaint Chit

travel
February 20 - 26, 2012
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A worthy destination for pilgrims

By Aung Shin MYANMAR is full of destinations for pilgrimage tours, most of them important pagodas where Buddhists travel in large numbers to pray and pay homage. Many people return to the same sites several times, but others search for new and interesting places to go, motivated by an urge to experience parts of the country they have never visited before while at the same time gaining merit from the pilgrimage. For foreign visitors, travelling to these important shrines provides a great introduction to Buddhism and a valuable way to gain insight into Myanmar culture. One of the more breathtaking pilgrimage sites anywhere in the country is Alaungdaw Kathapa Pagoda in Sagaing Region, where the body of Shin Maha Kathapa one of the original followers of the Buddha who in his lifetime gained the status of an arhat (one who has attained enlightenment) is said to be enshrined. The pagoda is located in Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of the town of Monywa, in an area of deep forest and abundant wildlife. The remote location means that the pagoda is impossible to reach during the monsoon season, and is therefore accessible for only half the year. During the peak season, in February and March, it can become quite crowded with visitors. Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park can also be visited in December and January, but many people find the weather to be too cold at this time, especially at night. So for most pilgrims the best time is February or March, when the weather is at its finest. Another reason to visit during this time is the Alaungdaw Kathapa Pagoda Festival, which is held around the full moon of the lunar month of Tabodwe, which usually occurs in February. The area around the pagoda can become quite hectic with pilgrims on the full moon day. This is an important time to be at the pagoda, because many people believe that the full moon day holds the possibility that the rock door to the legendary cave where Shin Maha Kathapa is said to be enshrined might open. Reaching the pagoda is challenging even during the dry season. The shortest route is directly from Monywa, which requires crossing the Chindwin River at Hpo Win Daung, a pilgrimage site in its own right with hundreds of Buddha images enshrined in caves along the river. The highway heading west from the river will take travellers through the small town of Yinmabin, with many smaller villages dotting the agricultural landscape along the way. The road is paved for awhile, but eventually the highway must be left behind, and the rest of the way to Alaungdaw Kathapa Pagoda must be made on a rough and dusty country road. This part of the journey can be difficult and uncomfortable. Travellers will eventually reach the village of Kapaing, the gateway to Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park and a rest area for pilgrims on their way to the pagoda. Food is available here, and during peak season it can be quite crowded with people

AIRLINE OFFICES
Air Bagan Ltd.(W9)

56, Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 513322, 513422, 504888, Fax : 515102 Air Asia (FD) 33, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd, Ground Flr, Parkroyal Hotel, Yangon. Tel: 251 885, 251 886.

Air China (CA)

Building (2), corner of Pyay Rd and Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Hotel Yangon, 8 miles, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel : 666112, 655882.

Bangkok Airways (PG)

Yangon. Tel: 255122, 255 265, Fax: 255119

#0305, 3rd Fl, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp,

Air India

75, Shwe Bon Thar St, Pabedan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 253597~98, 254758. Fax: 248175

Myanmar Airways International(8M)

08-02, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Ygn. Tel : 255260, Fax: 255305

Malaysia Airlines (MH)

335/357, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 387648, 241007 ext : 120, 121, 122 Fax : 241124 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, 2nd Floor, Sakura Tower, Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 255 287~9 , Fax: 255 290

Silk Air(MI)

Pic: Aung Shin Elephants carry pilgrims across a creek in Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park. and vehicles. The pagoda is about 32 kilometres (20 miles) past Kapaing. The rough, mountainous road is open only during the dry season, and only official buses and private cars in good condition are allowed to drive it. The number of passengers in each vehicle is also limited. About 11 kilometres (7 miles) from Kapaing is a small camp called Gonnyinpin. This is the official entrance to Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park, and it is here that vehicles are inspected and drivers must pay a toll to continue. Beyond this, travellers will be treated to great scenery, with beautiful jungle and mountain streams along the way to Thapatesay camp, 21 kilometres (13 miles) past Gonnyinpin. Thapatesay is the last stop for motorised vehicles. To reach the pagoda, pilgrims must walk or ride on the back of elephant for the rest of the way. The elephant rides cost K2000 and take about 45 minutes. Pilgrims who travel to Alaungdaw Kathapa Pagoda are often warned by their elders to behave properly because it is believed that the forest is protected by guardian spirits. Showing proper respect is necessary to ensure a safe trip through the deep and mysterious jungle. It is recommended that pilgrims check in at a hostel as soon as they reach the pagoda site. There are more than 50 hostels, with a total capacity of about 200 people. The hostels are free of charge, but donations are accepted to help maintain the pagoda grounds. There are several restaurants and souvenir shops near the pagoda compound, but there are no phone lines aside from the IP Star radio phone at the pagoda trustees office. All pilgrims make a point of stopping by Alaungdaw Kathapa Pagoda to pay homage to the Buddha image housed there, but the main attraction is the alleged resting place of arhat Shin Maha Kathapa. The legendary cave is located about 30 metres (100 feet) down a steep, narrow ravine. It is an exciting moment for pilgrims who descend into the ravine to feel the penetrating chill rising from the stream at the bottom, while water droplets fall from the damp walls above. It is very quiet place. It is strange feeling, walking down into the canyon, gazing at the rocky wall that is said to be the doorway to the arhats shrine. It looks like an unbroken rock face, but according to legend it sometimes opens for just a few seconds before closing again. Locals say that this has happened only two times in many, many years. Although most famous as a pilgrimage destination, Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park offers other attractions as well. Travellers can visit the elephant compound near the pagoda, and also explore the jungle. The national park is said to be home to leopards, bears, goats and many other wild animals, as well as a wide variety of plant life. Some say its one of the best places in Myanmar to view wildlife. Alaungdaw Kathapa National Parks natural and cultural attractions make it a very promising place for tourism in the future, even if only a few foreign visitors are enjoying it at the moment.

Thai Airways (TG)

#11-01, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Ygn. Tel : 255499 Fax : 255490

Vietnam Airlines (VN)

#1702, Sakura Tower 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Yangon. Fax 255086. Tel 255066/ 255088/ 255068.

Domestic Airlines
Yangon Airways(YH)

166, MMB Tower, Level 5, Upper Pansodan Rd, Mingalar Taungnyunt Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (+95-1) 383 100, 383 107, 700 264, Fax: 652 533.

Air Bagan Ltd.(W9)

56, Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 513322, 513422, 504888, Fax : 515102

AIR KBZ (K7)

33-49,Corner of Bank Street & Maha Bandoola Garden Street, Kyauktada Tsp,Yangon, Myanmar Tel: 372977~80, 533030~39 (Airport) Fax: 372983

Air Mandalay (6T)

146, Dhamazedi Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon Tel : 501520, 525488 (Head Office) 720309, 652753, 652754 (Airport Office), Fax: 525 937

Asian Wings (AW)

No.34(A-1), Shwe Taung Gyar Street, Bahan Township,Yangon.Myanmar. Tel: 951 516654, 532253, 09-73135991~3.Fax: 951 532333

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DOMESTIC FLIGHT SCHEDULES

DAYS
FRI FRI MON

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT SCHEDULES

DAYS
SUN

Flight
K7 244 K7 245 AW 891 6T 405 6T 401 W9 011 6T 801 AW 761 6T 451 K7 824 6T 501 K7 228 YH 909 6T 405 W9 251 6T 401 YH 729 6T 451 K7 622 AW 791 6T 501 6T 405 AW 891 6T 401 6T 331 6T 801 YH 737 K7 824 W9 261 YH 731 6T 501 K7 228 YH 909 AW 891 6T 405 AW 201 6T 401 W9 255 YH 729 6T 451 K7 622 K7 226 6T 501 YH 731 AW 891 6T 405 W9 251 6T 401 YH 917 6T 331 AW 751 K7 824 K7 224 6T 501 YH 731 W9 271 6T 403 YH 909 6T 401 AW 601 YH 729 K7 622 6T 501 AW 891 YH 909 AW 891 6T 405 6T 401 W9 255 6T 801 AW 751 6T 451 K7 622 6T 501 YH 634 AW 892 6T 406 6T 402 W9 262 6T 802 W9 021 AW 762 YH 728 6T 502 K7 825 W9 009 6T 406 6T 402 YH 910 W9 011 K7 229 YH 812 W9 251 W9 150 AW 762 YH 730 6T 502

Dep Arr
13:00 15:50 06:15 06:15 06:30 07:30 08:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 15:00 06:00 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 15:00 15:00 06:15 06:15 06:30 07:00 10:45 11:00 12:00 13:30 15:00 15:00 06:00 06:15 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 10:30 11:30 12:00 12:30 15:00 15:00 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 11:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 15:00 06:00 06:15 06:15 06:30 07:00 10:30 12:00 15:00 16:15 06:15 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 08:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 15:00 08:35 08:35 08:40 08:55 10:50 13:20 14:10 16:25 16:30 17:20 17:50 08:30 08:40 08:55 09:25 09:25 11:15 13:25 13:35 16:20 16:25 17:20 17:20 15:30 16:50 08:20 08:20 08:35 08:30 09:55 12:55 12:55 13:25 17:00 07:25 07:55 08:20 07:55 08:35 12:40 12:55 13:25 16:25 17:00 08:20 08:20 08:35 08:25 12:10 13:10 13:25 07:55 17:10 17:00 07:25 07:55 08:20 08:20 07:55 08:35 08:55 13:30 12:55 13:25 13:55 17:00 17:10 08:20 08:20 07:55 08:35 08:50 08:25 12:25 12:25 14:25 17:00 17:10 07:25 07:40 07:55 08:35 08:25 13:30 13:25 17:00 08:20 08:30 08:20 08:20 08:35 08:55 09:55 12:25 12:55 13:25 17:00 10:00 10:30 10:40 10:55 12:15 14:45 15:10 17:50 17:55 19:25 19:15 09:30 10:40 10:55 10:50 11:10 12:40 14:50 15:00 17:45 17:50 18:45 19:25

DAYS
WED

Flight
W9 009 AW 892 6T 406 6T 332 6T 402 W9 021 6T 802 YH 738 K7 825 6T 502 W9 009 AW 892 6T 406 6T 402 YH 812 W9 021 K7 229 AW 762 YH 730 6T 502 W9 009 AW 892 6T 406 6T 332 YH 918 6T 402 AW 202 W9 251 YH 731 6T 502 W9 232 YH 728 6T 404 AW 892 6T 402 W9 011 W9 262 AW 602 YH 812 K7 623 YH 730 6T 502 W9 009 YH 910 AW 892 6T 402 W9 011 6T 406 W9 256 YH 812 6T 802 K7 623 AW 752 YH 738 6T 502 W9 143 AW 891 6T 405 YH 633 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 W9 143 6T 405 AW 891 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 W9 143 6T 405 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 K7 242 6T 451 AW 781 AW 891 6T 405 W9 009 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 AW 891 6T 405 W9 009 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 K7 242 AW 891 W9 009 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 6T 451 W9 143 6T 405 AW 891 YH 909 W9 009 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917

Dep Arr
08:30 08:35 08:40 08:45 08:55 14:10 15:35 17:10 17:50 17:20 08:30 08:35 08:40 08:55 13:10 14:10 15:45 16:25 17:15 17:20 08:30 08:35 08:40 08:45 08:50 08:55 11:00 13:35 17:10 17:20 17:35 17:45 08:00 08:35 08:55 09:25 10:50 12:20 13:10 16:55 17:15 17:20 08:30 08:35 08:35 08:55 09:25 08:40 11:20 13:10 13:20 16:55 17:10 17:10 17:20 06:00 06:15 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:00 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 12:30 15:00 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 10:30 06:00 06:15 06:15 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 09:30 10:30 10:40 10:10 10:55 15:10 17:00 18:35 19:15 19:25 09:30 10:30 10:40 10:55 14:35 15:10 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:25 09:30 10:30 10:40 10:10 10:45 10:55 12:25 15:00 19:25 19:25 19:00 19:10 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:10 12:15 13:45 14:35 18:20 18:45 19:25 09:30 10:00 10:30 10:55 11:10 10:40 12:45 14:35 14:45 18:20 18:35 18:35 19:25 07:20 07:35 07:35 07:50 07:50 07:50 08:05 07:20 07:35 07:35 07:50 07:50 08:05 07:20 07:35 07:50 07:50 08:05 08:20 13:50 17:10 07:35 07:35 07:25 07:50 07:50 08:05 07:35 07:35 07:25 07:50 07:50 08:05 08:20 07:35 07:25 07:50 07:50 08:05 11:50 07:20 07:35 07:35 07:50 07:25 07:50 07:50 08:05

DAYS
MON

Flight
K7 223 W9 109 AW 782 YH 732 6T 502 K7 223 YH 910 W9 109 AW 792 6T 502 YH 732 K7 223 W9 109 AW 782 YH 732 6T 502 K7 223 YH 910 W9 109 YH 732 6T 502 K7 223 W9 109 AW 782 YH 732 6T 502 K7 223 YH 910 6T 404 W9 109 AW 792 YH 732 6T 502 K7 223 YH 910 W9 109 YH 732 6T 502 W9 255 W9 251 AW 201 W9 255 W9 251 AW 211 W9 255

Dep Arr
08:10 17:25 17:25 17:55 18:05 08:10 08:40 17:25 17:25 18:05 18:10 08:10 17:25 17:25 17:55 18:05 08:10 08:40 17:25 17:55 18:05 08:10 17:25 17:25 17:55 18:05 08:10 08:40 08:45 17:25 17:25 17:55 18:05 08:10 08:40 17:25 17:55 18:05 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:00 06:30 11:15 18:20 18:45 19:15 19:25 11:15 10:00 18:20 18:45 19:25 19:30 11:15 18:20 18:45 19:15 19:25 11:15 10:00 18:20 19:15 19:25 11:15 18:20 18:45 19:15 19:25 11:15 10:00 10:05 18:20 18:45 19:15 19:25 11:15 10:00 18:20 19:15 19:25 09:25 09:25 09:20 09:25 09:25 08:50 09:25

Flight
W9 115 YH 811 K7 826 K7 224 6T 501 YH 731 YH 737 W9 143 AW 892 6T 406 YH 918 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 AW 892 6T 406 YH 918 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 K7 823 W9 116 W9 143 AW 892 6T 406 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 W9 143 6T 406 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 W9 143 AW 892 6T 406 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 W9 143 AW 892 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 K7 823 AW 892 6T 406 YH 918 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 6T 452 W9 116 YH 738 6T 611 W9 309 6T 611 W9 309 6T 607 W9 309 6T 611 W9 309 6T 607 W9 309 6T 611 W9 309 6T 611 W9 309 6T 612 W9 310 6T 612 W9 310 6T 608 W9 310 6T 612 W9 310 6T 608 W9 310 6T 612 W9 310 6T 612 6T 707 AW 301 6T 707 K7 317 K7 317 AW 301 AW 301 6T 707 K7 317 AW 301 6T 708 6T 708 K7 318 AW 302 AW 302 K7 318 6T 708 K7 318 AW 302

Dep Arr
11:00 11:00 12:30 14:00 15:00 15:00 11:00 09:05 09:20 09:30 09:35 09:40 09:45 10:00 09:20 09:30 09:35 09:40 09:45 10:00 15:15 16:45 09:05 09:20 09:30 09:35 09:45 10:00 09:05 09:30 09:35 09:45 10:00 09:05 09:20 09:30 09:35 09:45 10:00 09:05 09:20 09:35 09:45 10:00 15:15 09:20 09:30 09:35 09:40 09:45 10:00 14:55 16:45 17:20 11:15 13:00 11:15 13:00 11:00 13:00 11:15 13:00 11:00 13:00 11:15 13:00 11:15 13:00 12:55 15:00 12:55 15:00 13:15 15:00 12:55 15:00 12:40 15:00 12:55 15:00 12:55 07:30 07:00 11:15 12:30 12:30 12:45 07:00 11:15 12:30 12:45 11:55 15:40 16:40 17:15 11:30 16:40 15:40 16:40 17:15 12:10 12:25 13:45 15:15 16:10 16:25 12:25 10:15 10:30 10:40 10:45 10:35 10:55 11:15 10:30 10:40 10:45 10:35 10:55 11:15 16:30 17:55 10:15 10:30 10:40 10:45 10:55 11:15 10:15 10:40 10:45 10:55 11:15 10:15 10:30 10:40 10:45 10:55 11:15 10:15 10:30 10:45 10:55 11:15 16:30 10:30 10:40 10:45 10:35 10:55 11:15 17:05 17:55 18:35 12:40 14:45 12:40 14:45 13:00 14:45 12:40 14:45 12:25 14:45 12:40 14:45 12:40 14:45 14:20 16:45 14:20 16:45 14:40 16:45 14:20 16:45 14:40 16:45 14:20 16:45 14:20 09:30 09:05 13:15 14:00 14:00 14:50 09:05 13:15 14:00 14:50 13:55 17:40 18:10 19:20 13:35 18:10 17:40 18:10 19:20

Flight
MON FD 3771 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 TUE FD 3771 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306

Dep
08:30 08:50 09:50 10:55 16:30 16:40 17:40 19:45 08:30 08:50 09:50 10:55 16:30 16:40 17:40 19:45 08:30 08:50 09:50 10:55 16:30 16:40 17:40 19:45 08:30 08:50 09:50 10:55 16:30 16:40 17:40 19:45 08:30 08:50 09:50 10:55 16:30 16:40 17:40 19:45 08:30 08:50 09:50 10:55 16:30 16:40 17:40 19:45 08:30 08:50 09:50 10:55 16:30 16:40 17:40 19:45 08:40 10:10 14:15 16:40 08:00 10:10 14:15 16:40 08:00 10:10 11:25 16:40 08:00 10:10 14:15 16:40 08:00 10:10 11:25 16:40

Arr
10:15 10:35 11:45 12:50 18:15 18:35 19:25 21:40 10:15 10:35 11:45 12:50 18:15 18:35 19:25 21:40 10:15 10:35 11:45 12:50 18:15 18:35 19:25 21:40 10:15 10:35 11:45 12:50 18:15 18:35 19:25 21:40 10:15 10:35 11:45 12:50 18:15 18:35 19:25 21:40 10:15 10:35 11:45 12:50 18:15 18:35 19:25 21:40 10:15 10:35 11:45 12:50 18:15 18:35 19:25 21:40 13:05 14:45 18:40 21:15 12:25 14:45 18:40 21:15 12:25 14:45 15:50 21:15 12:25 14:45 18:40 21:15 12:25 14:45 15:50 21:15

Flight
SAT 8M 231 MI 511 8M 6232 MI 517 8M 231 MI 511 8M 233 MI 517

Dep
08:00 10:10 11:25 16:40 08:00 10:10 14:15 16:40

Arr
12:25 14:45 15:50 21:15 12:25 14:45 18:40 21:15

Flight
MON 8M 336 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 TUE 8M 336 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332

Dep
07:10 07:10 07:55 09:15 15:00 16:25 17:50 19:25 07:10 07:10 07:55 09:15 15:00 16:25 17:50 19:25 07:10 07:10 07:55 09:15 15:00 16:25 17:50 19:25 07:10 07:10 07:55 09:15 15:00 16:25 17:50 19:25 07:10 07:10 07:55 09:15 16:25 15:00 17:50 19:25 07:10 07:10 07:55 09:15 15:00 16:25 17:50 19:25 07:10 07:10 07:55 09:15 15:00 16:25 17:50 19:25 07:55 14:10 14:20 19:40 07:55 14:10 14:20 19:40 07:55 09:10 14:10 14:20 07:55 14:10 14:20 15:20 19:40 07:55 09:10 14:10 14:20 15:20

Arr
07:55 07:55 08:50 10:05 15:50 17:10 18:45 20:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 10:05 15:50 17:10 18:45 20:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 10:05 15:50 17:10 18:45 20:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 10:05 15:50 17:10 18:45 20:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 10:05 17:10 15:50 18:45 20:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 10:05 15:50 17:10 18:45 20:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 10:05 15:50 17:10 18:45 20:10 09:20 15:35 15:45 21:05 09:20 15:35 15:45 21:05 09:20 10:35 15:35 15:45 09:20 15:35 15:45 16:40 21:05 09:20 10:35 15:35 15:45 16:40

Flight
SAT MI 512 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 MI 520 SUN MI 512 8M 232 MI 518 MI 520

Dep

Arr

YANGON TO NAYPYITAW NAYPYITAW TO YANGON YANGON TO MANDALAY

NYAUNG U TO YANGON

YANGON TO BANGKOK

BANGKOK TO YANGON

07:55 09:20 09:10 10:35 14:10 15:35 14:20 15:45 15:20 16:40 07:55 09:20 14:10 15:35 14:20 15:45 15:20 16:40 19:40 21:05 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 15:40 16:45 10:05 11:15 14:00 15:00 15:40 16:45 08:50 10:30 14:15 15:45 08:50 10:30 14:15 15:45 09:55 12:45 09:55 12:45 09:55 12:45 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15 10:00 14:55 15:50 16:40 14:30 15:00 14:30 15:00 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10 11:40 13:25 11:40 13:25 11:40 13:25 13:50 15:15 13:50 15:15

TUE

HEHO TO YANGON
MON

SUN

THUR

WED

YANGON TO SIEM REAP

WED 8M 401 SAT 8M 401 08:50 11:25 08:50 11:25 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 17:15 21:30 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 17:15 21:30 12:15 16:30 17:15 21:30 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 17:15 21:30 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 17:15 21:30 12:15 16:30 17:15 21:30 09:00 13:00 12:15 16:30 17:15 21:30 11:20 15:50 08:45 13:15 11:20 15:50 08:45 13:15

TUE

8M 234
MON MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 TUE MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 WED MH 740 AK 850 THU MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 FRI MH 740 8M 502 AK 850 MH 740 AK 850 MH 740 8M 502 AK 850

TUE

FRI

THUR

KUALA LUMPUR TO YANGON

YANGON TO KUALA LUMPUR

MON 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 TUE 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851

FRI

WED

WED

SAT

THUR

SAT

FRI

THUR

SUN

WED FD 3771 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 THUR FD 3771 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 FRI FD 3771 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 FD 3771 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 FD 3771 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306

WED MH 741 AK 851 THU 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 MH 741 AK 851 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851

WED 8M 336 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 THUR 8M 336 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 FRI 8M 336 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 FD 3772 PG 703 TG 305 8M 332 8M 336 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 8M 336 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332

FRI

SUN

SAT

YANGON TO MYITKYINA
MON TUE THUR FRI SUN SUN

SAT SUN

SAT SUN

FRI

YANGON TO NYAUNG U
MON

MYITKYINA TO YANGON
MON TUE THUR FRI SUN W9 256 W9 252 AW 202 W9 256 W9 252 W9 256 W9 119 AW 761 YH 727 K7 224 6T 501 YH 731 K7 822 W9 115 AW 761 YH 811 K7 224 6T 501 YH 731 W9 119 YH 737 K7 224 6T 501 YH 731 AW 761 YH 811 K7 224 W9 109 6T 501 YH 731 K7 224 W9 109 6T 501 YH 731 K7 822 AW 751 W9 119 YH 811 K7 224 6T 501 YH 731 09:45 12:05 09:35 09:45 12:05 09:45 11:00 11:00 11:00 14:00 15:00 15:00 08:00 11:00 11:00 11:15 14:00 15:00 15:00 11:00 11:00 14:00 15:00 15:00 11:00 11:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:00 08:00 11:00 11:00 11:00 14:00 15:00 15:00 12:40 15:00 12:25 12:40 15:00 12:40 12:10 12:10 12:25 15:15 16:10 16:25 09:15 12:10 12:10 12:40 15:15 16:10 16:25 12:10 12:25 15:15 16:10 16:25 12:10 12:25 15:15 15:25 16:10 16:25 15:15 15:25 16:10 16:25 09:15 12:10 12:10 12:25 15:15 16:10 16:25 WED THUR FRI SAT SUN MON TUE

YANGON TO GUANGZHOU
WED CZ 3056 THUR 8M 711 SAT CZ 3056 SUN 8M 711 MON CI 7916 WED CI 7916 FRI TUE CI 7916 CA 906

GUANGZHOU TO YANGON
WED CZ 3055 THUR 8M 712 SAT CZ 3055

YANGON TO SITTWE

SAT

SUN 8M 712 MON CI 7915 WED CI 7915 FRI TUE CI 7915 CA 905

TUE

YANGON TO TAIPEI
14:00 19:25 14:00 19:25 14:00 19:25 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35 13:30 16:40 13:30 16:40 12:00 13:30 12:00 13:30 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30

SAT

TAIPEI TO YANGON

YANGON TO HEHO
MON

SAT

SUN

WED

YANGON TO KUNMING
WED CA 906 THUR CA 906 SAT SUN Mon FRI CA 906 CA 906 IC734 IC734

KUNMING TO YANGON
WED CA 905 THUR CA 905 SAT SUN Mon FRI CA 905 CA 905 IC733 IC728

TUE

SITTWE TO YANGON
MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT SUN MON TUE

SUN

THUR

SUN

MANDALAY TO YANGON
MON FRI

WED

YANGON TO KOLKATA

KOLKATA TO YANGON

THUR

YANGON TO CHIANG MAI

THUR W9 9607 SUN W9 9607

SINGAPORE TO YANGON
MON MI 512 8M 232 MI 518 8M 234 TUE MI 512 8M 232 MI 518 8M 234

SAT

YANGON TO SINGAPORE
MON 8M 231 MI 511 8M 233 MI 517 TUE 8M 231 MI 511 8M 233 MI 517

CHIANG MAI TO YANGON

THUR W9 9608 SUN W9 9608

TUE

FRI

YANGON TO MYEIK

YANGON TO HANOI
MON VN 956 WED VN 956 FRI SAT VN 956 VN 956

HANOI TO YANGON
MON VN 957 WED VN 957 FRI SAT TUE VN 957 VN 957 VN 943

SUN

SAT

THUR FRI SAT SUN MON TUE

Domestic
6T = Air Mandalay W9 = Air Bagan AW = Asian Wings K7 = AIR KBZ YH = Yangon Airways FD & AK = Air Asia TG = Thai Airways

International
8M = Myanmar Airways International PG = Bangkok Airways MI = Silk Air VN = Vietnam Airline MH = Malaysia Airlines CZ = China Southern CI = China Airlines CA = Air China IC = Indian Airlines Limited W9 = Air Bagan 3K = Jet Star

MYEIK TO YANGON

WED 8M 231 MI 511 8M 6232 MI 517 THUR 8M 231 MI 511 8M 233 MI 517 FRI 8M 231 MI 511 8M 6232 MI 517

YANGON TO HO CHI MINH

TUE VN 942 14:25 17:10 14:25 17:10 14:25 17:10 08:50 12:50 08:50 12:50 THUR VN 942 SUN VN 942 WED 8M 401 SAT 8M 401

WED MI 512 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 THUR MI 512 8M 232 MI 518 MI 520 8M 234 FRI MI 512 8M 6231 8M 232 MI 518 MI 520

HO CHI MINH TO YANGON

THUR VN 943 SUN VN 943 WED 8M 402 SAT 8M 402

THUR FRI SAT SUN

YANGON TO PHNOM PENH

PHNOM PENH TO YANGON

YANGON TO GAYA
WED 8M 601 SAT 8M 601 09:00 10:30 09:00 10:30

GAYA TO YANGON
WED 8M 602 SAT 8M 602 11:30 15:00 11:30 15:00

Subject to change without notice

tea Break
February 20 - 26, 2012
the

36
MyanMar tiMes

Shun geriatric vintages, go with younger wine

By John Mariani PIANIST Arthur Rubinstein was fond of telling the story of the wine connoisseur who once invited the composer Johannes Brahms to dinner: This is the Brahms of my cellar, said the collector to his guests, filling the masters glass from a dusty bottle. Brahms looked at the colour of the wine, smelled it and finally took a taste. Hmmm, he said after putting down the glass. Better bring your Beethoven. Thats the trouble with old wines. Even if kept in temperature- and humiditycontrolled conditions in a million-dollar cellar, they can go bad, oxidise or simply not taste very good after years of aging. As someone who has occasion to sample a lot of older wines, I have ceased being shocked that even a great vintage, kept under ideal conditions, can be a complete dud. Indeed, the older I get and the older those wines get, the more convinced I am that keeping wines for decades is a very risky business. In some cases even the greatest wines can begin to evaporate in the bottle, causing an air space at the neck, called ullage, which is why some collectors have their old bottles opened at intervals and topped off under the supervision of the estate owners. There is also the possibility of the wine being corked, with some estimates suggesting that up to 15 percent of all bottles may be so damaged. For this reason none of the most illustrious auction houses like Christies International, Sothebys and Hart Davis Hart will guarantee the soundness of wines offered. Of course, many who buy rare old wines at auction are not connoisseurs at all and have no intention of ever opening the bottles. Instead, they wait to re-sell the wines at higher prices, a multiplier effect that has largely been driven for the last few years by the Chinese auction market. Restaurateurs get equally antsy about selling very old, very expensive wines on their list, which are sometimes there more for show than anything else. While policies differ from restaurant to restaurant, many will absorb the cost of a verifiable bad bottle on their list bought by a guest. We cant put warning labels on our wines, says Charles Masson, owner of La Grenouille in New York, where the

YOUR STARS
By Astrologer Aung Myin Kyaw
Aquarius
The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people. You must know that friendship is the framework for success. Your sweet tongue and natural charisma will supply the power you need to open the heart of the one you desire. Face social problems with diplomacy rather than aggression.

Jan 20 - Feb 18

Pisces

The keys to leading yourself exceptionally well are to learn self-management and to control your emotions. Your influence will increase with each step, and you will have more and more opportunities to lead others. Romance is inextricably linked to the realm of the senses, and you never know when you will receive the touch of love.

Feb 19 - Mar 20

Aries

Turn yourself into a connoisseur of human aromas. Listen to the changing tones, cadences and moods in the voices of the people you meet every day. Activity without direction is like a blind man burdened by too many actions. Adjust your attitude according to changes in the social milieu that surrounds you.

March 21 - April 19

Taurus Once bottled, the wines of Chateau Margaux age in their vast cellars, with very old vintages kept in reserve. Pic: F Poincet/Chateau Margaux customers tend to be very affluent and very faithful. There is always a risk in storing old wines. But if a bottle is truly bad, we will not make our guest pay for it. And if a guest spurns a bottle because he simply doesnt care for the taste or erroneously insists its gone bad? Its an awkward situation, says Masson. But then we do charge for the wine if we know its sound. As La Grenouille replenishes its list, Masson is stocking fewer older vintages. The prices are now so high and there is a diminished demand from our clientele, he says. We actually encourage them to try a younger, less expensive wine more conducive to the meal rather than go for the 1998 Haut-Brion on our list that costs US$2250. The tradition of drinking very old wines is more British than French, especially among those Brits who have been involved in the French wine trade for centuries. Now, technology and contemporary preference have made the idea of drinking younger, fresher, dependable wines more reasonable than taking a risk on an old one whose best days may be behind it. An average vintage will age and pass its peak faster, says Corinne Mentzelopoulos, owner of the first growth Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux. But great vintages, such as 1953, 1959 and 1961 are today the best and the most moving experiences one can have and when kept by the wine experts who know those wines, might still get better with further aging. Mentzelopoulos says modern viticulture allows her more leeway in how she makes her wines: We can wait and pick the grapes when we believe them to have achieved maturity, which I find is one of the major changes at Margaux and in Bordeaux. In the past, growers had to bring the grapes in before the rot set, she said. Now, in vintage years Bordeaux winegrowers can harvest at the optimum time, when the tannins are ripe and therefore softer, making the wines more pleasant to drink from the beginning. So, yes, they can be drunk earlier, although there are some vintages which remain very harsh when young, Mentzelopoulos said. In good-to-great vintages it is still better to wait. She says only a few estates in Bordeaux and Burgundy make wines that improve as they age. Wines of other regions and lesser vintages should be drunk earlier because they will pass their peak faster. In other words, few wines, or those who drink them, will age gracefully something to keep in mind when ordering a bottle older than yourself. Bloomberg News

You have infinite riches within your reach. All you have to do is open your mental eyes and behold the treasure house of harmony within you. A magnetised piece of iron will lift about 12 times its own weight, but if you demagnetise this same piece of iron it will not lift even a feather.

April 20 - May 20

Gemini

Dont put yourself at risk, and try harder to see things in perspective. Never split hairs. Darkness is like a passing shadow. Likewise, joy and peace abide forever in your inner self, while sorrow and suffering come and go. Remember that the core of the Buddhas enlightenment was the idea that the curse of desire is responsible for all the misery of man.

May 21 - June 20

Cancer

All that you see around you is a mirage. Develop the art of entering into the atmosphere of peace and bliss, which fortunately exists within your own self. Remember that noble thoughts make a noble mind that can easily win love, while evil thoughts make an evil mind that knows nothing about the value of love and relationships.

June 22 - July 22

Leo

Love is the only language of mutual understanding. Approach life in a harmonious and courageous manner, and you will open yourself to receiving an important sign of love. You must attend to certain prescribed duties as a member of your family and as a citizen of the world. Base your actions on tried and true methods.

July 23 - Aug 22

Virgo

Your job is not to fix yourself as a leader, but to add value to yourself and change your attitude into the positive. Manage your time usefully and choose your words cleverly. You should be in contact with old friends and relatives at all times to exchange your innermost feelings. Take all the time necessary to learn more about the one you love.

Aug 23 - Sept 22

Libra

US celebrity chef feels the heat

WASHINGTON US cooking s t a r Pa u l a D e e n , s e l f proclaimed Queen of Southern Cuisine famous for her dishes smothered in butter, has met a storm of outrage after revealing she has diabetes and is hawking a drug to treat the disease. Deen, who famously showed off trademark high-fat, highcalorie meals including such creations as a hamburger wedged between a doughnut, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes three years ago but continued her show on the Food Network promoting what critics slammed as an outrageously unhealthy diet. Detractors have lambasted the jovial cooking host in a country that is battling an obesity epidemic. According to recent studies one in three adults in America are obese, as are one in six children a grave, growing problem despite efforts to combat it with healthy eating campaigns. Further sullying her image, 64-year-old Deen came out last month as a spokesperson for the pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk and its diabetes treatment Victoza, hawking the drug in a new campaign Diabetes in a New Light. Fellow US cooking celebrity Anthony Bourdain, a chef and host of Travel Channel show No Reservations, took to Twitter to vent over Deens decision. Thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business, so I can profitably sell crutches later, he quipped on the popular micro-blogging site. Amid the US obesity crisis, Bourdain has laid into Deen before, due to her high-fat creations calling her the worst, most dangerous person to America. Deen has become something of an institution for her heavy, no-apologies approach to cuisine, with a decade-long cooking show, 15 cookbooks, a well-known restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, and a profitable lines of cooking wares sold in stores and online. She has garnered a reputation for heavy, rich, fried southern dishes cooking up a combination of almost anything with the most butter, cream and sugar. Her move to join big pharma and tout a diabetes drug has caused an uproar, not least because US authorities had approved the treatment Victoza in January 2010 despite evidence of a link to thyroid cancer. It also costs hundreds of dollars a month, compared to similar, less expensive options. There was little sympathy for her from fans and critics alike. She had waited three years before revealing she had developed diabetes three years of serving up ever-more carb-and-fat laden meals, dragging her legions down with her. And then, voila! She has the magic bullet, ready for them to pop in their mouth, wrote one outraged viewer on an internet forum. Those closest to her meanwhile reportedly jumped ship over her decision to campaign for the dubious diabetes drug her publicist Nancy Assuncao Sanchez is said to have quit over the move. Her defenders, however, pointed out the problem was not with Deen. She is not responsible for how people eat, insisted one commentator Gary Finger, on a blog for USA Today, saying she was simply geared towards giving people what they already wanted. AFP

The mind can express itself in many different languages and styles of communication, which might not be easy for everyone to understand. Even those of high intelligence and great wisdom might fail to get the precise message. The less you say, the better you will be able to bring your knowledge and experience to bear. Performing good deeds will make your life peaceful and beautiful.

Sept 23 - Oct 22

Scorpio

Enrich your life with understanding, and your heart will be happy. Ordinary people dont spend much time going the extra mile, but leadership begins with committing to just that sort of added time. Doors you never even knew existed will begin to open to help you achieve happiness in your love life and social relationships.

Oct 23 - Nov 21

Sagittarius

Improve your life on a daily basis by using your intelligence and your power to concentrate. Use your talents to the utmost to achieve the highest levels possible. Gain experience through free expression and release yourself from your biggest problems. Something you never expected to change will change, and you will have to sever relations with close partners.

Nov 22 - Dec 21

Capricorn

Emotional tension could lead to sorrow if not dealt with properly, and broken promises could also destroy your chances of gaining paradise. Any decisions you make that are not consistent with your values will result in short-lived progress at best. Use your wholesome desires to cultivate wholesome pleasures. Rely on intuition to discover what kinds of relationships you really want. Use your hardwon knowledge to change your love life for the better. For a personal reading contact Aung Myin Kyaw, 4th Floor, 113 Thamain Bayan Road, Tamwe Township, Yangon. Tel: 0973135632, Email: [email protected]

Dec 22 - Jan 19

Business
I RepResent a major off shore oil rig construction company. We are considering of moving our rig building operations to Myanmar. We are looking for local companies who may be interested in entering into a JV agreement with us. Pls contact us at moe@ globalguidancegroup. com with brief information about your company for further information.

Computer
I.C.s system solution : Computer Maintenance, Wireless Router Configuration, Window OS & Software Installation, Netowrk services direct to the Company , Office & Home.Available Contract service. Antivirus Software License + Update = 8,500 Ks. Ph: 09 540 9712 My InteRnet CAfe shop is 33 computers & included 3 special rooms. Good business place and main road. Two service ( ADSL & WIMAX) contact ph no:-01-502928, 09-5408250. CoMputeR Basic: Course: TypingMyanmar/English, Using Internet/Email, Printing&Scanning, MicrosoftWord/Powerpoint. Fees-20,000 Mon to Fri: Sat-Sun. Advance ProgramingFees 100,000. 3month Course: C#/VB window and web application project. Microsoft SQL Server 2005/2008/2008R2. Real Web Hosting. 3Month, Mon Web Fri, Sat to Sun. Programming BasicFees 40,000. 2 month Couse: Visual Studio C#,VB (OOp Fundamental, Multi Threating etc)Mon to Fri:Sat Sun: Ph:09-504-2775. MetDC Computer Center: I Office Course10000/-, DTP Course15000/-, Photoshop20000/-, Graphic Design- 25000/-, Auto CAD- 25000/-, Thuwunna, Ph: 705484, www. ahmatadaryi. GeneRAl Computer Services. Pls Contact 09-732-13407 CoMputeR Maintenance & Services Available Services: Annual Maintenance Contracts. On Call, At Site Servicing Network Installation & Configuration, Laptop Servicing, Data Recovery. Hot Lines: 09- 513-0617, 09-80-0323

Teaching experience in Singapore,Now back to Myanmar/Teaching for those who need Foreign teaching experience/ Study Guides for Grade 10, 11 and Intl school (ISY, MISY, ILBC, Total, PISM, Crane, MLA, Diplomatic, RV), GCSE, SAT , IELTS, TOEFL , Sayar Bryan, ME ( IT) or Sayar Htet Ph; 0921 50075, Saya Thet (MBBS) (097311-1782), Korean Native English Teacher Tr.Kim (after 6 pm) 655647/ Tr. Taw Ti ( after 6 pm) 0973035744 /Tr. Phyu 09430 83117 , Tr. Ahme B.Sc (IC) Ph: 09730- 59265, Sayar Min Aung (B.E , IT) (09-49280490) (Korean English teacher for young learners). GuIDe foR younG Learners if you need to coach your child, you are welcome to contact us. We are ready to support with following subjects, English, Maths, Geography History, Science, Social English Language, Myanmar Language, caroline.zita@gmail. com ABC pResChool, Subjects : English (4) Skills, Science, Basis Mathematics,Concepts, Myanmar, Hand Work, Drawing & Colouring, Performing Art, Social Studies, Poems , Songs & Rhymes, Excursion. Time Duration ; School Hour: 9:00-15:00 (Close only Sat & Sun). English, Chinese Language, Computer Course : Sat & Sun. No.17, Kamarkyi Rd, Thuwunna Yangon. Email :preschoolabc@ gmail.com IGCse, May 2012 intake, tutoring services for all subjects. Straight A guaranteed. Call to find out more. 09 431 977 61. No (647) Pyay Rd Inya View Condo Kamayut. I n t e R n At I o n A l schools subjects : English, Maths, Science, Hindi and Social. Will coach your kids with great effort. Contect :Teacher Fiona: No.31, 6th floor, U Lun St, Tawme. ph: 09-430-63590.

East Yankin, Ph: 09-73025931. outsCouRCInG - We are a Engineering and Trading firm which is privately owned and lead by senior citizen that engineer with diversified experience of more than 30 years in related industry. We are outscourcing the hightech industrial equipments and products (Alcohol Meters, MOBREY Boiler Water Level Control, Draeger Water Vapour Tube, SWISS LOXX Chem-Bio Escape Mask, KROHNE Flow meter, DIABON Bursting Disc, Air-driven Double Diaphragm Pump, etc.,), Medical equipments (DREGER Products) and other products & equipments which especially you required from the Worldwide countries. And develop and consult the various types of Turnkey Projects (BUSE CO2 Plant, Drinking Water Plant, Cement Plant, Bio-Fuel/Diesel Plant, Pharmaceutical Plant, Vinegar Plant, R.O Seal & Crown Cork Plant, Effluent Treatment Plant, etc.,) . Add: 141(B), 1st Flr, Bayintnaung Rd, Hlaing. Tel/Fax: 513235 Mobile: 09-730-75047

Language
foR foReIGneRs Interested in learning Myanmar Speaking easily & effectively in a short time with Myanmar English Teacher. Save your time & money. Contact : 09-517 9125. Keen Intl Language Centre - Progressive Myanmar Language Private Classes for Foreigners who live in Myanmar. Effective Program for new sections are available. For more information, pls contact : keencentre @gmail. com teACheR Daw Khin Thawda Aung, English Grammar & Speaking in 60 hrs. IELTS, TOEFL, GCE & SAT in 120 hrs. Tel: 556571, 09-5089368. MyAnMAR lAnGuAGe Guide (For Embassy family and others) When you stay in Myanmar, do You want to ask to your children to learn Myanmar language? Call: 09-514-6505, 09730-75265. 501846 Ext:191 (Christine) leARn enGlIsh! In a quiet atmosphere and fun with an experienced teacher Certified in TEFL patient, friendly, organized Enjoys English language: daily conversations, business issues, preparation for examinations. Develop your skills: reading, writing, listening comprehension,conversation, grammar and vocabulary. Mode of work: textbooks, novels, magazines, newspapers, audio, video, etc. To all levels & ages individual classes or groups reviews of leveling! Calls Teacher Min Thant Mobile: 09-73173175. Email: khinmin@gmail. com lAnGuAGe Proficiency(A) Effective & Scientific way, (B) Intensive Class, (C) Interpreter - part time/ Full time (Under mentioned languages), (D) Hindi/ Myanmar/ English (Basic _ Advance for Embassy staff/ Foreigner/ A group single/ Kids + Teens/ NGO- INGO personal/

Expert Service
DownloADInG Service :We offer services for downloading large file with fair price. Just contact us. info. futuretech. mm@ gmail. com Ph: 09-5160225,195150720 CoMputeR tutoR :Basic, DTP, Video, editing, Graphic, Zaua. Ph: 09 730 227 43zauatahan @ gmail. com No. 7, 7A, 89th St, Kandawlay, Yangon seARCh pRopeRty Online : Are you looking to buy, rent, sell or rent out your property? Please visit us at: www.eainsearch.com or call: 09 732 493 78 ReAl eAste If you need Land, House Apartment, Office Room, Building to buy or sell you are welcome to contact caroline.zita@gmail. com AIRCon & Electrical Engineering Services (Installation,Repairing & Servicing) August Engineering Service. Tel; 09-731-10321, 586509 Email; aes. august@ googlemail. com C.l.t Ladies Fashion Tailoring (Use Centimeter Unit) Bldg. 8, Rm No. 1 Yankin Lane Thwe 5,

(Special rate for national peoples) by an Expert Tutor. (1) Home tuition available in groups or single. (2) Translation of English/ Hindi/ Sanskrit/ Bengali/ Nepali & Myanmar are also available. (3) Business Guide & Agency Services. (4) Partnership business welcome. Rs. Verma. B.SC., (Bot), Yangon. (UFL-English), Yangon. Email: rsverma. maynamar@ gmail. com, Ph: 09-730-42604. Add: 125, 43rd St, 5th Flr (R), Botahtaung. lAnCAsteR Education Centre Offirs Course on IELTS Preparation, IELTS Exam Practice, IELTS Speaking, Read-ing + Vocabulary and IELTS Academic Writing General English & Spoken English, IGCSE (English, Maths), TOEFL, Workplace Communication Skills & Weekend Classes for Young Learners (Starters, Movers, Flyers, KET, PET and FCE), Address: 26 (A), 3rd flr, Nawaday Rd, Dagon Tsp, Ph: 374664, 09-550-4342. hoMe tutIon Japanese language basic course, inter course kanji course, nat-test exam course, jpn going course. Ph: 09-7303-2296. foR foReIGneRs interested in learning Myanmar speaking effectively and easily in a short period with Myanmar English teacher at your home. Save your time & money. Contact : 09 5179125. 100,000 kyats per month InnoVIA (Your language solutions) English speaking (General/ Office/ Business/ Travel) IELTS (Preparation/ Foundation) IGCSE (English/ Math / Physics) In Class (or) Home Delivery services. Master of Ceremony/ Announcer/ Presenter for hire Services (Myanmar/ English). Professional Translator/ Interpreter services (Myanmar/ English) . Ph : 09-43197761, 505099 ext : 144 Inya View Condo, 4D, Pyay Rd, Kamaryut

Management, Time Attendance, Payroll. (Available :Finger Print/ Card). (2)pos Software Package: Price 200,000. Modules: Inventory Control, Purchase, Sale, Account Payable. (Available :Barcode Printer/Scanner). Ph:09504-2775 CAn buy for wish: Narrow of modernness Kaw Lin citys history, history of holy return Buddha, Magazine for pearl sign of Kyaws monastery, Myanmars poetry of fifty years, another and long Poetry of rains night, fresh time of world, to pleasant days of gold moon, birthday of young daughter, the poems, can buy for wish. Moe Naung (Kawlin) 125, Padamya St, Aungzeyar Quarter, Kawlin city. (Hug saggaing division). speCIAl DIsCount 1. HTC Desire HD 2. Nokia E5. To contact : 09-503-0197 (1) plAtInuM pRo tread mill, almost new, K120,000. (2) New Fibre glass bath tub, economy size, 48"x30" x 16", ideal for bath-rooms with limited space, 3 nos. available, K 1.45 lakhs each. (3) Used foam rubber double mattress, 78"x 66"x 6" K.30,000. (4) Used Yamaha Clavinova electronic piano - K 800,000. Ph: 09500-3248. Address: 114, Kayebin Rd, Dagon Tsp., near Childrens hospital. hR Software Package: Price200,000. Modules: Employee Manage-ment, Time Attendance, Payroll. (Available: Finger Print/ Card). Ph:09-504-2775 Iphone 3GS - 16G White very very good All accessories with covers iOS 5.0.1 + jailbreak, unlock 250,000 ks. ph: 09-43184138 ChInA Generator (STC20KW, 3 Phase) 1-set (6-lakhs) Ph: 541351, 552729 hD GAMe, app (install). iPhone, iPod 6000ks, iPad 8000ks, iTunes account open (free game, app download) iOS 5 full untethered jailbreak (power off) available. Ph :09-5147480

Chancery, Embassy of India, 545-547 Merchant St, Yangon alongwith company details & credentials/references by 29th February, 2012. For further information and obtaining terms of references pls contact Ms.Molly-391219 Ext.134 during office hours. nyoon Book Dealing: Various kinds of Books regarding Business Management, Business & Investing, Accounting, Briefcase Series, Interview skills. English language can be available at Innwa Book Store, A Yone Thit Book Store, TAB Book Centre (Taw Win Centre). Yar Pyae (Mandalay) Book Store & Tun Oo (Mandalay) Book Store. 214, 4th Flr, Corner of Anawrahta Rd & 32nd St, Pabedan, Email: nyoon. bookdealing@ gmail. com Ph: 386693, 09-504-6769. BABy If you need baby sitter for half day you can contact [email protected] fRee enGlIsh Conversation Opportunity :You can participate in individual conversation with native English speakers - February 20 March 13, 2012. Call MBJ Office ph. No # 537 307. Deadline for registration is February 15th 2012 .

PROPERTY
HousingforRent
ChAnthA GonyAunG Executive Codomi-niums - Penthouse/Rooms. -4 rooms, 5 rooms. - Fully Furnished. - Amazing serenity and satisfactory facilities, club restaurant. -24 hours electricity internet, cable TV. -Brookers welcome. -Interested parties pls call 430078 to 87 (Ext : 0,303), 09-430-85887, 09-430-85889, BAhAn,Kanbawza Rd, Golden Valley, Bahan, Yangon. 30x30 ft, 2 new stories building with 30x110 ft land. Backyard lawn and greenery. Very quiet place.1 master bed room and 2 bed rooms. Fully furnished. Best electricity in town. YCDC water. US$ 1200/mt.Can provide phone/internet depend on price. Ph: 09-732-06783 ,09- 5010816. supeRB location for TRUCKS parking in downtown area. 5 minutes drive from Hle Dan Junction. 15 minutes drive to Hlaing Thar Yar, airport. Dhama Thukha Kyaung Rd, Hlaing. 0.8 acres compound: (a) land only (b) 2 x 3-phase industrial power meter (c) 1 x phone landline pls contact 09 5012920 Yangon. 30x30 ft, 2 new stories building with 30 x110 ft land. Backyard lawn & greenery. Very quiet place. 3 bed room. Well furnished. Best electricity in town. YCDC water. US$ 1500/mt.Can provide phone/internet depend on price. Ph: 09501-0816. BAhAn , 0.25' acres, 2 Story Building, 5 MBR, Garden,2 Entrance gate Semi Funished, Phone, Generactor, Good Electricity Sutiable for office, US$ 3600 per month (Nego:)U Wisara Rd, 40x73' 2 1/2 Story Building, 3 MBR, new house, Fully aircon, Phone, US$ 2500 per month (Nego:) Inya Rd, 0.5acce Nice Colony style building, Big garden, 3MBR US$ 3500 per month (Nego:) Ph: 09-73206789

Housing for Sale

BAhAn, Locate at Golden Valley 2, Inya Myaing Rd, Total Sqft - 14950 (Nearly 15000) Price - 250000 per Sqft. Ph: 513160. BAhAn, 40 x 60 ft plot at Kaba Aye, Two storey house include. Selling price - 2300 lakhs (negotiable). Tel: 663-326, 09-731-97531,

Training
suMMeR sInGInG course 2012 Commencing Date : 7th March, 2012. Completion Date : 30th May, 2012. Sessions (Tue + Thur) 9:00 am to 11:00 am (Wed + Fri) 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm (Sat + Sun) 10:00 am to 12:00 noon. Contact Address : UNIQUE Music Class - No.304 (A-4), Waizayantar Rd, 16/3 Quarter, Thingangyun , Yangon. Tel : 09-43093361. GuItAR GuIDe To Home Ph-09 73194925 unIteD KARAte - Aikido Combat Dojo No. 267, 5th Flr Pyay Rd (front of Dagon Center II) Myaynigone,Sanchaung Tel: 09-507-7634, 09567-0442 Monday, Wednesday, 18:00 to 20:00 - Sports Karate Friday, 18:00 to 20:00 Combat Karate (Sayargyi U Thaung Din Style) Member fees - 15,000 Kyats Registrat-ion Monthly - 10,000 Kyats. United Club old members: FOC Registration Monthly - 50% off - Moe Lwin. sMARt Fitness Center : Invite to all of our customer, Grantee for over weight men & women (over 200 lb), to get always smart & healthy body, Available to discuss with skillful training teacher, Teach in systematically. Ph: 09730-17729. 142, 47th St, 1st Flr, Botataung.

For Rent
hAVe youR offICe at the prestigious central towers for only 39000 kyats a month. Pls call 09-492-47013, 01-377151. For more details about the facilities and services offered.

Food
De Chef Corner Bakery Since- 1999, Rm No.03, Ground Flr. Block C, Pearl Condo, Bahan, Yangon. Tel: 554253.

Public Notice
MyAnMAR CooK Book A unique Myanmar Cook Book with recipes for practical usage, written in English by Daw Ena WinB.FastMo hinga,Ohn no Khauk swear, Shwe taung Khauk swear, etc . . .Rice & CurryChicken Curry, Duck Curry,Prawn Curry etc,Myanmar Style. Available in Yangon (1). Innwa Book Store, Pansodan St. Tel : 389838, 374234. (2).Myanmar Book Centre, Tel 221271 (3).Bishop store, Old Yaydarshay Rd, Bahan (4).Tab Book Center, Taw win Plaza, Tel: 8600042, 8600043 (Daw Ena Win & Associates) eMBAssy of India in Yangon invites offers from Architects/Consultants for designing/supervising/ construction of 122500 square feet boundary wall of its property at 35 Thantaman Road, Yangon. The interested Consultancy Service may submit their "Expresser of Interests" to Head of

For Sale
hD GAMe,app (install) iPhone, iPod 6000ks, iPad 8000ks, iTunes : account open (free game,app download) , iOS 5 all iDevices full untethered: jailbreak (power off) iPhone 4s, iPad 2 available. contact :09-514-7480 RAzeR stARCRAft 2 Headphone Apple Superdrive New cmda 800mhz + c8500 handset with no internet Ph: 09730-48374 iphone, ipad, iPod Touch , PSP Services :Jailbreak , game install, Version Upgrade, iPhone4 / 4S sim card cutting, PSP modify + Games Service, Create iTunes account (ygn / mdy), Create Gmail account (ygn / mdy), Ph: 09-73903193 (mandalay only) (1) hR softwARe Package: Price 200,000. Modules: Employee

Education
VeRy speCIAl IELTS, IGCSE and 4 skills (For 7.5 and above, with the best care) Teacher Solomon (SLBC, USA, Internationally Recognized. No.25, Maha Bawga St, Myaynigone, Near Dagon Centre II, Ph: 09-541-7781. M.eD- degree holder English teacher with 35years English teaching experience can be contacted for individual English Speaking, IELTS or Matriculation Classes. Booking for 2012-13 academic year Matriculation English class can be available. Ph: 09-505-8164. teAChInG combination of Foreign & Myanmar Style/ Skillful Teachers, Teachers who have got

Travel
pACKAGe Tour to USA & Europe for April 2012 are available at United Treasure Travel (UT) with attractive offer. For booking & inquiry, just call to 09-731-77936, 09-516-5219, 558866.

Want To Hire
A MnC that is planning to open an office in Yangon is seeking the following for short term and long term lease; Land Crusier, Pajero, and Toyota Hiace, air-con, and must be clean, to include driver. Please quote on a daily, weekly and monthly lease terms.

south oKKAlApA: 10 minutes drive from Sedona Hotel, Mya Thida Housing , Banglow , 2 story building, Fully furnish-ed, Fullyfurniture, 4 MB, 4SB, Ph, A/C, Good Neighborhood, 15 Lakhs, Foreigners welcome. Call - 01-569448, 09-73135900 BAhAn : New University Avenue Lane, Condo, 7F, 1500 sqft , Fully Furnished, Fully furniture, 3 A/C, 1 MBR, 2 SBR ,1PH, 6 Lakhs , (Suitable to Rent for Foreigner),Call-01569448, 09-73036937 BAhAn. (for Foreigner) Pearl Condo Tower D, 6 floor Fully Furnished about 1780 Sqft, 3BR. US$1800/mt 1 year Contract. Call: 09-5018701. BAhAn. Pearl Condo Tower E, 4th floor. Fully Furnished (including kitchen ware) Inclusive of electricity, water, wireless internet, satellite TV channels. about 1780sq ft, 3BR. US$3000/mt (nego) Payable Monthly Call: 095200654 BAhAn, Kanbawza RD, Golden Valley, Bahan,

09-431-26571, 09-43141971.

Rent / Sale
tAMwAe : Lovely Banglow, 2 Story, 1 MB, 2SB, 50x100' Yard, Fully Furnished, 1Ph, 9 Lakhs, Foreigners welcome. Call - 01-569448, 09731-35900

Want to hire
to hIRe Suitable building to run an office (or) to take relax two bed rooms with bathroom attached About 7milesfromPatheinbridge road side of Pathein Ngwe Saung run way Contact: 095201910/01-534580 VIllA oR ConDo (for foreigner) Bahan, Mayankone, Hlaing, Kamayut,Thingankyun, Yankin. RC, MB, SB, Water-Well & YCDC, Good Electricity, A/C, Ph, Attached to Garden, Furnished, Rent Rate $600 ~ $1000. Pls contact by house owner to Ms. Hnin Si within office hours 9AM to 5PM- 556692, 540995 neAR yuzAnA plAzA, warehouse to hire. Ph: 546309.

Employment
Embassy
joB Opportunity: A Foreign Mission in Yangon is looking for a SECRETARY (Female), fluent in written/ oral English (minimum 3 years experience). Please send CV with recent photo to tztztz78@ gmail.com. and expanding to new geo-graphical locations. Currently, HelpAge, in collaboration with relevant Government agencies and partners, in implementing projects that support older people and other vulnerable groups by strengthening their livelihood and food security, health and DRR capacities in Ayerawaddy, Mandalay and Sagaing Regions. The project activities focus on promoting participatory development approaches for the formation and capacity development of Self Help Groups to reinforce their existing livelihood activities, starting new income generating activities, provision of community-based Home Care service, training in Self Care, etc. The overall aim of the programme is to reduce poverty and vulnerability of older people and to facilitate their participation in community development. We are now seeking for qualified and experienced Myanmar national for the following position: Job Title ; Communi-cations Specialist. Location : Yangon. Qualifications/ c o m p e t e n c i e s -Education: Bachelors degree in journalism, communications or any other related field. At least 4 years work experience in communications and publishing, preferably with an international NGO. Experience in developing donor reports. Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with an ability to prioritize effectively and meet deadlines. Solid skills in writing, with ability to tailor writing style to audience & project brief. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work effectively with culturally diverse team members from various disciplines, and in a fast-paced team environment. Flexible approach to working outside normal office hours, particularly when called upon to support country teams or meet deadlines. Must be able to analyze, organize and integrate detailed information clearly, quickly, and consistently. Advanced written and spoken English & Myanmar languages skills. Interested and qualified candidates are requested to send a Cover Letter and Curriculum Vitae to the Human Resources Unit of HelpAge International Myanmar Country Office, No 10 Kanbawza Avenue, Shwe-taun-gya Ward No. 1, Bahan Township, Yangon oR by email to hr.helpagemyanmar@ gmail.com no later than 5 p.m., Wednesday, 29th February 2012. Candidates interested in receiving full JD, please contact HelpAge International Myanmar Country Office oR send your request to hr.helpagemyanmar@ gmail.com. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified for interview. solIDARItes Int'l (SI) is seeking Deputy programme Manager in Myebon, Rakhine State : MBA, Social Sciences, Agriculture or other relevant University Degree. 4 years of professional experience in project management in the humanitarian or rural development sector. Previous experience with INGO in imple-menting livelihood activities is a must. Knowledge of the Rakhine State and the project area is considered as an advantage. Fluent in both written and spoken English/ Excellent reporting skills. Good computer skills in particular for data processing & analysis. Pls submit application (CV, cover letter, references) to the attention of: Jonche Manevski, Administrative Coordinator Solidarites Int'l Office - No.1-B, Saw Maha Lane, Bogyoke Pyatike Rd, Bahan, or per email: h r. s o l i d a r i t e s . m m @ gmail. com (thanks to use basic excel, word or pdf format). Closing date: 25-02-2012 in Micrsoft Office, especially Access and Excel. Leadership skill & planning; manage-ment of budgets; management of resources monitoring; reporting; communication; networking & Competency of self management.Effective spoken and written English. (3) logistic Manager - M 1 Post : Any Graduate. Age under 40. 5 years experience in logistic field. Good command of English is preferable. Computer literate. Must be available for Office). Good command in written and spoken English is preferable. Submit the applications with CV and Copy of Education Certificate to the reception counter in a closed envelope or by e-mail at or before 15 th March 2012. Short list candidates will be contacted. 3rd Flr, MRCS Bldg 42, Strand Rd, Botahtaung , Ph: 383676, 09-43050926, 09-731-66206. E-mail: cvtygn @ goldenland.com.mm cvt.2001.2009@gmail. com technician - M 2 posts : Pleasant personality. Age under 30. 1 years experience. AGTI Mechanical/ Electrical (3) Driver - M 1 post: Must have pleasant personality. Good communicative skills. Working experien-ce 2 years. Can drive within Yangon area very well. Can apply within 1 month with personal details, C.V, color photo with relevant docu-ments to; Rm 501, 5th flr, FMI Center, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Panbedan. DRIVeR 2 post : Age 2535. University Degree holder (any discipline). Able to speak English with foreigners. Must have a valid driving license. Application: Pls send updated C.V with a recent photo, together with relevant documents such as Education certificates, police clearance certificate & Labor registration card to Rm 201, Shwe Hin Thar Condo, Corner of Shwe Hin Thar St & Pyay Rd, 6 Mile, Hlaing. Tel: 507401, 651511. thuRA swIss is a Myanmar-based research, consulting, technology and knowledge-transfer company. Incorporated by Dr. AungThura, a Myanmar national who was born and educated in Switzerland, Thura Swiss unites international and local professionals to provide its customers with indepth knowledge of the Myanmar market and Swiss quality service. The company is looking for dynamic and motivated individuals to join its team as consultants in banking and market entry of companies. The consultant is responsible for keeping up-todate with the latest developments in the investment climate and the banking sector in Myanmar, informing clients (new foreign and local companies, banks) of these developments, respond ing in an efficient and timely manner to the clients requests, and helping develop and introduce new products in banking. The candidate should meet the following criteria: Hold a university degree in economics or finance (preferably, but not necessarily, a Masters degree in one of these areas), Have experien-ce working with banks and/or foreign companies, Have extensive knowledge of Myanmars economy and the banking sector in the country and globally, Speak and write in good English and Myanmar. The position requires the aspiring individual to have a lot of initiative, be pro-active, be able to work independently, manage work load with respect to deadlines and possess excellent client communication and presentation skills. Thura Swiss provides self-starters excellent opportunities for professional growth. If you are interested, pls send updated CV and cover letter (in English) before 28 February 2012 to: hr@thuraswiss. com. Pls contact May Thaw at: 654730, 654731 Do-Re-Mi Family Club is seeking for the Music & Movement Instructors/ Pre-School Teacher for young children. Basic Music knowledge Can sing in tune, know s beat & rhuthm. Age 2128 Female. Fluent oral & written English. Any degree holder. Plesant personality. Pls send CV with a recent passport size photo & copies of educational qualification to Kids Garden at Marina residence. No. 8, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone. Ph: 650634. (1). GeneRAl MAnAGeR - M/F 1 post: Above 10 years experience , Planning, developing & coordinating the construction firms and the trading manufacturing of products in compliance with company goals & objectives. (2). Marketing Manager - M/F 3 post: Above 5 years of relevant sales & marketing with construction & interior products, Able to conduct market research to determine market requirements, (3). Marketing execut-ive - M/F 10 posts : Above 5 years experience in construct-ion & interior products, Any graduate with sales & marketing diploma or certificate. (4). web Designer / Designer - M/F 3 posts :Above 3 years experience. Skillfully in CSS, JavaScript, Photo Shop, PHP, Auto-Cad, 3DMax etc. Over look company e-marketing. Self-motivate, independence & initiative (5). Quantity surveyor - M/F 3 posts: B.E , B.Tech or AGTI (Civil) and above 5 years experience in construction & interior fields. Proficient usingAuto Cad, 3D Drawing & preparing estimates costs for repair & maintain projects. Prepare and handle in analyzing costing for projects. Manage the costs of the entire projects. (6). logistic executive - M/F 2 post :5 years experience in commercial fields, Well knowledge and handle in import /export procedure, LC, Tax, shipping & clearance etc., All applicants must be Proficient English 4 skills. Pls submit CV, design profile with full details attached with recent photo to Polygon Global Ltd : 170/176, Unit 211 , 2 nd Flr, MGW Tower, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Bota-taung. Ph: 256560 not later than 20.2.201 InteR GRoup of Companies is a leading management consulting company based in Singapore is seeking for Myanmar Assistant Accounts executive: 2 years experience in full set of Accounts preparation. B.Com/ ACCA Level 2/ LCCI Level 3 with relevant experience. Proficient in MYOB software. Excellent Microsoft Excel/ Spread Sheet skills. Willing to travel overseas. Receptionist cum Admin Assistant: Minimum Diploma holder. 3 years experience in handling customers or in guest service. Computer literate & familiar with Office Applications. Pls submit detailed resume with one recent passport photos and cover letter together with copies of educational certifi-cates & testimonials to Inter Consulting Co., Ltd :30 (B-1), Rm 601, 6th Flr, Yadanar Innya Condo, Than Lwin Rd, Bahan, Tel: 09-731-05353, 09731-05340, Email: hr@ icononline. net.Closing date : 29, February 2012. BeRnhARD sChulte Shipmanagement, No. F/S- 1, Shwe Marlar Yeik Mon, Bayint Naung Rd, Kamaryut, Yangon, Tel: 515031, 536805, We urgently require the following positions for Chemical/Product Tanker, 19,806DWT, 2005 built in China, M:E B&W 6S46MCC(2stroke) 7860kw : p/ MAn, AB x 3, osx3, fItteR, MotoRMAn, ChIef CooK. Interested candidates are required to visit BSM PREMISES. fC (Dessert Bar & Bistro) Opening soon high class European food and dessert restaurant is urgently seeking (1) head Chef (For Casual dining Restaurant) 1 Post : Expert in Italian/ modern European cuisines. 5 years experience. Fine dining & oversea working experience in preferred. Able to guide & train apprentice. Good salary according to skill level & experience. University level or Degree holder. Must be creative. (2) Asst: Chef - 2 Posts : Knowledge in Italian/ modern European cuisines. 3 years experience. (3) Bakery Chef - 5 years experience. Passion for the culinary arts. Hardworking, highly motivated selfstarters. Able to guide and train apprentice. Good salary according to skill level and experience. Min University level or Degree holder is required. (4) waiter/ waitress- M/F 20 Posts: 1 years experience. Able to speak English & working late night. Must have very good personality, sweet and charming. High school graduate. Detail CV with qualification certificate, recent 2 photos, expected salary & other necessary documentation & contact ph to 135, Inya Rd (ICE CREAM BAR) Ph: 511141. A MAnDARIn teacher position is open for the 2012-2013 school year at the International School Yangon (ISY). Experienced candidates should send their CV with references to splisinski@ isyedu. org. MyAnMAR woMen Entrepreneurs Association (MWEA) is seeking (1) project Manager - 1 post (Yangon) University Degree /Master Degree in political science business management with related field, 3 years of relevant experience in the area of project management of gender related projects. (2) Project Officer - 1 post (Yangon) University Degree in management , social science gender related field, 3 years of related experience in the area of integrated women development project such as raising awareness and rights and trainings. (3) project Assistant - 1 post (Yangon) : University Degree in social science , gender or related field, 2 years of related experience in the area of women development project. Application must include a cover letter, current CV, copies of relevant academic qualification certificate and a recent passport sized photograph to MWEA, 288/290, MWEA Tower, Shweda-gon Pagoda Rd, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. Closing Date: 29 February 2012 Blue BIRD Hotel (Bagan) is seeking : hotel Manager - M/F, engineering staff - M/F, engineering Asst: M/F, sous Chef - M/F, Reservation Officer F, Accountant - F, Work Place is in Bagan. Pls contact us with your CV to : Rm 907,FMI Centre, Pabedan Tsp . Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Tel : 248060, 09-50-52595. MyAnMAR wonDeRs Travel Ltd (Yangon) is seeking: tour operation Officer - M/F, production officer - M/F.Pls Contact us with CV to: Rm 907, FMI Centre, Pabedan. Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Tel : 248060, 09-5052595.

UN Position
the unIteD nAtIons Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) is seeking for Myanmar nationals: Marketing specialist (SC-6) MMRJ94/J95 Projects - 1 Post. Duty Station: Taunggyi/ Hopone, Southern Shan State: University degree in Business Administration, marketing or related field. Have a 5 years expe-rience in marketing, with a focus on agriculture products preferred. Demonstrated experience in all aspects of developing & implementing marketing strategies. Proven ability in working with multidisciplinary & multicultural teams. Proven ability to write techincal reports, reviews & programme/ project documents. Proficiency in MS Office & project management software. Fluency in spoken and written English. Candidates should clearly indicate the Post Title in their application. Application must include a cover letter, current CV, copies of relevant academic qualification certifi-cates, & a recent passport sized photograph. Application should be address to UNODC, 11A, Maylikha Rd, Ward-7, Mayangone, Yangon, (or) C/O UNDP, POBox (650), Yangon, Closing Date: 24 February 2012.

Local Position
oRyx International General Svcs Co., Ltd. is seeking (1) Office Manger - M/F 1 Post : Age 30 to 45, Fluent in English, good communication skills, well versed in computer. Willing to travel alone to Nay Pyi Taw for Government office follow up. (2) tour operation Manager - M/F 1 Post : Age 35 to 50. Must have experience to plan and operate inbound tours. Fluent in English, computer literate. (3) Asst: Accountant M/F 1 Post : Age 35 to 45, Fluent in English, computer accounting. (4) Computer operator - F 1 Post : Good in English, 5 years experience in Internet, Email, Office Word, Excel, Pagemaker & Photoshop. All above positions must have 3 to 5 years experience in same field. Salary will depend on experience & qualification. Submit your details resume to Rm 806, Yuzana Tower Bahan, Yangon Tel: 558398, 09 430 66708. AsIA Language & Business Academy (ALBA) urgently requires an english native teacher for our weekend program. Pls contact: 384055, 376236, Email:admin @albaedu.com MyAnMAR sAtellIte Telecom Co., Ltd. is seeking (1) telecommunication engineer for planning, execution and setting up new mobile telecom company, age 40 ~ 60, fluent in English, must be able to maintain good relations with Government office. (2) Architect (all levels) degree or diploma, Auto Cad 3 D, experience in large scale projects. (3) operation Manager age 40 50 for inbound tours to handle foreign clients, must be fluent in English, experience 3 5 years. Pls contact with your CV to Rm 806, Yuzana Tower, Bahan , Yangon.Tel: 558398, 09 430 66708. Oryx Int'l General Svcs Co., Ltd : Rm 806, Yuzana Tower, Bahan. Tel: 558398, 09430- 66708. we are seeking (1) General Manager - M 1 Post: Any Graduate or Higher Degree (MBA is preferable). Age 3555. 7 years experience at Senior Management Level. Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Must be able to responsible for Planning, Implementation and Reporting. Excellent knowledge in English language. (2) hR Manager - M/F 1 Post : Any Graduate, more preferable MBA degree or DMA diploma holder. Age 30-40. 5 years experience. Ability to understand the principle of employment practice & labor law. Demonstrable experience

INGO Position
MeDeCIns du Monde (MDM) is seeking (1) Community facilitator, 1 post in Pyapon : High School Graduate. Working experience in the field of community facilitation would be an advantage. Fair listen-ing, spoken and writing skill in English is preferable. (2)field nurse, 1 post in Pyapon : B.N.Sc or degree in Public Health (Health Assistant). Previous working experience in primary health care and MCH would be advantagous. Knowledge of English is an asset. Experience in training/ Teaching. Basic Computer skill. (3)Data Clerk - 1 post in Pyapon. Requirement: B.C.Sc/ B.C Tech/ Other Degree related with Informat-ion Technology. Previous working experience in database management system would be advantage. Experience working in Health related project is preferable. Know-ledge of English an asset. Experience on Database Design and Developments is preferable. Pls submit CV and a cover letter to MDM Country Coordination Office, Yangon. No.47-B, Po Sein St, Bahan, Yangon. Ph: 542830, Email: hr. mdmmyanmar@mail. com. helpAge International is a global network of notfor-profit organisations. HelpAge mission is to work with our partners to ensure that people everywhere understand how much older people contribute to society and that they must enjoy their right to healthcare, social services and economic and physical security. HelpAge is widening the scope of its work in Myanmar

traveling and staying in Shan State. Must be in self responsibility and accountability. (4) Business Development Manager - M/ F 1 Post : Any Graduate or Higher Degree (MBA is preferable). Age 3545. 5 years experience and 3 years direct experience in Business development fields, & including knowledge & experience of working process in relation with Government Ministries and International Trade procedure. Knowledge in tender project in a must. Good command of English, Excellent Public relation skills. Available for traveling. Computer literate. (5) senior executive (Commercial) - M/ F 2 Posts : Working experience in Commercial Fields (Export, Import documentation). Age uder 35. 3 years experience. Good command of English/ Chinese is preferable. Computer literate. Must staying in Northern Shan State. (6) senior Accountant - M/ F 2 Posts : B.Com, B.Act, CPA or Higher Degree. Age 30-45. 5 years experience. Must be staying in Northern Shan State. Good command of English/ Chinese is preferable. (7) Business Development executive - M/ F 2 Posts : Any Graduate. Age under 35. 1-2 years experiences in Business development & Tender field. Good command of English. Computer literate. Pls submit an application letter, with full CV detailing your experience, knowledge & skills. Pls include the names & contact details of referees to the HR Department by email to hrd1@ pristinemyanmar. com or PO Box 428 or No.B/7, Taw Win Rd, 9 Mile, Mayangone within 2 weeks. the CenteR for Vocational Training is recruiting a teacher for Electrician Profession 1 Post. The suitable person for this post has a degree in B.E (E.P) or CVT graduated, with 5 years experience. Age 30 years and above are preferable. Has to teach material knowledge, working technique and electrical installation subjects at Practical Training Course (PTC). Interested in wide spectre of the profession related aspect in general. Used to work with a computer (Microsoft

QuAlIfIeD individuals interested in competing for the below vacancies should submit their applications directly to the Logistics Media Service Co., Ltd. (1) Marketing & Advertising Manager - - 1 post (2) senior Account executive - 7 post (3) senior Marketing executive - 7 posts (4) Marketing Assistants - 20 posts. Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge, & Experience: Bachelors degree holder with 5 years proven experience or MBA with 3 years in marketing & advertising field especially with expertise in media servics industry. Bachelors degree in Economics with 2 years experience or LCCI second level with 2 year experience. Bachelors degree holder with 3 years experience in Marketing & advertising. Bachelors degree holder ability to learn quickly, demonstrate critical thinking, & make situation-appropriate decisions using sound judgment. Outstanding interpersonal & communication skills. Experience working in a high-paced, small company environment. To Apply: Pls submit a letter of interest, a detailed resume listing qualifications & experience with supporting documents & certificates to 297, Rm. 3, 2nd Flr, Corner of Mahaban-doola Rd., & Bogalay Zay St., Botahtaung, Yangon or logimedia@ myanmar. com.mm before end of March 2012. GRAphIC Designer M/F 5 Posts : Between 20 to 35 years, Good Personality, Degree Holder, Computer literate-MS Word, Excel & Power Point, Familiar with using Graphic Software (Photoshop, CorelDraw, Illustrator), Prefer Experience in Graphic Design Field. Interested applicants may send their CV, copy of certificates, labor registration and 2 ID photos to City Mart Holding Co., Ltd : 1-11, Padonmar Stadium (East Wing), Bargayar St, Sanchaung, within 2 weeks. (1) sAles seRVICe Officer - M/F 5 posts : Age 20 ~ 30. Pleasant personality. Can speak English. Can work under pressure. Must have graduate degree. Experience in sales fields. (2) junior service

The Essentials
EMBASSIES Australia 88, Strand Road, Yangon. tel : 251810, 251797, 251798, 251809, 246462, 246463, fax: 246159 Bangladesh 11-B, Than Lwin Road, Yangon. tel: 515275, 526144, fax: 515273, email: [email protected]. mm Brazil 56, Pyay Road, 6th mile, Hlaing Tsp, Yangon. tel: 507225, 507251, 507482. fax: 507483. email: Administ.yangon@ itamaraty.gov.br. Brunei 317/319, U Wizara Road, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. tel: 526985, 524285, fax: 512854 email: bruneiemb@ bruneiemb.com.mm Cambodia 25 (3B/4B), New University Avenue Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 549609, 540964, fax: 541462, email: RECYANGON @mptmail. net.mm China 1, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 221280, 221281, 224025, 224097, 221926, fax: 227019, 228319 Egypt 81, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 222886, 222887, fax: 222865, email: egye mbyangon@mptmail. net.mm France 102, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 212178, 212520, 212523, 212528, 212532, fax: 212527, email: ambaf rance. rangoun@ diplomatie.fr Germany 9, Bogyoke Aung San Museum Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 548951, 548952, fax: 548899 email: info@rangun. diplo.de India 545-547, Merchant Street, Yangon. tel: 391219, 388412, 243972, fax: 254086, 250164, 388414, email: indiaembassy @mptmail. net.mm Indonesia 100, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 254465, 254469, 229750, fax: 254468, email: kukygn @indonesia.com.mm Israel 15, Khabaung Street, Hlaing Tsp, Yangon. tel: 515115, fax: 515116, email: info@ yangon.mfa.gov.il Italy 3, Inya Myaing Road, Golden Valley, Yangon. tel: 527100, 527101, fax: 514565, email: ambyang.mail@ esteri.it Japan 100, Natmauk Road, Yangon. tel: 549644-8, 540399, 540400, 540411, 545988, fax: 549643 North Korea 77C, Shin Saw Pu Road, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. tel: 512642, 510205, fax: 510206 South Korea 97 University Avenue, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 527142-4, 515190, fax: 513286, email: hankuk@ kore mby.net.mm Lao A-1, Diplomatic Quarters, Tawwin Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. tel: 222482, fax: 227446, email: Laoembcab@ mptmail. net.mm Malaysia 82, Pyidaungsu Yeiktha Road, Yangon. tel: 220248, 220249, 220251, 220230, fax: 221840, email: mwkyangon@mptmail. net.mm Nepal 16, Natmauk Yeiktha, Yangon. tel: 545880, 557168, fax: 549803, email: nepemb @mptmail.net.mm Pakistan A-4, diplomatic Quarters, Pyay Road, Yangon. tel: 222881 (Chancery Exchange) fax: 221147, email: pakistan@ myanmar. com.mm Philippines 50, Sayasan Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 558149-151, fax: 558154, email: p.e. [email protected] Russian 38, Sagawa Road, Yangon. tel: 241955, 254161, fax: 241953, email: rusinmyan@mptmail .net.mm Serbia No. 114-A, Inya Road, P.O.Box No. 943Yangon. tel: 515282, 515283, fax: 504274, email: serbemb@ yangon.net.mm Singapore 238, Dhamazedi Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. tel: 559001, fax: 559002, 559922, email: singemb_ ygn@_ sgmfa. gov.sg Sri Lanka 34 Taw Win Road, Yangon. tel: 222812, fax: 221509, email: slembassy. [email protected], [email protected], www.slembyangon.org Thailand 94 Pyay Road, Dagon Township, Yangon. tel: 226721, 226728, 226824, fax: 221713 United Kingdom 80 Kanna Road, Yangon. tel: 370867, 380322, 371852, 371853, 256438, 370863, 370864, 370865, fax: 370866 United States of America 110, University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Yangon. tel: 536509, 535756, 538038, fax: 650306 Vietnam Building No. 72, Thanlwin Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. tel: 511305, fax: 514897, email: vnemb myr@ cybertech.net.mm Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia No.287/289, U Wisara Rd, Sanchaung Tsp. tel : 01-536153, 516952, fax : 01-516951 UNITED NATIONS ILO Liaison Officer Rm (M1212~1220), 12 Fl-A, Traders Hotel. 223, tel: 242 393, 242811. fax: 242594. IOM 12th Flr, Traders Hotel, 223, tel: 252560 ext. 5002 UNAIDS Rm: (1223~1231), 12 Fl, Traders Hotel. tel: 252361, 252362, 252498. fax: 252364. UNDCP 11-A, Malikha St, Mayangone tsp. tel: 666903, 664539. fax: 651334. UNDP 6, Natmauk Rd, Bahan tel: 542910-19. fax: 292739. UNFPA 6, Natmauk Rd, Bahan tsp. tel: 546029. UNHCR 287, Pyay Rd, Sanchaung tsp. tel: 524022, 524024. fax 524031. UNIAP Rm: 1202, 12 Fl, Traders Hotel.tel: 254852, 254853. UNIC 6, Natmauk St., BHN tel: 52910~19 UNICEF 14~15 Flr, Traders Hotel. P.O. Box 1435, KTDA. tel: 375527~32, fax: 375552 email: unicef.yangon@unicef. org, www.unicef.org/myanmar. UNODC 11-A, Malikha Rd., Ward 7, MYGN. tel: 666903, 660556, 660538, 660398, 664539, fax: 651334. email: [email protected] www. unodc.org./myanmar/ UNOPS Inya Lake Hotel, 3rd floor, 37, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 951657281~7. Fax: 657279. UNRC 6, Natmauk Rd, P.O. Box 650, TMWE tel: 542911~19, 292637 (Resident Coordinator), fax: 292739, 544531. WFP 3rd-flr, Inya Lake Hotel, 37, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 657011~6 (6-lines) Ext: 2000. WHO 12A Fl, Traders Hotel. tel:250583. ASEAN Coordinating Of. for the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force, 79, Taw Win st, Dagon Township. Ph: 225258. FAO Myanma Agriculture Service Insein Rd, Insein. tel: 641672, 641673. fax: 641561.

General Listing
ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS
Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe. tel: 544500. fax: 544400. Summit Parkview Hotel 350, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. tel: 211888, 211966. fax: 227995. Thamada Hotel 5, Alan Pya Phaya Rd, Dagon. tel: 243639, 243640, 243641. Traders Hotel 223 Sule Pagoda Rd. tel: 242828. fax: 242838. Winner Inn 42, Than Lwin Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel: 535205, 524387. email: winnerinnmyanmar @gmail.com Yangon YMCA 263, Mahabandoola Rd, Botataung Tsp. tel: 294128, Yuzana Hotel 130, Shwegondaing Rd, Bahan Tsp, tel : 01-549600, 543367 Yuzana Garden Hotel 44, Alanpya Pagoda Rd, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp, tel : 01-248944

ACCOUNTANTS AND CONSULTANTS

Charted Certified, Certified Public Accountants. tel: 09-5010563. [email protected]

AIR CONDITION
Chigo No. 216, 38 Street (Upper), Kyauktada Tsp, tel : 373472

No.7A, Wingabar Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : (951) 546313, 430245. 09-731-77781~4. Fax : (01) 546313. www.cloverhotel.asia. [email protected] Confort Inn 4, Shweli Rd, Bet: Inya Rd & U Wisara Rd, Kamaryut, tel: 525781, 526872 Golden Aye Yeik Mon Hotel 4, Padauk Lane, 4th Word, Aye Yeik Mon Housing, Hlaing. tel: 681706. Hotel Yangon No. 91/93, 8th Mile Junction, Mayangone. tel : 01-667708, 667688. Inya Lake Resort Hotel 37 Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 662866. fax: 665537. Orchid Hotel 91, Anawrahta street, Pazundaung Township, Yangon, . Tel: 399930, 704740, 293261. E-mail: orchidhotel@myanmar. com. mm.

ACCOMMODATIONHOTELS (NAy PyI TAw)

The First Air conditioning systems designed to keep you fresh all day GUNKUL Engineer supply Co., Ltd. No.437 (A), Pyay Road, Kamayut. P., O 11041 Yangon, Tel: +(95-1) 502016-8, Mandalay- Tel: 02-60933. Nay Pyi TawTel: 067-420778, E-mail freshaircon@gkmyanmar. com.mm. URL: http:// www.freshaircon.com General 83-91, G-F, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Kyauktada Tsp, tel : 706223, 371906

Reservation Office (Yangon) 262-264, Pyay Road, Dagon Centre, A# 03-01, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 95-1-501937, 536255, 09-520-0926.
The Oasis Hotel (Nay Pyi Taw)

ASTROLOGER
Saya Min Thoun Dara Astrologer No(2), Maha Wizaya Pagoda North Stairway, Dagon Tsp. tel: 296184

Tel: 95-67-422088, 422099

ACCOMMODATION LONG TERM

No. 205, Corner of Wadan Street & Min Ye Kyaw Swa Road, Lanmadaw Tsp, Yangon. Myanmar. Tel: (95-1) 212850 ~ 3, 229358 ~ 61, Fax: (95-1) 212854. info@myanmarpandahotel .com http://www. myanmarpandahotel.com Panorama Hotel 294-300, Pansodan Street, Kyauktada Tsp. tel: 253077. PARKROYAL Yangon, Myanmar 33, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd, Dagon tsp. tel: 250388. fax: 252478. email: enquiry.prygn@ parkroyalhotels.com Website: parkroyalhotels. com. Savoy Hotel 129, Damazedi Rd, Kamayut tsp. tel: 526289, 526298, Seasons of Yangon Yangon Intl Airport Compound. tel: 666699. Sweet Hotel 73, Damazedi Road, San Chaung Tsp, Ph: 539152 Sedona Hotel Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin. tel: 666900. Strand Hotel 92 Strand Rd. tel: 243377. fax: 289880. Easy Expat Accommodation Specialist in Yangon. Tel: 09-730-33776. Eco-Apartment Fully Furnished Ga 21, Pearl Centre (Pearl Condo), Bahan Tsp. Tel: 557488. Espace Avenir No 523, Pyay Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. tel: 505213-222. Golden Hill Towers 24-26, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel: 558556. ghtower@ mptmail.net.mm. Marina Residence 8, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 6506 51~4. fax: 650630. MiCasa Hotel Apartments 17, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp. tel: 650933. fax: 650960. Sakura Residence 9, Inya Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. tel: 525001. fax: 525002. The Grand Mee Ya Hta Executive Residence 372, Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Pabedan Tsp. tel 951-256355 (25 lines). fax: 951-256360. email: gmer@ mptmail.net.mm, www. grandmeeyahta.com Yangon City Villa (Residence) Pyay Rd, 8 Mile Junction, MYGN, tel: 513101

BARS
50th Street 9/13, 50th street-lower, Botataung Tsp. Tel-397160.

Green Garden Beer Gallery Mini Zoo, Karaweik Oo-Yin Kabar.

Emergency Numbers
Ambulance tel: 295133. Fire tel: 191, 252011, 252022. Police emergency tel: 199. Police headquarters tel: 282541, 284764. Red Cross tel:682600, 682368 Traffic Control Branch tel:298651 Department of Post & Telecommunication tel: 591384, 591387. Immigration tel: 286434. Ministry of Education tel:545500m 562390 Ministry of Sports tel: 370604, 370605 Ministry of Communications tel: 067-407037. Myanma Post & Telecommunication (MPT) tel: 067407007. Myanma Post & Tele-communication (Accountant Dept) tel: 254563, 370768. Ministry of Foreign Affairs tel: 067-412009, 067-412344. Ministry of Health tel: 067-411358-9. Yangon City Development Committee tel: 248112. HOSPITALS Central Womens Hospital tel: 221013, 222811. Children Hospital tel: 221421, 222807 Ear, Nose & Throat Hospital tel: 543888. Naypyitaw Hospital (emergency) tel: 420096. Workers Hospital tel: 554444, 554455, 554811. Yangon Children Hospital tel: 222807, 222808, 222809. Yangon General Hospital (East) tel: 292835, 292836, 292837. Yangon General Hospital (New) tel: 384493, 384494, 384495, 379109. Yangon General Hospital (West) tel: 222860, 222861, 220416. Yangon General Hospital (YGH) tel: 256112, 256123, 281443, 256131. ELECTRICITY Power Station tel:414235 POST OFFICE General Post Office 39, Bo Aung Kyaw St. (near British Council Library). tel: 285499. INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Yangon International Airport tel: 662811. YANGON PORT Shipping (Coastal vessels) tel: 382722 RAILWAYS Railways information tel: 274027, 202175-8.

INYA1 Resturant & Bar No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: [email protected] www.inya1.com

Strand Bar 92, Strand Rd, Yangon, Myanmar. tel: 243377.fax: 243393, [email protected] www.ghmhotels.com

Lobby Bar PARKROYAL Yangon, Myanmar. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel: 250388.

mt QuiCk guide
February 20 - 26, 2012
BEAUTY & MASSAGE
MYANMAR BOOK CENTRE Nandawun Compound, No. 55, Baho Road, Corner of Baho Road and Ahlone Road, (near Eugenia Restaurant), Ahlone Township. tel: 212 409, 221 271. 214708 fax: 524580. email: info@ myanmarbook.com
the

40
MyanMar tiMes
COLD STORAGE ENTERTAINMENT GAS COOKER & COOKER HOODS
24 hours Laboratory & X-ray No. 330, Ground Flr, Yangon Intl Hotel, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 218388, (951) 218292 Fax: (951) 218389

A Little Dayspa No. 475 C, Pyi Road, (Between Sweety Home & Shwe Kant Kaw Silk) Kamayut, Yangon. Tel: 09-431-28831.

La Source Beauty Spa 80(A), Inya Rd, Kamayut. tel: 512 380, 511 252. Sedona Hotel, Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd. tel: 666 900 My Way Diamond Condo, Bld(A), Rm (G-02), Pyay Rd, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 52717, 09 51 70528

Building Materials

Established 1992 in Myanmar Cold Storage Specialist, Solar Hot Water Storage Solutions. Tel: 09-504-2196, 09-73194828. E-mail: gei.ygn2@ gmail.com, glover2812@ gmail.com

Dance Lessons Mon-Fri 12:00 to 23:00. Sat-Sun 10 am to 8 pm Fun dancing Friday nights with Filipino musicians 4, U Tun Myat St, Tamwe. Tel: 01-541 550 The Uranium Dance Studio Pearl condo Bldg (C), 2nd flr, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 09731-42624, 09-514-0404.

Yangon : A-3, Aung San Stadium (North East Wing), Mingalartaungnyunt Tsp. Tel : 245543, 09-730-37772. Mandalay : Room No.(B,C) (National Gas), 35th St, Btw 80th & 81st, Chanayetharzan Tsp. Tel : 09-6803505, 02 34455, 36748, 71878.

DUTY FREE
Zamil Steel No-5, Pyay Road, 7 miles, Mayangone Tsp, Yangon. Tel: (95-1) 652502~04. Fax: (95-1) 650306. Email: zamilsteel@ zamilsteel.com.mm

GENERATORS

Traders Hotel, 5th Floor Tel: 242828,Ext: Coreana. Sedona Hotel, Mandalay Ground Fl. Tel: 02-36488, Ext: Coreana

FITNESS CENTRE
Duty Free Airport Shopping Yangon International Airport Arrival / Departure. tel: 662676 (Airport). office: 90B/1, Inya Road, Kamayut Township. tel: 512534, 500143-5. Espace Avenir 523, Pyay Rd, Kamayut Tsp, Tel : 505214, 505222 FIT Club - Rm 101~3, Marina Residence, 8, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp, Tel : 650634, 650651 Ext:102 Parkroyal Fitness & Spa Parkroyal Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 250388. Winning Way No. 589-592, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Yangon-Pathein highway Road. Hlaing Tharyar tsp. Tel: 951645178-182, 685199, Fax: 951-645211, 545278. e-mail: mkt-mti@ winstrategic.com.mm

Qi Foot Spa At Inya Lake Hotel, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: +951-662866, 662857 Ext: 1725

24 hours Cancer centre No. 330, Yangon International Hotel, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 218388, 218292 Fax: (951) 218389

SR 22/1, Next to the Pearl Shopping Centre, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. tel: 544 297, 549 527, 700 777 , fax: 558 044. email: eros@ mptmail.net.mm. www.erosspa.com

CAFS

EDUCATION CENTRE
Zen Wellness Care No.62 (A), Room-3, Yaw Min Gyi Street, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. Tel: +951-252939. La Brasserie (International) PARKROYAL Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel : 250388. INYA1 Restaurant & Bar No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506. Traders Caf Traders Hotel, Yangon. #223, Sule Pagoda Rd. Tel: 242828 ext: 6519 MHR Business & Management Institute 905, 9th floor, Modern Iron Market(Thanzay Condo) Lanmadaw St. tel: 707822. NELC (Nelson English Language Centre Young Learner & Adults No 53, Dhamayon Street, Myaynigone, Sanchaung Tsp. tel: 534287 NLEC 82 Anawrahta Rd, Corner of 39 St, Kyauktada Tsp. tel: 250225. RV! Centre Yangon Tel: 535433, 541886, 242410, 250388 Ext: 333. email: [email protected] The British Council 92, Strand Rd, Kyauktada Tsp. tel: 254658.

HOME FURNISHING

Lemon Day Spa No. 96 F, Inya Road, Kamaryut Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 514848, 09-732-08476. E.mail: lemondayspa.2011 @gmail.com Saw Peter Foot Reflexology Oil Massage, Body Massage, Foot Massage. Any time you want at your place. Tel : 09-518-8047.

BATTERY

Mr. Betchang No.(272), Pyay Rd, DNH Tower, Rm No.(503), 5th flr, Sanchaung Tsp, Tel: 095041216 The Yangon GYM Summit Parkview Hotel 350, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. tel: 211888, 211966. Traders Health Club. Level 5, Traders Hotel Yangon#223 Sule Pagoda Rd, Tel: 951 242828 Ext: 6561

22, Pyay Rd, 9 mile, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 660769, 664363. Home Plus Trading Co., Ltd. No. 457, Aung San Stadium, Mingalartungnyunt Tsp. tel: 394888. Fax: 393008.

24 hours Medical centre No. 330, Ground Flr, Yangon Intl Hotel, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. 24 hour Call Centre : (951) 218 445 Clinic : (959) 4921 8159 Office : (951) 218 446 Fax : (951) 218 389 www.leomedicare.com
Shimmering Gold Services Co., Ltd.
VICtoRy foR lIfe

BANGKOK, THAILAND

ISO 9001:2008 (QMS)

CAR DEALER

HEALTH SERVICES

Proven Technology Industry Co., Ltd. No. FS 14, Bayintnaung Rd, Shwe Sabai Yeik Mon, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 951-951-701719~20, 527667, 531030, 531041, 530694. Fax: 527667, 531030. http//www. toyobatterymyanmar.com.

MTG Motors Trading Co.,Ltd No.H, Hlaing Yadanar Housing, Yangon-Insein Road, Hlaing Tsp. tel: 503590, 514165

FLORAL SERVICES

81, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 548022, 542979, 553783, 09-8030847, 09-730-56079. Email: asiapacific. [email protected].

VEJTHANI MYANMAR REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE No.125(C), West Shwe Gon Dine Road, Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar. 01-3449977. Hot Line: 09-507-1111, 01-555448, 555998. [email protected] www.vejthani.com

LEGAL SERVICE
U Min Sein, BSc, RA, CPA.,RL Advocate of the Supreme Court 83/14 Pansodan St, Yangon. tel: 253 273. [email protected]

Inya Day Spa

BOOK STORES

CHOCOLATE

ELECTRICAL

16/2, Inya Rd, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: 537907, 503375.

Room - 4021, 3rd Floor, Taw Win Centre. Ph: 8600111 (Ext:4021), 09-803-2581.

Innwa Book Store No. 246, Rm.201/301, GF, Pansodan Street (Upper Block), Kyauktada Tsp. Tel. 389838, 243216, 374324, 514387

G-A, Ground Floor, Pearl Center, Kabaraye Pagoda Road, Yangon. Tel: 09 500 6880 Email: chocolateheaven. [email protected]

Established 1992 in Myanmar Electrical & Mechanical Contractors, Designers, Consultants. Tel: 09-504-2196, 09-73194828. E-mail: gei.ygn2@ gmail.com, glover2812@ gmail.com

Floral Service & Gift Shop No. 449, New University Avenue, Bahan Tsp. YGN. Tel: 541217, 559011, 09-860-2292. Market Place By City Mart Tel: 523840~43, 523845~46, Ext: 205. Junction Nay Pyi Taw Tel: 067-421617~18 422012~15, Ext: 235. Res: 067-414813, 09-49209039. Email : eternal@ mptmail.net.mm

Agent Office, 5th Floor, Junction Centre (Maw Tin), Lanmadaw Township, Yangon. Myanmar. Ph: 09-731-56770, 09-5117584, Fax: 01-516313, myanmarmeditour@gmail. com Bumrungrad Intl Rm 238, Summit Parkview Hotel, Dagon Tsp. tel: 723999, 211888. Ext: 8238.

MARINE COMMUNICATION & NAVIGATION

Floral Service & Gift Centre 102(A), Dhamazaydi Rd, Yangon.tel: 500142 Summit Parkview Hotel, tel: 211888, 211966 ext. 173 fax: 535376.email: sandy@ sandymyanmar.com.mm.

Top Marine Show Room No-385, Ground Floor, Lower Pazundaung Road, Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 01-202782, 09-851-5597

Foral Service & Gifts shop No.2, Corner of Khay Mar St & Baho Rd (Near Asia Royal Hospital), Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. email: yangonflorist@ myanmar.com.mm. Tel: 01-510406, 09-73184714.

No. 365/367, Bo Aung Kyaw st (Upper), IHBC, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel: 392484 , 389824, 09803-0166. Fax: 392590. Email: radiant.aesthetics @gmail.com. Web: www. kembanganradiant.com

MARKET RESEARCH

MMRD Research BLDG C, New Mingalar Market, 10-story BLDG, 8 & 9 flr, Coner of Mill St & Bandanyadala St, Mingalar Taungnyunt Tsp. Tel: 200326, 200846, 201350. Fax: 202425.

FOAM SPRAY INSULATION

Acupuncture, Medicine Massage, Foot Spa Add:No,27(A),Ywa Ma Kyaung Street, Hlaing Township, Yangon. Tel: 01-511122, 526765. Piyavate Hospital (Bangkok) Myanmar Represent ative (Head office) Miba Gon Yee Business Group, No.506, 5th-fl, Yuzana Twin Tower, (No.8, Pangyan Tower) Cor of Dhama Zedi & Bargayar Rd, SCHG Tsp. Tel: 500600, 500800, 500900. Fax: 539799. hotline: +9595018777. piyavate@ myanmar.com.mm www.piyavate.com PHIH-Specialist Clinic FMI Centre (4th Floor) #380, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Pabedan Tsp. tel: 243 010, 243 012, 243 013

Media & Advertising

Foam Spray Insulation No-410, Ground Floor, Lower Pazuntaung Road, Pazuntaung Tsp, Yangon. Telefax : 01-203743, 09730-26245, 09-500-7681. Hot Line-09-730-30825.

FURNITURE
NatRay Co., Ltd. Rm 807, La Pyayt Wun Plaza. tel : 01-370833, 370836

Intuitive Design, Advertising, Interior Decoration Corporate logo/Identity/ Branding, Brochure/ Profile Booklet/ Catalogue/ Billboard, Corporate diary/ email newsletter/ annual reports, Magazine, journal advertisement and 3D presentation and detailed planning for any interior decoration works. Talk to us: (951) 430-897, 553-918 www.medialane.com.au 58B Myanma Gon Yaung Housing, Than Thu Mar Road, Tamwe, Yangon.

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mt QuiCk guide
February 20 - 26, 2012
Myanmar. Tel: 95-1-535783, 527705, 501429. Fax: 95-1-527705. Email: [email protected] Ocean Supercentre (North Point ), 9th Mile, Mayangone Tsp. tel: 651 200, 652963. Pick n Pay Hyper Market Bldg (A,B,C), (14~16), Shwe Mya Yar Housing, Mya Yar Gone St, Mingalartaungnyunt Tsp. Tel: 206001~3, Fax: 9000199 Sein Gay Har 44, Pyay Rd, Dagon Tsp. tel: 383812, 379823. Super 1 (Kyaikkasan) 65, Lay Daunt Kan St, Ph: 545871~73 Super 1 (Shwe Bonthar) 397, Bogyoke Aung San St, Pabedan. Ph: 250268~29 Victoria Shwe Pone Nyet Yeik Mon, Bayint Naung Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. tel : 515136. Black Canyon Coffee & International Thai Cuisine 330, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. tel: 0980 21691, 395052. email: blackcanyon@yangon. net.mm. Eugenia 47, Manawhari Housing Estate, Baho Road, Ahlone Tsp. tel: 227346. Feel Myanmar Foods 124, Pyi Htaung Su Yeik Thar Street, Dagon Tsp. tel: 725736. No.168 (C), Dhamazedi Rd, Bahan Township, Yangon. Ph: 09-731-85168, 09-731-78946 Mesamis French Restaurant No.5, U Htun Nyein St, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 656611, 09-431-35406. Email: info@ mesamisyangon.com Monsoon Restaurant & Bar 85/87, Thein Byu Road, Botahtaung Tsp. Tel: 295224, 09-501 5653. The Ritz Exclusive Lounge Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Ground Floor, Tel: 544500 Ext 6243, 6244 Horizon Intl School 25, Po Sein Road, Bahan Tsp, tel : 541085, 551795, 551796, 450396~7. fax : 543926, email : contact@horizonmyanmar. com, www.horizon.com ILBC 180, Thunandar 9th Lane, Thumingalar Housing, Thingungyung.tel: 562401. The Brightest AC CFL Bulb 21, 9th street, Lanmadaw Tsp. Ph: 212243, 216861, 216864. [email protected] www.spsolarstation.com No.35(b), Tatkatho Yeik Mon Housing, New University Avenue, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 951-549451, 557219, 540730. www.yangon-academy.org

MyanMar tiMes

PLEASURE CRUISES

Moby Dick Tours Co., Ltd. Islands Safari in the Mergui Archipelago 4 Days, 6 Days, 8 Days Trips Tel: 95 1 202063, 202064 E-mail: mobydicktours@ gmail.com. Website: www. moby-dick-adventures.com

SOLAR SYSTEM

Road to Mandalay Myanmar Hotels & Cruises Ltd. Governors Residence 39C, Taw Win Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. tel: (951) 229860 fax: (951) 217361. email: [email protected] www.orient-express.com

PAINT

Italian delicatesse & Ice-cream No.150, Dhamazadi Rd, Bahan Tsp. (Monunent Book Shop) Open Daily 9:00am to 7:00pm. Italian Ice-cream, Pasta, Pizza & Bar (2) G/F, City Mart, Myaynigone Centre. tel : 508469, 508470 ext. 113 Open Daily 9:00am to 10:00pm.

No. 105/107, Kha-Yae-Bin Road. between Pyi Daung Su Yeik Tha (Halpin) and Manawhari Road/Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp. Tel/Fax: 538895, Tel: 09730-29973, 09-540-9469.
padonmar.restaurant@ gmail.com. www.myanmarrestaurantpadonmar.com

Tiger Hill Chinese Restaurant Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Lobby Level, Tel: 544500 Ext 6253 Traders Gourmet Corner Level 1, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel : 242828 ext : 6503 Traders Gallery Bar Level 2, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242 828. ext: 6433 Traders Lobby Lounge Level 1, Traders Hotel, #223 Sule Pagoda Road. tel: 242 828. ext: 6456

ILBC IGCSE SCHOOL No.(34), Laydauntkan Road, Tamwe Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 542982, 545720, 549106,545736,400156 Fax: 541040 Email: [email protected] www.ilbcedu.com ISM Intl School W 22/24, Mya Kan Thar Housing, Hlaing Tsp. tel:530082, 530083. International School Yangon No.20, Shwe Taung Kyar Street, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 512793. Kangaroo Child Care 55, Aung Min Gaung 1st Rd, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 501 568, 09 504 7732. MAA Learning Centre 377, First fl, Shwe Bon Thar St., Pabedan Tsp. Yangon. Tel: 250501, 250502.

STEEL CONSTRUCTION

PEB Steel Buildings 60 (A), Halpin Road, Yangon. Tel: 01-218223, 218224. Fax: 218224. [email protected]. mm www.pebsteel.com.mm

TRAVEL AGENTS

SUPERMARKETS
Asia Light 106, Set Yone Rd., Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp. tel: 294074, 294083. Capital Hyper Mart 14(E), Min Nandar Road, Dawbon Tsp. Ph: 553136. City Mart (Aung San Branch) tel: 253022, 294765. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (47th St Branch) tel: 200026, 298746. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Junction 8 Branch) tel: 650778. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (FMI City Branch) tel: 682323. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Yankin Center Branch) tel: 400284. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Myaynigone Branch) tel: 510697. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (Zawana Branch) tel:564532. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Shwe Mya Yar Branch) tel: 294063. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Chinatown Point Branch) tel: 215560~63. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (Junction Maw Tin Branch) tel: 218159. (9:00 am to 9:00 pm) City Mart (Marketplace) tel: 523840~43. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) City Mart (78th Brahch-Mandalay) tel: 02-71467~9. (9:00 am to 10:00 pm) IKON Mart IKON Trading Co., Ltd. No.332, Pyay Rd, San Chaung P.O (11111), Yangon,

TOP MARINE PAINT No-410, Ground Floor, Lower Pazundaung Road, Pazundaung Tsp, Yangon. Ph: 09-851-5202

REMOVALISTS

Crown Worldwide Movers Ltd 790, Rm 702, 7th Floor Danathiha Centre, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Lanmadaw Township. tel: 223288, 210 670, 227650. ext: 702. fax: 229212. email: crown [email protected]

House of Memories Piano Bar & Restaurant Myanmar Cuisine & International Food 290, U Wizara Rd, Kamaryut Tsp, Yangon. tel: 525 195, 534 242. e-mail: houseofmemories [email protected]

Pansweltaw Express Cafe: 228, Ahlone Rd, Ahlone Tsp. Tel: 215363 (1)-Rm-309, 3rd flr, Ocean, East Point Shopping Center, Pazundaung Tsp. Tel: 397900 Ext: 309. (2)G-Flr, Ocean North Point Shopping Center. Tel:652959, 652960, Ext: 133. www.pansweltaw.com E-mail: pansweltaw@ myanmar.com.mm

Asian Trails Tour Ltd 73 Pyay Rd, Dagon tsp. tel: 211212, 223262. fax: 211670. email: res@ asiantrails.com.mm Htoo Travels 209/c, first flr, Shwe Gonedaing Rd, Bahan. Tel: 548554, 548039.

INYA1 Resturant & Bar No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: [email protected] www.inya1.com

Phoenix Court (Chinese) PARKROYAL Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel: 250388.

1. WASABI : No.20-B, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Yankin Tsp,(Near MiCasa), Tel; 666781,09-503-9139 2. WASABI SUSHI : Market Place by City Mart (1st Floor). Tel; 09-430-67440 Myaynigone (City Mart) Yankin Center (City Mart) Junction Mawtin (City Mart)

Admissions Office: No. 44, Than Lwin Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 535433, 09-850-3073. Email: rviacademygn@ rvcentre.com.sg Streamline Education 24, Myasabai Rd, Parami, Myangone Tsp. tel: 662304, 09-500-6916.

NO.13, Rm-3/4, Kyaung Lane, Myaynigone(N), Tel: 501971, 516955, 516977, email: miracle_ tour@ myanmar.com.mm Sun Far Travels & Tours 27, Ground flr, 38th st, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel: 380888.

WATER HEATERS

Schenker (Thai) Ltd. Yangon 59 A, U Lun Maung Street. 7 Mile Pyay Road, MYGN. tel: 667686, 666646.fax: 651250. email: sche [email protected]. Kohaku Japanese Restaurant Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Lobby Level, Tel: 544500 Ext 6231

Shiki-Tel (Japanese) PARKROYAL Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel: 250388. Signature Near U Htaung Bo Round, about Bahan Tsp. tel: 546488, 543387. Sky View Restaurant No. 255, Rm 1504, 15 Flr, Olympic Tower, Bo Aung Kyaw Rd, Kyauktada Tsp, Tel : 386539, 392886.

Kandawgyi (Royal Lake) Park, Yangon. (opposite of Eye Hospital) Ph: 556837, 556838. Fax: 556875. E-mail: [email protected] www.whiterice-myanmar. com

LANGUAGE
Bilingual Language Centre Teaching Myanmar to Non-Myanmar No.7 (Gournd Floor), Thu-Kha-Main Street, Myaynigone, San Chaung. Tel: 09-500-6431, [email protected]

Bo Sun Pat Tower, Bldg 608, Rm 6(B), Cor of Merchant Rd & Bo Sun Pat St, PBDN Tsp. Tel: 377263, 250582, 250032, 09-511-7876, 09-862-4563.

95, Anawrahta Rd, Pazundaung Tsp. tel:296552, 293754. 336, Pyay Rd, Sanchaung Tsp. tel: 526456. New University Avenue, 551521, 551951, 553896. U Wisara Rd, tel: 524599, 501976.

The Global leader in Water Heaters A/1, Aung San Stadium East Wing, Upper Pansodan Road. Tel: 251033, 09-730-25281.

Same as Rinnai Gas cooker and cooker Hood Showroom Address

Water Heater

WEB SERVICES

RESTAURANTS

Enchanting and Romantic, a Bliss on the Lake 62 D, U Tun Nyein Road, Mayangon Tsp, Yangon

SCHOOLS

24 hours open. 5, Alan Pya Phaya Rd, Dagon Tsp, inside Thamada Hotel. tel 243640, 243047, Ext: 32.

Tel. 01 665 516, 660976 Mob. 09-512-7795 [email protected] www.operayangon.com

Bldg No. 12, Yangon Intl Compound, Ahlone Road. Tel: 09-431-85008, 09-731-60662. [email protected] TB Bar & Restaurant The Grand Mee Ya Hta Executive Residences (Second Flr) 372, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Pabedan Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 385101, 256355. 256356 Fax: 385101

Lunch/Dinner/Catering 555539, 536174

22, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan Tsp. tel 541997. email: leplanteur@ mptmail.net.mm. http://leplanteur.net

ASIA Language & Business Academy (All classes are taught by native English-speaking teachers), No-66, Shwedagon Pagoda Road, Dagon Tsp, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel:+95-1376236, 376314, 384055. http://www.alba-edu.com

Yangon International School Fully Accredited K-12 International Curriculum with ESL support No.117,Thumingalar Housing, Thingangyun Township, Yangon. Tel: 578171, 573149 www.yismyanmar.net Yangon International School New Early Childhood Center Pan Hlaing Golf Estate Housing & U Tun Nyo Street, Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon. Tel: 687701, 687702

World-class Web Services Tailor-made design, Professional research & writing for Brochure/ Catalogue/e-Commerce website, Customised business web apps, online advertisement and anything online. Talk to us: (951) 430-897, 553-918 www.medialane.com.au 58B Myanma Gon Yaung Housing. Than Thu Mar Road, Tamwe, Yangon.

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February 20 - 26, 2012
the

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MyanMar tiMes

Lin-sanity grows with fairy-tale run

NEW YORK Jeremy Lin, a bench-warmer two weeks ago, now has basketball fans worldwide in a state of Linsanity and a spot on the Sports Illustrated magazine cover after a fairy-tale NBA run to stardom. The first US-born NBA player of Taiwanese and Chinese heritage has left his coach awestruck and his New York Knicks teammates merely stunned, while spectators and legends alike sing the praises of the 23-year-old point guard. Lin was already making history even before sinking a game-winning threepointer with half-a-second remaining to lift the Knicks over host Toronto on February 14, giving the New York squad their sixth victory in a row. Just watching him, you are in awe, said Knicks coach Mike DAntoni. He knew that shot was going in. Lin, a Harvard University economics graduate who was untaken in last years NBA draft, was cut by Golden State and Houston before grabbing a spot on the Knicks bench. With Amare Stoudemire absent following the death of his brother in a car crash and Carmelo Anthony sidelined by a groin injury, the Knicks turned to Lin on an emergency basis and he responded in amazing fashion. Hes the greatest story in sports right now, Knicks teammate Jared Jeffries said of Lin. He was five or six days from being cut and now he is a catalyst for a team thats playing as good as anybody in the NBA. The Knicks would have had to pay Lin for a full season or release him within a few days. Now they have their first player to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated since 1999. Lin produced the best five-game starting debuts in modern NBA history, his averages of 23.3 points and 7.4 assists surpassing such legends as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Shaquille ONeal, who tweeted his Lin love on February 15. Linderrella story of the year, ONeal said on Twitter. jeremy lin has lingle handedly played lensational lincredible Im linpressed all he does is Lin Lin Lin. Lin has become a huge NBA moneymaker in just over a week. The stock price of Knicks owners Madison Square Garden Group has risen. Lin jerseys are being sold as fast as they can be manufactured at the NBA Store in New York. Viewership ratings for Knicks games have skyrocketed, especially over the internet and in Asia. Resale prices for Knicks tickets in an upcoming homestand have leaped 60 percent, with courtside seats costing thousands of dollars more thanks to Linflation. There was concern that Stoudemires return on February 14 might diminish

US NBA player Jaremy Lin displayed on local newspapers in Taipei on February 12. Pic: AFP Lins popularity in Asia Lin, but that was not a game clock] down as low as problem for the forward, I could, Lin said. I figured is the highest of any NBA who enjoyed a similar I was not going to be able player since the retirement tandem while in Phoenix to get inside with their of former Houston Rockets with All-Star guard Steve defence the way it was. Im centre Yao Ming of China. But Lin just deflects the thankful that my coaches Nash. I dont know whats and teammates trusted me praise even as he earns it. The amount of fun weve g o i n g o n b u t J e r e m y with the ball. DAntoni warned that had, its just, you look is playing great. He has done a phenomenal job, Lins fans around the world around and everyones and especially in New York smiling, Lin said. Theres Stoudemire said. When Lin pulled up for his should enjoy the player a new energy. Everyones excited. Thats the thing. winning jumper at Toronto, while they can. Hes a marked man Its not because of me. he was unafraid of taking the teams fate into his own now, DAntoni said. Hes Its because were coming not going to sneak up on together as a team. hands. AFP I just tried to take [the anybody anymore.

Zambia win ACN to honour tragedy

By Nick Reeves LIBREVILLE Zambia conjured up a shock when they toppled star-studded Ivory Coast 8-7 in a penalty shoot-out to claim their first ever Africa Cup of Nations title on February 12. With the sides goalless after extra time Zambias Stoppila Sunzu converted the magic spot kick after Arsenal striker Gervinho missed for the Elephants. The result meant misery for hot favourites Ivory Coast, who failed to claim the title despite not conceding a goal throughout the entire competition until the final shootout. It also revived unhappy memories for Didier Drogba, who missed a penalty in the second half of normal time, reminiscent of their 2006 penalty shoot out final defeat to Egypt in Cairo. Zambia, motivated by the memory of the 1993 national team wiped out in a plane crash off the Libreville coast, went into the 2012 climax as outsiders. But they covered themselves with glory, hassling and harrowing their way to the penalty lottery, and then holding their nerve to prevail in the dramatic, barely watchable denouement. Ivory Coast coach Francois Zahoui said: We didnt expect such a challenging a final. This is a big disappointment for us. We didnt have much luck, we missed the penalty in normal time, then perhaps lost a bit of confidence. We go back to Abidjan with not too much shame. I think weve played a good game. I congratulate Zambia. Zahoui fielded the same side that saw off Mali 1-0 in the semi-final. A minute of silence was observed before kick-off in memory of the 74 people killed in the Port Said stadium slaughter in Egypt on February 3. The game was only seconds old when Zambia almost took a shock lead, with keeper Boubacar Barry doing well to save Nathan Sinkalas close range shot off Katongos quick pass from a Rainford Kalaba corner. Renard was forced into an unscripted change when defender Joseph Musonda limped off in tears on 11 minutes Nyambe Mulenga took his place. A shaky start by Ivory Coast gave Zambia hope of an upset and Kalabas 30-metre freekick wasnt far away after taking a deflection off Cheik Tiotes leg. The Elephants put together their best passage of play approaching the half hour mark, a neat Drogba backheel setting up Yaya Toure only for the Manchester City midfielders angled shot to go wide of the far post. A hugely promising first half from Zambia had the Elephants defence, marshalled by Kolo Toure, under more pressure than they would have wanted, with Katongo leading from the front. Zahoui, ressembling a New York cop with black trenchcoat and baseball cap, walked into the dressing rooms at half-time with a face like thunder. The second half began with a deathly hush descending on the stadium the final in desperate need of the kiss of life in the guise of a goal. And on 72 minutes one should have come after Ivory Coast were awarded a penalty when Issac Chansa and Mulenga barged into Gervinho. Drogba stepped up but his woeful attempt went soaring into the night sky. This was his second miss from the spot after he had a penalty saved in the quarter-final win over Equatorial Guinea. I n t h e 9 5 th m i n u t e , substitute Felix Katongo crossed from the right for his brother Christopher with only Barrys toe diverting the goalbound ball off the near post. There was electric tension once the penalty shoot out got underway, with Kolo Toure missing the Ivorians seventh spot kick, but Zambias Kalaba also missing his to leave the sides still inseparable. Then after Gervinho failed in his attempt it was left to Sunzu, the defender who plays his club football in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to give Zambia a historic first title, and consign Ivory Coast to another wretched defeat. AFP

Malaysia rocked by sporting scandals

KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia is grappling with a number of sporting scandals as Malaysias Football federation moved to probe three teams in the countrys top football league for matchfixing, a senior official said on February 14, following a scandal that saw 18 youth league players suspended. Three M-League teams are being investigated for matchfixing. I am determined to root out this scourge, said Azudin Saad, secretary-general of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). He declined to provide details as the investigation was under way, but said at least one player was threatened by a bookie with physical harm unless he helped to throw a match. Those individuals who indulge in corruption have no principles in life. They do not have any spirit of sportsmanship, he said. The new probe comes after FAM, the governing body of Malaysian football, last week suspended 18 youth players and banned a coach for life for fixing matches. The players from three clubs were suspended for between two and five years for fixing matches in the national under-20 Presidents Cup last year. And the announcement came as a gold medalwinning Malaysian athlete who failed a drug test at Novembers Southeast Asian Games claimed a top athletics official arranged his supply of banned substances, according to a report also on February 14. Mohammad Yunus Lasaleh, who won gold as part of his countrys 4X400 metre relay team at the games in Indonesia, said Malaysian Athletic Union (MAU) deputy president Karim Ibrahim introduced him to a Bulgarian doctor who provided the drugs. Yunus was told the pills could help me win gold, he told the The Star newspaper. Two Malaysians Yunus and a bronze medal-winning Malaysian weightlifter whose identity has yet to be revealed tested positive for banned substances at the Games. They both face likely twoyear bans and loss of their medals. Yunus told the paper he was provided with pills that he was told were vitamins, and also received injections two or three times a week. The doctor informed me that they were B complex shots for recovery after training, Yunus said. In November, the relay team was at first told they had not qualified for the games, but were later allowed to compete and pulled off a surprise win. The paper said Karim is also alleged to have told six sprinters not to provide urine samples for doping tests as requested by the National Sports Institute in May of last year. Fourty two national athletes and 16 coaches on February 13 handed a memorandum to MAU president Shahidan Kassim calling for Karims removal, but Shahidan told the paper he could not arbitrarily remove someone. AFP

Zambia national team players celebrate their victory over Ivory Coast at the Stade de l'Amitie in Libreville on February 12. Pic: AFP

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Man City comeback sinks Porto

PORTO Manchester City came from behind to beat defending champions Porto 2-1 at Estadio do Dragao on February 16 and take a sizeable step towards the Europa League last 16. A late goal from substitute Sergio Aguero completed a precious away win for Roberto Mancinis side and condemned Porto to their first home defeat in European competition in eight games. Silvestre Varela had given Porto the lead mid-way through the first half but Alvaro Pereiras 55th-minute own goal drew the Premier League leaders level before Aguero secured victory with six minutes to play. I think that we played a good game, City coach Mancini told ITV. We had several chances to score in this game and we didnt leave chances to Porto. Thats important, because Porto are a good team. Porto, who have fallen five points behind eternal rivals Benfica in their defence of the Portuguese league title, made a confident start and saw Rolandos header diverted over the bar by City left-back Gael Clichy after 15 minutes play. However, their momentum was disrupted by an injury to Danilo that saw the Brazilian right-back stretchered off on his European debut for the club, and City briefly looked set to take advantage. Home goalkeeper Helton had to push a dipping Micah Richards half-volley around his left-hand post and moments later Samir Nasri shot straight at the Brazilian goalkeeper after being freed by David Silva. Porto gathered themselves and took the lead moments later, with Varela getting in front of Vincent Kompany at the near post to touch home Hulks low left-wing cross. City threatened to hit back, but Mario Balotelli back in the side following a four-game domestic ban rushed his shot after Nasri picked him out behind the Porto defence and Helton was able to save. The visitors signalled their intent early in the second half when Richards hit the post after a typically marauding run, and five minutes later were level. There appeared to be little danger as Yaya Toure lofted a pass towards the Porto penalty arena but Balotellis shove threw Pereira off balance and the Uruguay international unwittingly diverted the ball past Helton with his shoulder. Porto had 35 minutes to restore their advantage but City had little difficulty keeping them at arms length and in the 84th minute they stamped their authority on the tie with the winning goal. Toure strode into the penalty area and squared for Aguero, who had the simple task of tapping the ball into an empty net from eight yards. AFP

Advantage United as Ajax downed

A M S T E R D A M Manchester United made a winning start to their Europa League debut on February 16 after goals from Ashley Young and Javier Hernandez handed them a 2-0 first-leg victory over Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena. Young, who has only recently returned to action following a lengthy injury lay-off, struck Uniteds first on 59 minutes before Hernandez added the second five minutes from time to give the English champions a commanding advantage. Im delighted with the scoreline, said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. It was a very ordinary performance by us. We didnt reach any great heights in the game but we did improve in the second half and we deserved to win it. Ferguson said Hernandezs late strike had given United a golden chance to advance to the last 16. It gives us a good opportunity, Ferguson said. Were not taking anything for granted but at home, at Old Trafford weve now got a good opportunity to get through. Ajax coach Frank de Boer struck a pessimistic tone after his sides defeat. For us to do something against Manchester, you have to really be at 100 percent, which wasnt the case tonight, he said. Theres a difference in class between the two clubs. I dont think were going to win 3-0 over there! United had found themselves in European footballs second-tier tournament following their shock failure to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League last December. However, Ferguson stayed true to his prematch pledge to take the competition seriously, naming a strong starting XI to face the four-time European champions. A low-key first half saw United dominate possession and territory in the opening 20 minutes without seriously testing Kenneth Vermeer in the Ajax goal. Wayne Rooney was at the heart of Uniteds best work, and had the English champions first shot on goal after 19 minutes only for Vermeer to gather easily. Moments later Rooneys weighted through-ball helped Hernandez spring the Ajax offside trap but Vermeer was alert to the danger and was able to smother at the Mexicans feet. Hernandez had taken up a dangerous position in the Ajax box on 29 minutes as Nani ghosted down the right wing. To the visible exasperation of Ferguson on the touchline however, Nani went for goal, shooting high and wide.

Manchester United's Ashley Young (left) scores past Ajax Amsterdam's Vurnon Anita during their UEFA Cup League match at the Amsterdam Arena on February 16. Pic: AFP On 32 minutes United were almost made to pay for their wastefulness, with Siem de Jong uncorking a ferocious right foot shot from just outside the area that drew a superb diving save from David de Gea. That effort lifted Ajax, and they had United on the back foot towards the end of the first half, with young Dane Christian Eriksen the next to test de Gea, with a swerving long-range effort. On the stroke of halftime, Ajax had penalty appeals waved away by Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi after Rio Ferdinand appeared to collide with Miralem Sulejmani right on the edge of the area. United regrouped after the break and were soon threatening the Ajax goal. Another perfectly weighted pass from Rooney split the Dutch sides defence and found Hernandez, but the striker was unable to get a shot off. Yet on 59 minutes United got the goal their bright start to the half had been threatening to deliver. Nanis cross from the right flew across the penalty area and found Young on the opposite flank. The winger cut in and picked his spot before rifling his low finish beneath Vermeer and into the net. With full-time looming, Antonio Valencia pounced on a stray pass in midfield and released Hernandez. The Mexican fed Rooney and then gathered the England players return to make it 2-0 and leave United with one foot in the last 16. AFP

Barca on verge of quarters after beating Bayer

By Ryland James LEVERKUSEN Holders Barcelona took a giant step towards the Champions Leagues quarter-finals with a 3-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen on February 14 in the last 16 first-leg tie. With the return leg at the Nou Camp on March 7, Barcelona dominated possession in this David versus Goliath clash against a Leverkusen who have now won just one of their last eight games. But for all their superstar status, Barcelona, who lag ten points behind leaders Real Madrid in the Spanish league, stumbled at times and Leverkusen squandered chances to earn a draw. I think the second half was good, we used the space better after we took the lead, said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. We tried to improve our game, we had a few chances in the first half, but perhaps the final pass was missing. But we were playing away and we came into the game after the break. Nevertheless, Barcelona are in pole-position to reach the last eight after two goals by Chiles Alexis Sanchez and a late strike by Lionel Messi gave them a valuable away win while Leverkusen defender Michal Kadlec grabbed a consolation. The defense was good in the first half, but we were lacking a bit of courage, said Leverkusen coach Robin Dutt. We gave them too much respect and were a bit anxious. It was a completely different story in the second half when we played our part in the game and caused Barcelona some problems. Barcelona boasted a midfield of World Cup winners Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Cesc Fabregas behind a forward line containing Brazils Adriano, Sanchez and threetime world footballer of the year Messi. The injury-enforced absences of midfielder Sidney Sam and Swiss striker Eren Derdiyok were a major blow to the hosts, while ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack was ruled out on February 12 with a calf injury. On a cold night at the BayArena, the Spaniards took most of the first-half to warm up with Messi showing only rare flashes of skill early on. With Barcelona enjoying around 80 percent of the possession, it was a matter of time before the hosts defence cracked. A through ball from Messi saw Dani Alves and Sanchez sprint head-to-head after the ball and it was the Chilean who arrived first to fire past Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno on 41 minutes. Barcelonas half-time lead was harsh on the hard-working hosts, but with virtually their first full attack of the game, Leverkusen equalised. Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Vedran Corluka managed to chip in a cross and Czech Republic defender Kadlec headed home at the back post for a goal which had the 30,000capacity crowd on their feet on 52 minutes. Barcelona, however, needed just three minutes to pull ahead again when Sanchez added his second after a ball from Fabregas allowed the Chilean to round Leno and fire home. Leverkusen came out fighting and Renato Augusto forced Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes into a save moments later, while midfielder Gonzalo Castro hit the post on 64 minutes with Valdes beaten. Despite a posse of defenders shadowing his every move, Messi hit the post with 72 minutes gone, but at the other end striker Stefan Kiessling came on with 15 minutes left and headed at Valdes with his first touch of the game. Messi saved the best for last when he finished a great cross from Alves for the third on 88 minutes. AFP

Barcelona's Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez (left) scores against Bayern Leverkusen's goalkeeper Bernd Leno during their UEFA Champions League match at the BayArena stadium in Leverkusen on February 14. Pic: AFP

Age manipulation harmful, say coaches

By Aung Si Hein THE Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) is permitting an unofficial policy of age manipulation that coaches say is harming the development of the sport. With an eye on the next Southeast Asia (SEA) games to be held in Myanmar in 2013, the MFF has assembled an U-21 squad to play together on a weekly basis and participate in international friendlies. As the SEA games is an U-23 tournament, formally arranging an U-21 squad a year ahead means that by next year they will still be 22. However, the newly formed team appears to bend the meaning of U-21, even with the permitted exception of five overage players in the squad. Eight of the players in the squad were in the previous SEA games, including well known footballers such as Kyaw Ko Ko, Kyi Lin, Mai Aik Naing. I dont like any form of age cheating. But in Myanmar football, it has become second nature. We need more time to fix it, said U Aung Kyaw Lwin, Yangon United FC manager. When Kaung Si Thu was asked to play U-19, I said no because he was already 23. But for U-21, I yielded. A major reason the MFF turns a blind eye to senior footballers joining the youth squad is to ensure enough practice for them. If the senior players play with the juniors, their performance will go down. However, we need to risk the seniors for more international experience, which is indispensable, he said. U Tin Myint Aung, manager of the U-21 squad, defended the policy, saying that at the national squad level, there is a paucity of opportunities to play internationally. Arranging friendlies at the national level are also prohibitively expensive. It is not good at all for the senior players to play at the lower level. But unless

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they play, their experience will be very limited because professional players in Myanmar play so few games. It results in players in their 20s being forced to participate in several youth tournaments. We have no choice but to let them go, U Tin Myint Aung said. The U-21 team have already played two friendly matches with South Koreas Ulsan University team, and are set to join up for the Hassanal Bolkiah regional tournament held in Brunei from February 24 to March 9. U Tin Myint Aung added that the combination of experienced and junior players did help the younger members develop but admitted it is not so beneficial for the senior players. Stefan Hansson, technical director of the national squad, declined to comment on the use of older players in the U-21 team but praised the MFFs decision to form the U-21 squad ahead of the 2013 SEA games and get them to play together on a regular basis. Forming it [U-21] now is great and the federation with U Zaw Zaws decision to make this is very smart; it will pay off in 2013, he said. Not all MNL coaches felt the same way however. Eric Williams, Yangon U n i t e d F Cs head coach, criticised the fact that his players were being overused as his influential forward, Kyi Lin, had to play four games in the week the U-21 team faced Ulsan University. He has a total of four footballers chosen for the U-21 squad. Another MFF policy has come under criticism from coaches for hampering the development of football. The MFF prohibits coaches and players from criticising referees or the MFF. U Tin Myint Aung said that people must be able to criticise the referees on technical issues to improve the level of Myanmar football. He said this should be impartial and the MFFs disciplinary committee should judge each case on the motivation of the accusation.

February 20 - 26, 2012

AC Milan's defender Prince Kevin Boateng scores against Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League match at the San Siro stadium on February 15. AFP

Milan sink hapless Arsenal

By Barnaby Chesterman MILAN, Italy AC Milan all but booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a swashbuckling performance to thump hapless Arsenal 4-0 at the San Siro on February 15. A Kevin-Prince Boateng blockbuster, a Robinho brace and a penalty from Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave the Italians their first win in seven Champions League clashes against English opposition while also ending a run of three straight home defeats against Premier League teams. It means the second round, second leg at the Emirates in three weeks time should be little more than a formality for Massimiliano Allegris players. Not even the introduction of Thierry Henry in his final appearance before returning to New York Red Bulls could inspire a surprisingly out of sorts Gunners formation. And Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger didnt mince his words following Arsenals worst ever defeat in Europe. We were never in the game, we were very poor both offensively and defensively, he said. It was shocking to see how we were beaten everywhere, it was the worst performance in Europe by far. There was not one moment during the 90 when we were really in the game. Despite their advantage, Allegri remained cautious over his sides chances. Weve not given a signal to other teams, weve got a good advantage over Arsenal and we have the possibility to get to the quarter-finals, he said. We did well tonight but we must still wait 90 minutes, it wont be easy because theyll have nothing to lose and will play a completely different match. Any suggestions that Milan might have had an inferiority complex following their terrible run against the English were shattered in a first half in which the hosts were composed and clinical on the counter while the visitors were unsettled and error-prone. The hosts went ahead on the quarter hour mark when Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny scuffed a clearance straight to Antonio Nocerino who fed Boateng to crash a volley in off the underside of the bar. Nocerino thrashed a volley over with Ibrahimovic screaming for a pass while the largely anonymous Robin Van Persies free-kick was headed tamely by Laurent Koscielny into goalkeeper Christian Abbiatis arms. Another Arsenal mistake saw Ibrahimovic, who was in tigerish form all night, sent scampering down the left on 38 minutes and he had time to pick out Robinho to head in from eight yards. And it could have been worse at the break for the English side as Boateng shot into the side netting and Antonini poked wide having beaten Szczesny to the ball. Arsene Wenger introduced Henry at halftime but any thoughts that might inspire the Londoners were dispelled within four minutes as more timid defending gave Robinho the time and space to shoot home into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Milan were ripping Arsenal apart on the counter and one such rapier attack with a three-on-two situation fell unfortunately to full-back Antonini whose finish was true to his occupation. Arsenal finally put together a move of stunning quality on 65 minutes with Henry flicking the ball up for Van Persie to volley goalwards but Abbiatis save matched the strike. But 11 minutes from time Ibrahimovic hammered the final nail into Arsenals coffin as he won a penalty under slight contact with Johan Djourou before putting away the spot-kick himself. AFP