April 16 - 22, 2012

myanmartimes
Myanmars first international weekly Volume 32, No. 623 1200 Kyats

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With museum reopening, a chance to see another side of national hero

By Cherry Thein A MUSEUM in the former residence of Bogyoke Aung San has reopened to the public more than five years after it was shuttered for renovations. U Thaung Win, director of the National Museum (Yangon), who is also responsible for administration of the Bogyoke Aung San museum, told The Myanmar Times last week that the decision to reopen the site had been made so that people had the opportunity to learn about the countrys independence hero. The museum is one of the places to learn about the independence leader of our country and for younger generations to see how he devoted his life for independence, U Thaung Win said. The museum reopened on March 24 and can be visited Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm, except public holidays. To encourage people to visit, the entrance fee has been set at K300 for adults both Myanmar and foreigners and K100 for children under 12, while entry is free for schoolchildren. We have set a very reasonable fee so that people from all walks of life can come and visit the museum we want everyone to visit Bogyokes residence museum, the director said. In my experience, in other countries all museums are open to the public and most are free to enter. The Bogyoke Aung San Museum is a two-storey wooden building set on 2.4 acres in Bahan township that was built in 1921. He lived in the house with his family from May 1945 until his assassination in July 1947. The site opened as a museum in 1962 but shut in January 2007 for maintenance, reopening only on Martyrs Day each year since then. It features pictures and paintings of Bogyoke Aung San, excerpts from his most well-known speeches and a host of his personal possessions, including a collection of 240 books. In the houses dining room, a table is set with the Bogyokes favourite meal boiled peas (pe pyote) and Indian-style baked wheat bread (nan bya). Extracts from prominent speeches many of which could not be republished in local publications until a recent relaxation of censorship are likely to capture a lot of interest from visitors. The re-opening of the museum is a positive change. Bogyoke is the most powerful figure in Myanmar politics he once united the nation and everyone loves and trusts him. I think spreading Bogyokes words in the media could help to re-unite the country again, said 88year-old U Maung Mya from Sanchaung township. Most of Bogyokes speeches remain relevant today and some are almost like a prediction when you think what has happened in our country, U Maung Mya said. It has been such a long road for the country to get democracy. We have been waiting for a long time and some of my friends are no longer around to see the country get democracy but luckily I now have the chance, he said. More page 4

A woman looks at photos of Bogyoke Aung San at the Aung San Museum, which recently reopened to the public after more than five years. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Pic: Kaung Htet

President, Daw Suu meet KNU leaders

By Yadana Htun with AFP PRESIDENT U Thein Sein held his first meeting with Karen National Union leaders earlier this month, officials said, as the government intensifies efforts to bolster peace with the countrys oldest insurgent group. The April 7 meeting was the latest sign that the government is keen to cement a ceasefire in the war-torn eastern state, amid pressure from the international community to end ethnic conflict as it considers lifting sanctions to reward recent reforms. Delegates from the KNU met President U Thein Sein in Nay Pyi Taw, according to unnamed officials, following negotiations with ministers in Yangon on April 6. An independent member of the peace negotiation group present at the talks, who asked not to be named, described the encounter as warm and open. He said the KNU leaders were surprised and satisfied because it was the first time they had met the president. The KNU said they will continue peace talks with the government until the end. They said they would urge other ethnic groups to work for peace, he said. Six delegates, including members of the armed wing of the group, were taken by special flight for the landmark meeting, which lasted about 90 minutes, officials said, adding that four ministers accompanied the KNU delegates to Nay Pyi Taw. Thailand-based U Aung Naing Oo, of the Vahu Development Institute think-tank, said the talks were very significant. The group that the president is meeting is people who are really critical of the military regime and even the current government, he said. It is a huge confidencebuilding measure and it shows the government is really willing to reach out to many of the ethnic groups. The KNU members returned to Yangon and met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for about two hours on April 8. The National League for Democracy leader described the meeting as a significant event that would help to foster national reconciliation. She added: As the NLDs goal is to have true democratic unity, we believe all ethnicities should be included in this process together. The KNU said before the talks that it was keen to assess the NLDs commitment to reconciliation efforts. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said she shared the Karen National Unions views on the peace process. She told reporters that meetings with ethnic groups such as the KNU were important for establishing a genuine democratic union. Im satisfied with the discussion. I found that we have common points of views and these lead to great potential for unity in future, she said. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said she wanted to support the peace efforts and said national reconciliation was one of her partys three priorities. Not only with the KNU we will cooperate with other ethnic groups and every local group that wants to get peace. By exchanging points of view, we become closer to each other and this is also a step towards peace, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said. More page 4

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April 16 - 22, 2012
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Ministry bans mining on four major rivers

By Aye Sapay Phyu ENVIRONMENTAL groups have welcomed the Ministry of Minings decision late last month to ban mining in and along the Ayeyarwady, Chindwin, Than Lwin and Sittoung rivers. However, they cautioned that the notification needed to be strictly enforced and broadened to also protect the tributaries of the four waterways. The ministry released a notification on March 28 stating that searching for, testing or manufacturing precious stones, minerals, industrial materials and stone by mining or other means was banned in each of the four rivers and within 300 feet (90 metres) of their banks. The notification said the decision had been taken to preserve the natural environment of the rivers and the notification would remain active until it is modified or abolished by another notification. U Ohn, vice chairman of non-government organisation Forest Resource Environment Development and Conservation Association, said the notification should be extended to include tributaries of the four rivers. It is a good decision not to allow mining near these four rivers but the tributaries need to be preserved under this notification as well. If not, we need to push for this to be included, he said at a ceremony on March 30 marking the six month anniversary of the suspension of the Myitsone Dam. U Sein Myo Myint, a freelance photographer and author, said that the notification had simply resulted in gold mining enterprises shifting about 100m inland or other sections of the river with less surveillance. I frequently visit the Ayeyarwady River and in the past I would see many gold searching boats maybe 60 or 70 in Pay Thaung village in the Singu area of Mandalay Region, he said. I didnt see those boats when I visited this year and at first I was please but I later noticed that the gold miners have just moved slightly inland, about 100 yards from the riverbank, and they still pump their waste water into the river. We also saw about 300 gold searching boats between the villages of Bu Taung and Nat Khote (located near second defile of the river in Shwegu). A huge village has appeared near the boats with the shops that sell pipes, diesel, food and so on. So while I am really happy to read the notification banning [gold mining] in these four rivers but that on its own is not enough to protect our rivers.

A man participates in the Myanmar Traditional Kite Beauty and Kite Contest at Kyaikkasan Sports Ground in Yangons Tarmwe township on April 5. The competition, organised by the Sports and Physical Education Department of the Ministry of Sports, was being held for the eight time and ran from April 3 to 8. Pic: Boo Thee

I was amazed by the election result

National League for Democracy representative for Mayangone Dr May Win Myint on her partys hluttaw plans, working with the president and winning the armys support
By Aye Sapay Phyu and Nuam Bawi Youve won a Pyithu Hluttaw seat. Whats your next plan of action? I am representing the National League for Democracy and will continue my activities by following guidelines of the party. The NLD will be dramatically outnumbered by representatives from the Union Solidarity and Development Party. What influence do you expect to have in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw? As we said before the election, we think there will be many changes in the hluttaw. There will be about 40 NLD representatives in the hluttaw and that is a very small number compared with total number of 440 representatives. But we do not consider ourselves the opposition party. After the meeting between President U Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi we think we can collaborate on things where we share the same views and negotiate where we have different ideas. One of the objectives of the NLD is to change the sections of the 2008 constitution that are not up to democratic standards and do not benefit society. We will present our findings in the hluttaw and we believe that representatives who are already in the hluttaw will agree with our point of view if we can propose them with solid facts. President U Thein Sein also said in his address on March 1 that they will give consideration to the ethnic role and we will have the chance to correct some laws by negotiating with ethnic parties in the hluttaw. So we have high hopes that we can achieve our aims in the hluttaw. Will the NLD collaborate with other democratic groups in the hluttaw? Yes, we will collaborate with other democratic forces in the hluttaw. In the past few days Daw Suu also invited others to collaborate with us when she spoke to the public. We are ready to collaborate with all democratic forces. Although we have just a small percentage [of representatives] in the hluttaw, we will collaborate on issues that benefit the public and we will point out issues that can [have a negative] effect for the country. Do you think the by-election was free and fair? We have to look at two things. First there is the part of the [election] commission that was responsible for overseeing voting on election day. I was satisfied with their performance. Another issue was the errors with the voter lists. The commission also collaborated with us to correct the errors before election days but [in Mayangone] there were still 49 people with the same National Registration Card number on the list on election day. It is not the fault of commission but the responsibility of the township administrators. We recorded all cases of voter list errors and other observations on the by-elections and presented these to the Yangon Were you surprised by the results of the by-elections? I was amazed by the election result. On election day I noticed that people who voted were fewer than I expected, though. Altogether just under 60 percent of eligible voters voted. But when we got the election results, we realised that there might be two reasons for having fewer voters. Some people decided to remain neutral and give up their right to vote because of personal difficulties. Another thing is that people who voted did so overwhelming for the NLD ensuring a win for the democratic forces. I was amazed and appreciated their political knowledge. While I won 114 polling sites, I lost a station in an army quarter. However, one of the sons of U Khin Nyunt, [former prime minister] told the media that he voted for me and U Khin Nyunt also said his vote may be the same as the publics wish. I am glad that although I lost the army polling station, the family of a high profile former member of the army supported me.

A voter casts a ballot at a polling station in Mayangone township on April 1. Pic: Kaung Htet Region Election Sub-commission. Another issue was lack of time; our party and the commission corrected [the voter lists] but corrections made after March 24 were not included in the final list used for the by-election. How will you prepare for the 2015 election? Firstly, I want to prepare the voter lists. We are ready to help in preparing voter lists if they need volunteers. [In Mayangone] we found that there were people listed who had passed away, who were under 18 and there were also repeated names. Preparing the voter list is the most important task to do for the 2015 election. What will be your priority actions in hluttaw? As Daw Suu said, there will be a long-term plan and shortterm action. Short-term action will include the unemployment problem and high commodity prices. Problems such as brain drain and other social issues appear because of lack of job opportunities for graduates. When we create job opportunities, there will be many foreign investors. At that time there should be secure labour rights to protect our citizens. Another thing is the health budget needs to be increased. I welcome the presidents address to mark the first anniversary of his taking office in which he said that health expenditure will increase four times. But I think health expenses should be increased another seven times.

Note to readers:
Because of the extended Thingyan water festival holiday this year, the English-language edition of The Myanmar Times will not appear on Monday, April 23. Instead, the next edition will be published on April 30. We apologise for any confusion and wish all our readers an enjoyable, safe and prosperous Myanmar New Year.

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News Govt relaxes NGO registration process

MyanMar tiMes

April 16 - 22, 2012

By Shwe Yee Saw Myint THE government plans to amend a law concerning the registration of local and international nongovernment organisations, a presidential adviser revealed last week. The current law for [registration of] NGOs will be amended following a proposal from a member of parliament, adviser Dr Nay Zin Latt said last week. The government wants to increase cooperation with NGOs [and] intends to loosen restrictions gradually. The amendments come after the government cut the waiting time for registration and also extended the length of validity for registration. The change in policy came about in 2011 after the handover to President U Thein Seins government and by the end of the year 280 domestic groups had registered, according to Ministry of Home Affairs statistics. However, that still represents just a small percentage of the total number of non-government groups, which is estimated at about 20,000. We had to wait for two years for our application to register to be approved, said U Nay Myo from Ratana Metta Organisation, which focuses on health, child protection and livelihoods and was officially registered in March 2011. And we still had to promise to do only social affairs.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Kyaw Thu at a ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the Free Funeral Service Society (Yangon) at its North Dagon township headquarters on April 23, 2011. Pic: Kaung Htet Among the more high-profile organisations to be able to register is the Free Funeral Service Society, led by actor Kyaw Thu. The group, which formed in 2000, had its registration revoked in 2008 after a dispute with the government but it was reinstated last month with a validity period of five years, Kyaw Thu told The Myanmar Times. However, he said the K500,000 (about US$600) registration fee was unfair. For small organisations, how they can afford this amount? Social welfare work is not a business. Instead of having to pay this fee it would be more beneficial to use this amount to improve peoples health and education, he added. D e s p i t e t h e r e l ax at i on o f the registration process, many local organisations, particularly smaller informal groups, are still not interested in applying to register, said Dr Sid Naing, country director for Marie Stopes International. A c c or di ng t o t he L aw of Founding an Organisation, all organisations must register but the law did not come into effect until 2006, he said. The former government only gave a registration number to the organisations that it trusted. After Cyclone Nargis in 2008, the number of local NGOs rose dramatically. While some of these organisations are officially registered with the government, many are not. However, those that operate without official registration can

face difficulties, particularly from local officials. We had some problem when we went in the wards. The authorities asked our team, do we have an official registration number? If we havent, they said only to come back and do our welfare work when we have one, said U Kyaw Thain Tun, head of Ratna Mahal, a Yangonbased education organisation that formed in 2009. We applied to register officially in August 2011 and I hope to get a registration number when I go to the Home Affairs Ministry office in Nay Pyi Taw next month. U Myo Yan Naung Thein, director of the Bayda Institute, a political education training centre based in Yangon, said the restrictions on political activities in the current law should be removed. It is not fair that NGOs are unable to join political movements. This meant that during the Myitsone Dam affair some environmental NGOs did not participate, he said. If NGOs are able to operate freely it will improve the democratic reforms in Myanmar. I want to apply to register our organisation because I want to work according to the law but we cannot do so under these restrictions I would like to suggest to the government that the 1988 registration law is too restrictive and the government should create a new law that is very free and fair.

Social Security Board plans revamp of health services

By Yamon Phu Thit THE Social Security Board is planning to negotiate contracts with state and private hospitals and clinics so that insured workers have more treatment options, a senior official said last week. Under the contract system, the cost of medicine and treatment for insured patients will be paid directly to the respective hospitals, said U Yu Lwin Aung, director general of the Social Security Board. He said the contract system would dramatically expand the number of places where injured workers could receive treatment and the Social Security Board hoped to attract more members as a result. The current healthcare system is not enough for workers as the social security clinics cannot provide 24hour service, he said. Social security clinics cannot be found all over the country so workers in areas where there are no social security clinics can face difficulties. There are currently only three workers hospitals in Yangon, Mandalay and Bago Regions Tantabin and 92 social security clinics. Only 570,000 workers across 110 townships have joined the Social Security Board. U Yu Lwin Aung said the example of Thailand, where more than 9.3 million workers were members of the Social Security Board, showed that Myanmars social security hospitals and clinics are not reliable for workers. Thailands Social Security Board works with more than 150 government and 90 private hospitals to offer treatment to members. Social Security Board member Ma Ei Thandar said her experience with the boards clinic in South Dagon township had not been pleasant. There was a long queue of patients and I was particularly upset by the poor service from the doctors and nurses, she said. I really dont trust them because they dont have specialists, they have only general practitioners. I only went there to claim the cost of my medicines. U Yu Lwin Aung said the boards contract plan could be limited by the space and personnel constraints of its partners and may not cover all kinds of treatments, particularly chronic diseases. He said the board hoped to get advice from the Myanmar Medical Association to ensure the system worked smoothly. If we can set a fair price for medical expenses then poor people will be able to rely on our group for health treatment, he said. More people will join if we offer more benefits. The proposed changes come after the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw last month approved the Social Security Bill to replace the Social Security Act, which was introduced in 1954.

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April 16 - 22, 2012
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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

NLD to hold training for MPs before April 23 sitting

By Win Ko Ko Latt with AFP DAW Aung San Suu Kyi and 40 other National League for Democracy representatives will take their seats in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw on April 23, her party said last week. The NLD, which won 43 seats in April 1 by-elections, will be the largest single opposition bloc in a national parliament dominated by the military and its political allies. NLD spokesman U Nyan Win said the Nobel laureate would travel to Nay Pyi Taw by April 22 in time to attend the remainder of the third session of the Pyithu Hluttaw the following day. Parliament has been in recess since March 23. The [Union Election Commission] informed us to come to Nay Pyi Taw no later that April 22. The hluttaw will resume at 1pm on April 23, U Nyan Win said. He added that the NLD would hold a meeting with its newly elected representatives on April 19 and 20 to prepare for the hluttaw session. Many of the partys representatives have little political experience and some said they would wait until after the training to start formulating proposals and legislation to submit. The election commission has also informed representatives directly about the resumption of parliament, representatives said. I received a notification letter from the Union Election Commission to attend the hluttaw on April 23, said U Min Thu, who won the Pyithu Hluttaw seat of Ottarathiri in Nay Pyi Taw. Daw Phyu Phyu Thin of Mingalar From page 1 main principles, She said. The partys large win on April 1 marks the latest sweeping change in the country formerly known as Burma after decades of outright military rule ended last year. During recent campaigning Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that her main goals as a lawmaker would be to work towards rule of law, national peace and amendments to the constitution to make it more democratic. Observers say she will also have to buckle down to tackling everyday issues in parliament such as agriculture, investment and the national budget. Last week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that making the transition from dissident to politician would not be easy. I did tell her in one of our recent telephone conversations -- she was moving from an icon to a politician. Having made sort of the same journey to some extent, I know that thats not easy, Ms Clinton said at the US premiere of The Lady. Now you go to a parliament and you start compromising, which is what democracy is all about. Its not a dirty word, Ms Clinton said at the screening at the headquarters of the Motion Picture Association of America. Ms Clinton said that she told Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that she will have to work with other people, some of whom you disagree with deeply. But it is part of the commitment you make to a democratic process, even one as fragile as that being embraced by the leadership and the people of Burma. The NLD won 37 seats in the 440-seat lower house in this months polls, along with four in the upper house and two in the regional chambers.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi speaks to the media after meeting Karen National Union leaders on April 8. Pic: Ko Taik Taung Nyunt said she had been studying hluttaw procedures since winning the byelections. She said the party planned to tackle several issues immediately, including unemployment, affordability of education and greater support for the aged. On a more local issue, Daw Phyu Phyu Thin said she would try to get National Registration Cards for some Muslims and migrant workers in her constituency. It is violation of human rights [not to be given an NRC] although they are citizens they do not have equal rights. It relates to the rule of law, which is one of the NLDs

KNU talks
She said she did not agree with the governments designation of the KNU and other groups as illegal organisations. I suppose the best situation for a nation is when it doesnt need to have illegal groups, she said. KNU general secretary Naw Zipporah Sein said her delegation also discussed the illegal organisation designation in its meeting with the president. She said the group believed he was sincere in wanting to build peace. We found that he has the will to make genuine peace in the country and he is also working for it, she said. Naw Zipporah Sein said the talks with the president had included the possibility of reconsidering the designation of the KNU as an illegal organisation. She said the group had devised a roadmap to reconciliation but whether it achieved it was completed depended on the constitution. The four steps are getting an initial agreement on a ceasefire, a concrete agreement

on a ceasefire, making political meetings and participating in politics. How we stand in the future will depend on the constitution and specifically whether we can accept its contents, Naw Zipporah Sein said.

Museum reopening
The reopening has also been welcomed by members of the tourism industry, who said it would likely prove popular with tourists, especially given Myanmars recent political changes. Dr Zaw Moe, managing director from the Myanmar Orient (Pacific Travel Agency), told The Myanmar Times that most tourists were interested in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and they would also want to see her fathers house. The museum will become one of the main tourism attractions in Yangon, he said. Most of my customers are diplomats and other government officials. Whenever they visit the country, they are interested in the tomb of U Thant, the former UN secretary general,

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and Bogyoke Aung Sans house. If possible Yangon International Airport should be named after General Aung San, while Mandalay after U Thant, to honour their achievements as well as to help everyone become familiar with their names again. Daw Khin Nwe Yi, a 56year-old teacher from Basic Education High School 2 Sanchaung, said the museum would help children learn more about the independence leader. Children learn about General Aung San from school textbooks but there are few descriptions in the text. Now they can see and learn more about him [at the museum]. If people neglect or forget to value a certain figure they will soon fade away but luckily we have the chance to share information about him, she told The Myanmar Times while visiting the museum last week. Another who took the opportunity to visit was Ma Htwe Htwe, 30. I am very sure that not only me but all people want to see where and how Bogyoke lived

in this house. I admire its architecture, its setting on the hill in a quiet environment, she said. I didnt feel much about General Aung San because we didnt have the chance to learn about him in our younger days but I can imagine he must have been very happy living here with his family. The museum is managed by the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library under the Ministry of Culture and recent renovations have been carried out to strengthen the walls, protect the roof and repair the stairs and walkways. A 20-person limit has also been set on the upper floor of the building to ensure the wooden structure is not put under too much strain. Captions have also been improved to make the museum more relevant, museum director U Thaung Win said. Not only our departments but all citizens of the country are responsible for maintaining, valuing, protecting and promoting heritage sites like this because they are owned by all the citizens of the country, he said.

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News
MyanMar tiMes April 16 - 22, 2012

Time to back East Timor ASEAN bid

THE most gratifying and yet most under-reported news of the month was the way East Timors second presidential election was held peacefully and how its unexpected outcome was honoured. For a small nation that has experienced endemic unrest and grotesque violence during its 10-year lifespan, it was a tremendous achievement. The March 17 poll resulted in the surprise defeat of Jose Ramos-Horta, the incumbent president, who garnered only 18 percent of the vote and thus failed to make it to next months run-off. The big winners were Fretilin party leader, Francisco Guterres, with 28pc of the vote, and former armed forces head, Taur Matan Ruak, with 25pc. Ruak is a former member of Fretilin, the movement that led East Timors liberation struggle, first against Portugal and then against Indonesia. He and Guterres will go head to head on April 21 in the second round of voting. The winner will need to do better than Ramos-Horta, who failed to alleviate the chronic impoverishment of his people. Despite vast oil and gas reserves East Timor remains one of Asias poorest nations. The jobless rate is off the map, transport facilities are woeful and potable water and medical services are unavailable to most people. His replacement will face a heavy workload, first needing to oversee the departure of UN forces based in East Timor at the end of this year, and then aggressively pushing for admission to ASEAN. Given the remarkable stability witnessed during the election, it will be hard for certain self-centred members of the regional grouping to continue to block Dilis longstanding bid to join. Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have already endorsed its entry, but Singapore, supported by

Yangon Region residents examine the body of a dead whale near Pite Si village in Thongwa township on April 6. The whale was washed up in paddy fields not far from the coast on April 1 and died on April 5. Pic: Kaung Htet

24/7 electricity returns to Yangon, says YESB

By Juliet Shwe Gaung YANGON Electricity Supply Board chairman U Aung Khaing said that Yangon city would be provided electricity 24 hours a day from April 9. U Aung Khaing made the statement during a press conference at the YESB office in Ahlone township on April 6. YESB had earlier announced that from April 1 supply to the city would be rationed, with households receive between 12 and 18 hours of power a day. However, U Aung Khaing said the decision was reversed because the board did not want the people to have social difficulties. He added that Yangons industrial zones would still face power rationing. The industrial zones will be split into two groups. One group will get electricity from 6am to 11am, while the other will get power from 11am to 4pm, said U Aung Khaing. He added that since April 5 YESB had been supplying electricity across Yangon Region from 5pm to 11pm. U Aung Khaing said the short-lived decision to reintroduce rationing a fixture of previous hot seasons, when the nations electricity generation capacity drops to Yangon had been made because the city was consuming more electricity than ever before. Our figures show that Yangon Region consumed 750 megawatts [MW] in March, an increase of 19 percent over last year, said U Aung Khaing. He said that since the start of April, the Ministry for Electric Power 2 had been asking the Ministry for Electric Power 1 to run two installed turbines at the Shweli hydropower plant in Shan State at full power. The plant is a run-ofriver type and depends on the flow of the river and does not always run at full capacity. But we have asked the ministry to operate at maximum capacity, said U Aung Khaing. He added that an additional five gas turbines across the country, which are not being used, are being prepared for use. We have asked for a supply of 24 million cubic feet a day [mmcfd] of natural gas from onshore fields and another 11mmcfd from offshore to supply about 69MW of electricity for Yangon Region, he said. A spokesperson from United Wood company said his factory at the Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone was receiving power from 11am to 4pm. Our factory operates from 7:30am to 4pm and therefore and weve had to use a lot more diesel to fuel our generators since April 1. We use up about one barrel [50 gallons] of diesel between 7:30-11am, he said. He said he was glad to hear that houses would receive 24-hour power but added that he wished the industrial zones would be provided more electricity.

Laos and Cambodia, has stubbornly vetoed the move, claiming East Timor is not yet ready for membership. It is a stupid and myopic stance, especially since the Asia Development Bank recently forecast that oil-rich East Timor will grow by at least 8.5pc this year. More crucially, as a member of ASEAN, the young nation will find it easier to handle the intense and growing tussle for influence in Dili between the superpowers, China and the United States. Washington, which has belatedly begun to pivot more towards Asia, has already given US$25 million in aid to East Timor and has unequivocally voiced support for its bid to join ASEAN. In reality, however, American influence has lagged behind that of China and it is likely to lag even further behind when Guterres or Ruak both left-leaning politicians take over the presidency. China has already won plaudits in Dili by constructing a new presidential palace, as well as a new foreign ministry building, defence headquarters and residences for the military. Chinese companies are also involved in building power plants and supplying patrol boats and other military equipment. In contrast to its heavyhandedness elsewhere in the region, Beijings quiet charm offensive in East Timor has been immensely effective. Dili has already displayed its appreciation by backing Beijing on various international issues, such as Tibet, Taiwan and human rights. If that trend is to be balanced, then it is imperative that US allies around the region get their act together and welcome East Timor into ASEAN as soon as possible.

News
April 16 - 22, 2012
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In Myanmar, a tale of two Germanies

Just a day after the April 1 by-elections, members of the German government called on the European Union to ease sanctions on Myanmar. A longtime friend of Myanmar, over the past 13 months Germany has sent two ministers and several delegations to Myanmar, while a visit by the foreign minister is expected to take place soon. As engagement ramps up, Tobias Esche examines the German-Myanmar relationship in the context of a divided Germany
n May 1979, the self-styled Provisional Government of the Federated Republic of Myanma sent a letter addressed to Prime Minister Walter Scheel of the Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany. Scheel was in fact president rather than prime minister of West Germany and, based in the capital of Bonn, his office had merely a protocol function with almost no executive powers. In its letter, the provisional government demanded that Bonn cease its relations with Myanmar, then known as Burma, due to [U] Ne Win and his illicit regime for nearly two decades and furthermore to end all technical, financial and moral support. Until 1988 West Germany was the secondlargest donor of development aid to Myanmar after Japan and most of its assistance was disbursed through a German development aid bank and stateowned enterprises. Later the same year, in November 1979, Bangladeshs ambassador to Myanmar presented to the West German ambassador in Yangon Hans Ferdinand Linsser an article from a Dhaka-based newspaper, titled Exiles from Burma set up body in Bonn. One member of this body, a former journalist from Yangon, who was thought to be a follower of the ousted Prime Minister U Nu, told journalists in Bonn that this new group was called Political exiles from Burma and intended to introduce democracy to Myanmar. Its members had aborted their studies at universities in Eastern Europe and had been granted residence permits in Bonn and elsewhere in Western Europe. These two failed attempts to change the government in Myanmar were carried out in Bonn by a type of exiled opposition group that only gained a considerable voice in the post-socialist era, in places like Brussels, Chiang Mai and London, rather than at a time when Myanmar was a valued ally to both German states and a non-communist friend for the United States. The foreign office and other ministries in Bonn were keen to not disturb the good relations

Prime Minister U Nu (second right) meets with East German special envoy Max Sefrin in Yangon on February 15, 1962, along with Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister Barrington (right) and Hans Voss (left), East Germanys consul general in Yangon. Pic: Supplied official status to the GDR trade representation office in Yangon. Furious, Hallstein even considered severing diplomatic relations with Myanmar and personally sent a cable to Yangon instructing Kopf to inform Myanmars Deputy Foreign Minister Barrington about the impending diplomatic withdrawal. Thanks to Mr Kopfs far-sighted heavy objections, he was able to convince Hallstein that this would disadvantage West Germany, as the halting of diplomatic relations would leave the non-diplomatic trade mission of East Germany as the only German bilateral agency in Yangon. This was the first reported occasion when the of East Germany by Myanmar. However, the accuracy of this account of the 1962 agreement is dubious. Forty-nine years later, I happened to meet the former East German consul general to Myanmar, who was also present at the meeting. According to this source, after lunch and off the record on both sides, U Nu said to Sefrin that he was about to head off to a meditation centre for the next week. Sefrin said he wanted to join him, which prompted U Nu to reply that if Sefrin really meditated with U Nu for one week, Myanmar in return would recognise the East German state. On March 2, 1962 just two weeks after Sefrins lunch with U Nu General Ne Win had U Nu arrested and became chairman of the Revolutionary Council, Myanmars new governing body. General Ne Win and his entourage travelled to West Germany and other Western European countries frequently. Although he went there mostly for recreational and medical purposes, one member of the Southeast Asia desk of the West German foreign office, a former embassy attach in Yangon who was ordered to accompany U Ne Win, noted in his report that the then-general, who spoke English fluently, took great care to always use the full term Federal Republic of Germany when speaking to anyone, instead of simply talking about Germany. Interestingly, Myanmarlanguage newspapers published in Myanmar in the 1960s and 70s used the terms (East Germany) or (gyi dee ah) whenever East German officials visited Yangon. Regarding the Federal Republic of Germany, the only term used was (gya ma nee). English-language publications from Myanmar strictly used FRG and GDR only. Along with U Ne Wins usage of the terminology while speaking English in Bonn, the evidence suggests that neutralist Myanmar was conflicted when dealing with the two German entities long after U Nu had left the scene. Relations between Myanmar and West Germany reached their apex when President Richard von Weizscker visited Myanmar in February 1986 a courtesy that was returned by President U San Yus visit to Germany in October the following year. When asked about the relative importance of the two German embassies in Myanmar in an interview in 2004, the West German ambassador to Myanmar from 1985-1996, Freiherr von Marschall, replied that the West German embassy was of greater significance to Myanmar because of the sustained economic partnership between the two countries. From 1982 onwards, East Germany could no longer afford to have a resident ambassador to Myanmar and thereafter the ambassador residing in Malaysia was also accredited to Myanmar. Myanmar was also forced to close its embassy in East Berlin in 1978 and assured East German officials on more than one occasion that this step was taken for economic reasons only. Relations have changed significantly since Myanmars upheaval in 1988 and reunification in Germany a few years later. While the East German legation disappeared completely, the German embassy in Yangon still rents a house in Bahan townships Golden Valley quarter that was once the residence of the East German ambassador. The recent relaxation of the European Unions visa ban is the first step towards the resumption of regular visits to Germany by Myanmar government officials, although it is unlikely they will ever be as frequent as during the socialist period. As the chief of the protocol department of the foreign office in Bonn noted in 1971: No other foreign Head of State is visiting the Federal Republic [of Germany] as often as General Ne Win does. (Tobias Esche has been using the German government archives to research German-Myanmar relations since 2009 as part of a wider research project. Last year he helped to publish a GermanMyanmar dictionary that his grandparents had dedicated 25 years to compiling and he is currently editing and writing a Myanmar travel guide for an award-winning German publishing house.)

the FRG had with what was since 1974 known in the Englishspeaking world as the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma. The previous year, Myanmar had accepted the credentials of Siegfried Khnel, the first ambassador from the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, to Myanmar. From then until 1990, the two German states had their voice house as the word embassy translates into Myanmar language in Yangon. With the inception in Yangon of the East German trade representation office in 1954 and the West German legation the following year, the Myanmar

General Ne Win shakes hand with Hans Voss, East Germanys consul general in Yangon, after the military coup in 1962. Pic: Supplied government gradually became aware of the critical implications the East-West conflict and particularly The German Question could have for the country. East German envoys approached the democratic Myanmar government on numerous occasions, attempting to convince U Nu and his government to acknowledge the GDR and to exchange diplomatic missions something West German diplomats tried to prevent. In 1955, the West German Deputy Foreign Minister Walter Hallstein received a cable from his resident-envoy in Yangon, Wilhelm Kopf, reporting that U Nu was considering granting so-called Hallstein Doctrine, an adverse foreign policy tool that considered the recognition of the other Germany by a third state as an unfriendly action, was close to being implemented since its inception in 1955. Finally, on February 15, 1962, there seemed to be a breakthrough: East German special envoy Max Sefrin went to Yangon and had lunch with Prime Minister U Nu and Deputy Foreign Minister Barrington. Sefrin filed a top secret report to his superiors in East Berlin, claiming that U Nu will consider signing a peace treaty with both German States, which in fact would have implied an official recognition

Goldfish, toad and robot battle for CBM floats control of Yangons car market kyat as US says to ease some sanctions
By Aung Kyi By Stuart Deed and Agencies THE private banking industry last week welcomed the Central Bank of Myanmars decision to begin floating the national currency on April 1. The float is being managed through currency auctions with 11 authorised banks, with the Central Bank publicising the floating rate every day on its website. The move ends 35 years of pegging the currency to the International Monetary Funds (IMF) special drawing rights, which left it at about K6.4 to the dollar. In the open market the dollar has at times traded for as much as K1450, although in the past year the kyat has strengthened to below K700. In the last week of March the market rate hovered at about K810, although official money exchange counters in Yangon were buying dollars for about K810. A source close to the IMF, which was asked to help with the float, said in December that Myanmars monetary and fiscal policy environment had seen up to 17 different exchange rates spring up. The floating of the kyat is the first step in unifying the different exchange rates. U Than Lwin, a deputy chairman of Kanbawza Bank, one of the largest commercial banks in Myanmar, described the unification of the many exchange rates as a must. Speaking as a commercial banker and on behalf of foreign investors, unification is a must because in the past weve had these multiple exchange rates, which are very complex, he said. You cannot predict what the rate will be because a lot of rates are prevailing in the market, which is not good for doing business. Foreign investment wont come unless the exchange rate system is unified, he added. However, U Than Lwin said the Central Bank also needed to improve its ability to communicate with the market. I think what the Central Bank needs is more transparency. They should have a website that people outside can see what theyre planning to do with the managed floating rate, how theyre going to do it and what the public should expect from this thats more important, he said. The Central Bank has launched a new website at http://www.cbm.gov.mm that posts a daily exchange rate but does not explain how the auctions are conducted. The float occurred just days before the United States announced that it would begin easing restrictions on investment to Myanmar. In its latest gestures as part of a three-year diplomatic drive on Myanmar, the US said on April 4 it would step up aid and allow select officials to visit but stopped short of easing the bulk of two decades worth of biting sanctions. More page 8 CAR buyers are shunning the most up to date models in favour of vehicles made around 2000, car traders and market researchers in Yangon said last week. Although cars made through to the end of 2006 were eligible for import from January, most people are choosing to buy vehicles made in about 2002 because theyre cheaper, said a myanmarcarsdb website spokesperson. When the overage car substitution program was launched on September 19, importers were limited to bringing in cars made between 1995 and 2002 for saloons and 1995-2000 for four-wheel drives. However, since January 1, overseas workers and Myanmar companies with foreign currency bank accounts with two staterun banks containing at least $15,000 and $100,000 respectively, have been able to import new cars under a different tax regime. The best selling cars in Yangon are 2001-02 Toyota Mark II sedans, colloquially known as shwe nga, or goldfish, which are selling for about K30 million; Toyota Caldina 2002 models (setyoke or robot) that change hands for about K35 million in two-wheel-drive form or K38 million in four-wheeldrive; Mitsubishi 1999 model Pajero (pharpyoke or toad) are selling for about K50 million; and 1999-model Toyota Prados, which are trading for about K60 million, said U Wai Yan Linn, a director at myanmarcarsdb website. Several car brokers said vehicles made in or about 2000 are preferred by buyers because they are slightly cheaper, easier to maintain and spare parts are more readily available. Most of the people who are importing 2011-model

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Newly imported cars sit in a parking lot at Myanmar International Terminal Thilawa on March 26 as a fire rages in the background. Pic: Kaung Htet cars are private buyers who intend to use the cars themselves and dont intend to sell them off because they are more expensive to buy and the taxes are higher, U Wai Yan Linn said. Even though cars with engines smaller than 1300 cubic centimetres [CC] were taxed at 70 percent of their value [30pc lower than those with 2000CC engines or larger] imposed by the Directorate of Transport Administration, only private buyers are interested in these cars, not dealers, he said. Cars with engines smaller than 2000CC were taxed at 85pc of their cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value. H o w e v e r , a n announcement run in state-run newspapers on April 4 said imported cars with engines smaller than 1350CC will be taxed at 50pc; those with engines between 1351CC and 2000CC will be taxed at 80pc; 20001-5000CC engined cars will be taxed at 100pc; and vehicles with engines larger than 5000CC will be taxed at 120pc. Imported buses with at least 15 seats will be taxed at only 5pc of their value, as will commercial vehicles including trucks, tankers and tractors. There have been fewer buyers for cars with 1300CC or smaller engines, even though the taxes are lower, U Wai Yan Linn said. A senior official from the Directorate of Transport Administration said: More than 46,000 overage cars have already been submitted to Directorate of Road Transport countrywide under the overage cars substitution program by the end of March 2012. U Chit Win, a car dealer in Sanchaung township, said: Most owners of overage cars could not afford to import newer cars and instead they sold them to dealers. Afterwards they tried to buy locally available cars for about K10 million. It has been especially tough for the owners of old taxis because the cars they could buy for about K10 million are typically made between 1986 and 1990 and use lots of fuel, he said. At the same time, gasoline [petrol] prices have increased from K2500 a gallon [4.55 litres] to K3350 for ration fuel and nearly K4000 for octane fuel. Taxi owners and drivers cannot compete against cars that run on compressed natural gas, which is much cheaper, said U Chit Win. CNG is sold at about K275 a kilogram, with one taxi driver telling The Myanmar Times that it cost K2700 to fill his 65-litre tank, which is enough for one day of driving. More page 8

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Job watch

Companies lining up to invest in Myanmar, says advisory firm

By Aung Kyi HUNDREDS of foreign companies are seeking investment opportunities in Myanmar across a wide range of sectors, the head of Hong Kong-based Bagan Capital, a Myanmarfocused investment and advisory firm, said recently. We see growth in interest from Europe, Japan and eventually the United States over the next few years, said Jeremy Kloiser Jones, the companys founder and chief executive officer. Although there are already some foreign corporations operating in Myanmar, the overall number has been constrained by economic sanctions. With sanctions having been loosened, and the likelihood of them being removed, the foot is now off the brake, he added. ASEAN on April 4 released a statement urging Western nations to lift all sanctions imposed on Myanmar following the end of an annual summit, this year held in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. We called for the lifting of all sanctions on Myanmar immediately in order to contribute positively to the democratic process and economic development in that country, the heads of state said in a statement, promising to help when Myanmar assumes ASEANs rotating chairmanship in 2014. Mr Kloiser Jones said investment interest centred on hotels and tourism, oil and gas, agriculture, light manufacturing and consumer products. Economic sanctions are still in force and there is a virtual lack of credit and capital markets but Myanmar has amazing potential, so we are investing and encouraging others to do so, Mr Kloiser Jones said. The companys name is drawn from the nations biggest tourist attraction, Bagan where the multitude of pagodas that dot the 40-square-kilometre plain reminded Mr Kloiser Jones of the vast array of investment opportunities that are beginning to unfold across the country. We see firms interested in all types of involvement, ranging from the oil and gas industry, which can require the investment of billions of dollars, down to consumer goods companies eager to sell lower priced goods here. And with the current influx of foreign tourists, there is a need for more hotels to cater to them, he said on March 28 on the sidelines of the Myanmar Oil, Gas and Power Summit at Traders Hotel. US firm GE has already signed an agreement with a local Myanmar distributor to sell its products in Myanmar, despite US sanctions, said Mr Kloiser Jones. This demonstrates a confidence that the US will remove, or substantially reduce, sanctions towards Myanmar in the reasonably foreseeable future. However, he said that the existing foreign investment law did not cover all the situations in which a foreign company might like to invest in Myanmar, and while that law was being amended, there was little understanding of the rules and how they are applied in practice. Of course, the many new [and amended] laws that are being put through parliament represent positive steps. The next few months should bring much positive news in respective of improving the regulatory environment, he said. Foreign investors are generally keen on a stable environment with basic laws that are applied reliably and good dispute resolution mechanisms. Also important is flexibility regarding investment areas and approvals, along with prompt processes, he said. Mr Kloiser Jones said the combination of these factors with the countrys natural and human resources offered significant growth potential. He added that investments in infrastructure, construction and manufacturing should represent the fastest path to creating large numbers of jobs. But Bagan Capital is also promoting investment in education and healthcare, he said. Our advice to foreign corporations is that the best investor for Myanmar is the patient investor. This is clearly not a market to try to make a quick buck, he said. He added that the firm is working with both foreign and domestic companies and fielded more than 10 queries a week from external firms. We provide them with research, strategic advice about market entry, local partner introductions and information on specific investment opportunities, he said. For local companies, Bagan Capital reviews their potential investment projects and advises on what would be attractive to foreign investors, and how to structure deals accordingly, he said. The firms support team is split between Myanmar and Hong Kong and includes professional legal, specific-industry advisers and administration. The firm is seeking to expand its Yangon team, and is on the lookout for local talent, he said.

From page 7

CBM floats kyat

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hailed the leadership and courage of President U Thein Sein after the opposition swept the April 1 by-elections, giving Nobel peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi a seat in parliament. Clinton said the United States would start easing restrictions on US investment and financial services in areas seen supporting reforms in Myanmar. Officials said they were deciding the exact measures and timeframe but that one priority would be to allow the use of credit cards in Myanmar, one of the few nations where MasterCard, Visa and American Express are not accepted. Other banking functions such as automatic teller machines, which have been in use worldwide for decades, have only recently returned to Myanmar, while SWIFT transfers from Myanmar living abroad to relatives in the country have only just been announced and will not be rolled out until late April or early May. Even then, their use will be limited to 11 banks: Ayeyarwady, Asia Green Development, Cooperative, Innwa, Kanbawza, Myanma Apex, Myanmar Industrial Development, Myanmar Oriental, Myawaddy, Tun Foundation and United Amara. However, outside Myanmar a number of large international banks are poised to enter or in some cases re-enter the market. So Lay Hua, the managing director of transaction banking at United Overseas Bank in Singapore, told Reuters news agency that her bank recently

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helped train Myanmar bankers in currency trading and risk management, and she was encouraged by a possible end to sanctions. Regional banks with strong institutional franchises such as UOB will have opportunities to contribute to Myanmars future economic growth, she said. Reuters also reported Standard Chartered is considering re-entering the Myanmar market. We are watching developments with interest, said a spokesman. Standard Chartered began operations in Myanmar in 1862 but shut its representative office in 2003 following a banking crisis that saw two of the countrys leading banks go under. There is a lot of hype right now about the prospects for Myanmar, but banking is very far off into the future in terms of real material growth, said Derek Ovington, an analyst at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets in Singapore told Reuters. It has a great potential as a growth economy, but the starting point is very low, he added. You are talking years of

development before it becomes material to anybody. Myanmar banks have a history of ill-fated optimism. Dozens of local and foreign banks thrived in the 1950s. But the industry withered after a 1962 coup introduced a disastrous Burmese Way to Socialism and sweeping nationalisation. The Central Banks website shows there are four state-run banks operating in Myanmar, with another 19 private operations

as well. However, some of these banks barely function at all. A total of 14 foreign banks maintain representative offices in Myanmar, almost all of which are from Asia. These include Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) from Malaysia; Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Ltd; Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam; and Bangkok Bank Public Company Ltd. Kanbawza Banks U Than Lwin said it would be important for the Central Bank to have more autonomy in future. Right now monetary policy is following fiscal policy, which is not right because if you dont have an independent monetary policy then I think things like interventions in the market and interest rate policy wont be independent, she said. The Central Banks policy will never be flexible in regard to these policy positions, so I think we need the Central Bank to be more independent so that it can shut its own doors and so it can respond more quickly to market reactions.

Goldfish, toad and robot battle

When it was announced, the car import substitution program included taxes of 165pc of the cars value, with 100pc charged by the Directorate of Road Transport as a road tax and the remaining 65pc for customs duty and commercial tax. Small tax deductions were made based on the value set on the car being handed in to authorities. However, after a debate raised by the parliaments Economic and Trading Development Committee, the Deputy Minister for Railway Transport, U Than Shin, said on March 23: The regulations for tax imposed by the Directorate of Transport Administration will have to be amended and the taxes will be imposed according to the engine size, just like the import regulations of other countries. MRTV-4 announced on March 30 that more than 37,500 vehicles had been imported under the import substitution program, including 35,088 passenger cars, 1816 commercial vehicles and 619 buses. The television report said the value of the imports was more than $241.49 million.

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as countries often try to meet a huge chunk of their annual borrowing needs at the outset and they made the most of the early calm. Paris and Berlin borrowed at historically very favourable rates and Madrid got a long way towards covering its financing needs this year, noted Robin. Spain covered 43 percent of its annual mediumand long-term financing needs in the first quarter, taking advantage of rates of around 4pc compared to near 7pc at the height of the crisis late last year. But in the first week of April the calm on European debt markets abruptly ended. Spain barely raised the amount it sought in a bond auction on April 9 and had to pay investors sharply higher rates just after announcing a tough 2012 budget that aims to make a whopping 27 billion euros ($35 billion) in savings. Madrids warning that its public debt will jump by 10 percentage points this year to nearly 80pc of gross domestic product (GDP) clearly rattled investors who also faced the prospect of an economy slipping deeper into recession. While ECB liquidity measures helped shield Madrid from immediate danger, economist Raj Badiani at IHS Global Insight warned the risks are expected to intensify next year as Spain is battered by recession and high unemployment and bad real estate assets drag down banks. This would make it difficult for Spain to achieve its target of reducing its public deficit to the EU ceiling of 3pc of GDP by austerity measures alone, he said, and raised the possibility it would need some sort of help from its European partners. This could entail the ECB providing more protection than its current policy of making limited Spanish bond purchases in the secondary market, he said. However, ECB chief Mario Draghi made it clear on April 4 that such a move was not on the cards, although the central banker would not rule out further action to support the regions banks. Widespread hopes ... that the ECB would use the might of its theoretically unlimited balance sheet to fire a so-called silver bullet into the heart of the broader eurozone crisis by buying up or somehow guaranteeing large portions of the Italian and Spanish [debt] have all but evaporated, said Jonathan Loynes at Capital Economics. Bond yields of weaker eurozone states are moving higher as did the gap with those of German government bonds, the benchmark measure. The yield on Spanish 10-year bonds jumped to 5.735pc from 5.332pc at the end of March, with the spread with German bonds widening to over 4 from 3.54 percentage points. The spread between German and Italian bonds widened to 3.67 from 3.31 percentage points. France, which lost its coveted top triple-A rating from Standard & Poors rating agency earlier this year and faces concerns about the competitiveness of its economy, saw the spread on its bonds rise to 1.25 from 1.09 percentage points. The spreads, which reflect the degree of investor confidence [in a country] are clearly widening again and the short-term outlook is not particularly positive, BNP Paribas analysts said in a client note. Elections in France and Germany may also raise concerns about changes to eurozone policy and the threat of recession still hangs over the bloc. AFP

Europe may be heading back into debt storm

By Richard Lein PARIS A flood of easy money courtesy of the European Central Bank made for a calm start to 2012 but a poor Spanish bond sale in early April signalled it may only have been a lull before the debt storm breaks, analysts warn. The ECB injected roughly one trillion euros (US$1.3 trillion) into eurozone banks at auctions in December and February, helping to ease concerns banks would face a funding crunch. Some of this cash ended up in the sovereign bond markets, helping reduce the rates countries need to pay to raise funds after a year of high tension over whether Italy and Spain the eurozones third- and fourth-largest economies might also need to be bailed out after Greece, Ireland and Portugal. The first quarter was exceptional for eurozone state borrowing, said Jean-Francois Robin at Frances Natixis bank. The first three months of the year are important

Chinas rare earth body to boost exports

SHANGHAI China has set up a rare earth industry group, the government said last week, in a bid to streamline the sprawling sector and fend off complaints about Beijings seemingly monopolistic control. The United States, European Union and Japan last month lodged a complaint with the W o r l d T r a d e Organisation, saying China was choking off exports of rare earths to unfairly benefit domestic industries. China, a producer of more than 95 percent of the worlds rare earths which have a wide range of applications in the military and technology sectors in particular has set output caps and export quotas on the coveted resource. The Association of China Rare Earth Industry, composed of 155 members, was set up April 8 in Beijing, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which supervises rare earth development, said in a statement. Vice industry minister Su Bo said the group would promote healthy development of the sector and urged firms to strictly follow government production plans, according to the statement. China has defended its management of the rare earth industry, saying its measures aim to limit harm to the environment from excessive mining, while meeting the countrys surging domestic demand. AFP

YCDC to auction three land plots

By Noe Noe Aung YANGON City Development Committee will auction three large properties in the city by early May, an official said on April 4. The Hantharwaddy car trading zone and surrounding area in Kamaryut township, the Thein Byu driving compound in Mingalar Taung Nyunt township and the Lay Har Pyin Market, part of New Bogyoke Market in Pabedan township will be auctioned, he said. The official added that the YCDC would like to see the sites developed into projects that support urban development such as hotels, shopping malls, playgrounds, private schools or healthcare clinics. YCDC announced the tender for the sites on March 27 in the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper. The tender closes on May 3. The official said YCDC was willing to work with private companies to develop the sites. However, the companies would need to provide project proposals detailing the intended purpose, company name, investment share split and budget.

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Enzo Federici, a resident of Bazzano, a suburb of LAquila hit hard by the April 6, 2009 quake stands in his destroyed house on April 2. Pic: AFP

Quake-hit Italian town struggles to rebuild

By Ella Ide LAQUILA, Italy Three years after a quake devastated LAquila, the Italian town has launched a bid to become a hi-tech European city to the scepticism of thousands of people still living in temporary housing. Large parts of the centre remain boarded up even as local architects work with the council on a smart city project to rebuild using cutting-edge techniques that have the backing of Prime Minister Mario Montis government. The idea is to turn the tragedy of the earthquake into an opportunity to rebuild in an intelligent, innovative way while preserving the citys heritage, Alfredo Moroni, the town councillor overseeing the project told AFP. It is an ambitious aim in a town still traumatised as it marks the third anniversary of the April 6, 2009 tragedy that claimed 308 lives. Shoes and broken ornaments still lie in the dust in abandoned homes and few people venture through the empty streets or into the sunlit main square, where an elderly priest stands solitary guard over a collapsed mediaeval church. LAquila is just like Pompeii, a ghost town visited by people who come just to see the ruins, said pensioner Giuliano Guetti, referring to the part-buried Roman town near Naples which was destroyed by a volcanic eruption in AD 79. We feel isolated, totally cut off from the world. Theres nothing here, nowhere to socialise ... before any smart plan we need basic services like a local shop or bar to make us feel like normal A highly critical report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) last month condemned a culture of inaction and called for a radical overhaul of social services and the local economy. The smart city project includes plans for a pedestrianised city-centre with bike sharing schemes, buildings fitted with solar panels and a facility to allow local inhabitants to consult Critics accused the then premier Silvio Berlusconi of incompetence and his civil protection agency of trying to exploit the earthquake for financial gain. Nearly a quarter of LAquilas pre-earthquake population of 75,000 is still living in wooden houses, hotels, army barracks and new builds in remote areas with no public services. Thousands more have moved away altogether. Only four families have we formed a group called Collettivo 99 and argued that the city could be restored and transformed using renewable energy sources, anti-earthquake systems, the internet, said Morante, the groups head. We wanted to create the Wests first technologically smart mediaeval city, but no-one listened. We now need to move fast or we risk no-one wanting to return in years to come to a city they no longer feel is their own, he said. old Rachele Raperelli, who moved into the blue wooden houses after a year living in a tent camp, dismissed the plan as empty words. Raperelli, who underwent surgery after a wardrobe fell on her during the earthquake, broke down in tears as she said how much she wanted her house back. My husband goes morning, noon and night to just stare at our home in ruins, he cant move on. I have my roots there, I was married there, she said. There is also widespread scepticism among residents that the region can find the money for the project amid a biting financial crisis in Italy and Europe. How are they going to make a smart city with the crisis? I sleep in a wooden house in my garden because Im still afraid there may be another earthquake. I dont plan for the future, said housewife Letizia De Paolis. Despite misgivings, other inhabitants say the plan is their only hope of reviving the city. We cant know whether the plan will work, but we have to hope, said Giovanni Benevieri. Without hope we are left with nothing but a dead city. AFP

nowhere Theres nothing here,local shopto socialise ... before any smart plan we need basic services like a or bar to make us feel like normal citizens.
citizens, said Guetti, 78. In a protest against the lack of reconstruction, members of a local cultural association are collecting thousands of colourful crochet samples sent in by supporters that they will then knit into banners to go up around the city. The Urban Knitting initiative is an attempt to bring back colour to our historic centre, a reaction against the grey and the emptiness which we can no longer tolerate, the Animammersa association said in a statement. their doctor via video link. But with 170 hectares (420 acres) of the centre standing empty, dotted with makeshift shrines to the victims of the earthquake, there is widespread disbelief among locals that a plan to modernise LAquila will ever be enacted. The government implemented emergency measures after the quake and got everyone into housing in new builds, hotels or barracks but after that we were abandoned and theres been a serious social breakdown, Moroni said. moved back into the city centre, officials said. Billionaire Berlusconis downfall last November and his replacement by reformminded Monti has given momentum to the smart city idea, which has its roots in a project drawn up by a group of young local architects. As stray dogs wander through the maze of alleyways and abandoned buildings with gaping holes in their sides, architect Marco Morante explains their plan. Just after the earthquake With Montis government, we finally have the chance to be heard, he added. In Bazzano, a suburb of LAquila hit hard by the quake, residents living in temporary housing a stones throw from their rubblestrewn houses welcome the plan but warn of growing social unease and a lack of trust in the authorities. Repairman Riccardo Turco said that while they were grateful to have a roof over their heads, it leaks when it rains. But no-one cares, no-one comes. His neighbour, 68-year-

Smallest town in the US fetches $900,000 at auction

LOS ANGELES Billed as the smallest town in America, Buford, Wyoming, was sold at auction last week for US$900,000 to a Vietnamese national who wants to remain anonymous, the seller told AFP. Twenty-five bidders signed up for the auction, held online and on-site, of the town with its three-bedroom house, school, gas station and several other buildings. Bufords last inhabitant and the owner of the buildings, Don Sammons, 61, told AFP the package went to a Vietnamese man from Ho Chi Minh City. He actually flew here from Vietnam. He was on site, said Sammons. The winner had to battle it out with bidders from Hong Kong, New York, Florida, Kansas and Wyoming, with the bidding starting at $100,000. Some called in their offers by phone but about 20 people were on site. Im happy and Im sad all at once, said Sammons. But Im more happy than sad because this is all I wanted. I can continue and start the next chapter of my life, he said, adding that he planned to go someplace with sandy beaches and maybe a palm tree for a week or two before writing a book about his life in Buford. The former railroad stop once was home to about 2000 people. But they started moving away after train service ended, until the sign at the entrance to town read, Buford. Population: 1. The buyer will get 10 acres of land. Besides the house, a garage, cabin and barn, the property includes a cellphone tower and a parking lot that a trucking company uses to switch trailers at night. The Buford Trading Post, as the outpost is called, benefits from regular traffic along the I-80 interstate, with Wyomings state capital Cheyenne just 50 kilometres (30 miles) to the east, and San Francisco 1840km (1150 miles) to the west. AFP

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April 16 - 22, 2012
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Airborne prayers problem solved

By Martin Abbugao SINGAPORE As a frequent flier and devout Muslim, businessman Abdalhamid Evans always comes up against the same challenge in the air: when to say his prayers. Muslims are required to pray five times a day at certain hours, but this schedule becomes complicated when crossing various time zones at thousands of metres above sea level. I usually dont pray when I am in a plane, said Evans, the London-based founder of a website that provides information on the global halal, or Islam-compliant, industry. But lately I have been thinking that it is probably better to do them in the air than make them up on arrival, he told AFP. The problem may be solved for travellers such as Evans thanks to an innovation called the Air Travel Prayer Time Calculator, developed by Singapore-based Crescentrating, a firm that gives halal ratings to hotels and other travel-related establishments. Launched earlier this month, the online tool takes data such as prayer times in the country of origin, the destination city and in countries on the flight path and uses an algorithm to plot exact prayer hours during a flight. Current programs only allow Muslims to find their prayer hours according to their position on land, and the absence of any tools that can be used to calculate during a flight has compromised many travellers . I knew there was lot of frustration among the travellers on this issue, but nobody had really attempted

Hand-held flashlight zaps deadly bacteria

PARIS A hand-held torchlike device can swiftly kill dangerous bacteria, offering a potential boon for emergency workers battling infection risks in wars or disaster zones, scientists reported on April 5. The plasma flashlight delivers a charged, or ionised, jet of gas to zap germs, a team of researchers in China, Australia and Hong Kong said in a specialised journal. Hot plasma sterilisers are already used to disinfect surgical instruments, but they are expensive, refrigeratorsized devices that operate at high temperatures. Sterilisers that operate at cooler temperatures require external power such as a wall electrical supply or a generator, as well as a gas feed, in order to keep working. But the new device is driven by a 12-volt battery and does not need a gas feed, according to the study, which appears in a British publication, the Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics. Its inventors said they tested it on a thick mat of Enterococcus faecalis, a germ that is resistant to heat treatment and antibiotics, sometimes causing infections in dental surgery. In this study, we chose an extreme example to demonstrate that the plasma flashlight can be very effective even at room temperature, said Ken Ostrikov from the Plasma Nanoscience Centre in Australia. For individual bacteria, the inactivation time could be just tens of seconds. The goal is a simple gadget that can kill surface bacteria in settings where clean water and medications are scarce. With technical modifications and economies of scale, the device could be made for less than US$100, Ostrikov said. The plasma in the experiments was measured at between 20 and 23 degrees Celsius, which means it is close to room temperature and does not burn the skin. Why the jet has an antibacterial effect is unclear, Britains Institute of Physics, which publishes the journal, said in a press release. It could be that there is a reaction between the plasma and the surrounding area that creates types of oxygen molecules to which E. faecalis germs are especially vulnerable. The invention is one of several prototypes aimed at placing easy-to-use coldplasma sterilisers in the hands of medical workers and even consumers. Last year, the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany said a similar flashlight-shaped device, tested in a laboratory, destroyed samples of a notorious food bug the O104:H4 strain of Escherichia coli. AFP

Crescentrating chief executive officer Fazal Bahardeen showing the Air Travel Prayer Time Calculator website on his computer in Singapore on April 3. Pic: AFP to solve it, Crescentrating chief executive Fazal Bahardeen told AFP. Before embarking on a trip, a Muslim traveller can now go to the online calculator in the Crescentrating website and input their departure airport, time of flight and destination. The calculator then comes up with the prayer times set either in the local time of the airport of origin, the destination city or the country that the aircraft is flying over, which the traveller can then email to themselves to access later. Fazal said his team plans to develop a mobile app that will also point users in the direction of the Islamic holy city of Mecca, to which Muslims must face when they pray, based on the flight path. Muslim travellers have welcomed the tool. Its good for long-haul travelling, said Shiraz Sideek, a vice president at the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank who travels almost a dozen times a year. When you cross different times zones in an airplane, you have a problem of timing when to pray, he told AFP from Abu Dhabi. The application sounds like a very unique thing and very useful. Indonesian airline industry executive Sabry Salahudeen agrees that there is a potentially big market for the new tool. Ive been in the airline industry for the past 20 plus years ... To my knowledge I dont think anyone has come up with anything like this, said Salahudeen, vice president for airport operations and aircraft procurement at Pacific Royale Airways, a soon-tobe-launched premium airline in Indonesia. As more Muslims travel around the world, services catering to their needs are expanding, industry players say. In 2010, Muslim travellers spent US$100 billion, or about 10 percent of total global travel expenditures, according to Crescentratings Fazal. This is projected to increase to 14-15pc of the global total by 2020. The World Tourism Organisation last year estimated that an additional two million Arabs will travel overseas within the next twenty years, raising their regions total of outbound tourists to 37 million. While it is still early days for the Air Travel Prayer Time Calculator, potential customers say mobility is important. If it becomes an app ... it could prove to be a popular idea, said Evans. AFP

Eyeballs, satellites try to save ships from Titanic fate

By Mariette le Roux PARIS Weve painted them, tagged them, bombed them, monitored them with radar and watched them from space but icebergs like the one that sank the Titanic are still a threat to ships today. Scientists say that despite a century of technological gains, ships rely heavily on a detection method as old and as fallible as sailing itself: the eyeball. Icebergs are very dangerous objects because they drift, they are not stationary, and in higher wave conditions they can be masked or hidden from a ships radar. Thats why they are still a danger today, says Michael Hicks of the International Ice Patrol (IIP). Icebergs can be stealthy leviathans, veiled by rough seas, fog or low light. There are still invisible threats, says Hicks. The odds of hitting an iceberg today are about one in 2000 twice as remote as they were in April 1912 when the greatest ship of its time took 1514 people to a watery grave, estimates Brian Hill, a specialist with Canadas National Research Council (NRC). On average two iceberg collisions occur each year, and a near-disaster involving a cruise ship in 2007 showed that an unsinkable vessel has yet to be built. Formed in 1913, the year after the Titanics demise, the IIP patrols half a million square nautical miles (1.7 million square kilometres) of the northwest Atlantic. Its beat includes Iceberg Alley, the shipping lanes off the Great Banks of Newfoundland and the east coast of Labrador where icebergs, breaking off from Greenland, drift 18 of which hit their target. Just a few pieces broke off, says Hicks. It didnt have much effect. A later attempt to detonate explosives planted inside an iceberg was slightly more effective, but all it meant was that instead of one big iceberg to track we suddenly had several smaller ones which are just as dangerous, says Hicks. So the IIP switched all its efforts to early warning. Drinkwater, a cryosphere expert at the European Space Agency. According to the Ship Iceberg Collision Database held by Canadas NRC, there has been a steady decline in incidents since 1913. There were 57 iceberg collisions in the northern hemisphere from 1980 to 2005, an average of 2.3 a year down from 170 hits or 6.8 a year in the 25 years up to 1912, adds Hill. The last passenger ship to sink with fatalities after hitting an iceberg was the Hans Hedtoft, which went down off southern Greenland in January 1959 with 95 people on board. In November 2007, the cruise ship MV Explorer sank after hitting an iceberg off the Antarctic Peninsulas northern tip. All 100 passengers and 54 crew were saved. Hill says good luck with the weather and a passing ship prevented a catastrophe in that case. Human error means a disaster on the scale of the Titanic can happen again, adds Hicks. There are still icebergs, there are still ships, he says. Despite all warnings that you give, ship captains are out there still trying to make the shortest possible crossing, trying to keep to the schedules. AFP

are very dangerous Icebergs and in higher waveobjects because they drift conditions they can be masked or hidden from a ships radar.
between February and July. The agency has resorted to unorthodox measures in its attempts to track the wandering giants. It tried to paint icebergs red, but the colour washed off. It tried to drop radio transmitters on them a mighty task for a plane flying over at up to 180 knots (350 kilometres an hour). It even tried bombing. In 1959, IIP planes battered an iceberg 220 feet (about 70 metres) high and 475 feet (145 metres) across with 20 1000-pound (400-kilogram) bombs, It deploys radar-equipped Hercules aircraft and collates reports from passing ships and satellites. Not a single skipper who heeded its warnings has hit an iceberg, says Hicks proudly. Man has huge faith in space technology, but satellites are of limited value here as they cannot tell smaller icebergs from ships. There is always a visual recognition issue and for very small icebergs there is always going to be that residual risk, said Mark

TiMESWORLD
Peoples Liberation Army troops at a ceremony at their base in Luzhou, in Chinas southwestern Sichuan province, in a file photo taken on September 15 last year. The West should acknowledge that it is hardly unnatural for a rising power to aspire to have armed forces that reflect its growing economic clout, writes The Economist. Pic: AFP

April 16 - 22, 2012

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The rise and rise of Chinas military

NO matter how often China has emphasised the idea of a peaceful rise, the pace and nature of its military modernisation inevitably cause alarm. As America and the big European powers reduce their defence spending, China looks likely to maintain the past decades increases of about 12 percent a year. Even though its defence budget is less than a quarter the size of Americas today, Chinas generals are ambitious. The country is on course to become the worlds largest military spender in just 20 years or so. Much of its effort is aimed at deterring America from intervening in a future crisis over Taiwan. China is investing heavily in asymmetric capabilities designed to blunt Americas once-overwhelming capacity to project power in the region. This anti-access/ area denial approach includes thousands of accurate land-based ballistic and cruise missiles, modern jets with anti-ship missiles, a fleet of submarines (both conventionally and nuclearpowered), long-range radars and surveillance satellites, and cyber and space weapons intended to blind American forces. Most talked about is a new ballistic missile said to be able to put a manoeuvrable warhead onto the deck of an aircraft-carrier 2700 kilometres (1700 miles) out at sea. China says all this is defensive, but its tactical doctrines emphasise striking first if it must. Accordingly, China aims to be able to launch disabling attacks what it can do disputes, has grown with on American bases in the in a hostile COMMENTARY its might. The dangers of itself. western Pacific and push environment The trouble military miscalculation are Americas carrier groups is untested. beyond what it calls the Chinas formidable missile is that Chinas intentions are too high for comfort. It is in Chinas interests first island chain, sealing and submarine forces would so unpredictable. On the one off the Yellow Sea, South pose a threat to American hand China is increasingly to build confidence with its China Sea and East China carrier groups near its willing to engage with global neighbours, reduce mutual Sea inside an arc running coast, but not farther out to institutions. Unlike the old strategic distrust with from the Aleutians in the sea for some time at least. Soviet Union, it has a stake America and demonstrate north to Borneo in the south. Blue-water operations for in the liberal world economic its willingness to abide by Were Taiwan to attempt Chinas navy are limited order, and no interest in global norms. A good start formal secession from the to anti-piracy patrolling in exporting a competing would be to submit territorial mainland, China could the Indian Ocean and the ideology. The Communist disputes over islands in the launch a series of pre-emptive rescue of Chinese workers Partys legitimacy depends East and South China Seas strikes to delay American from war-torn Libya. Two or on being able to honour to international arbitration. intervention and raise its three small aircraft-carriers its promise of prosperity. Another step would be to strengthen cost prohibitively. promising regional This has already bodies such as the had an effect on Chinas neighbours, China is not expansionist: it already has its empire. East Asian Summit and ASEAN Plus who fear that it will Three. Above all, draw them into its sphere of influence. Japan, may soon be deployed, but A cold war with the West Chinese generals should South Korea, India and learning to use them will would undermine that. talk far more with American even Australia are quietly take many years. Nobody On the other hand, China ones. At present, despite spending more on defence, knows if the carrier-killer engages with the rest of much Pentagon prompting, especially on their navies. US missile can be made to the world on its own terms, contacts between the two suspicious of institutions armed forces are limited, President Barack Obamas work. As for Chinas longer- it believes are run to serve tightly controlled by the new pivot towards Asia includes a clear signal that term intentions, the West Western interests. And its PLA and ritually frozen by America will still guarantee should acknowledge that assertiveness, particularly politicians whenever they its allies security. On April 3 it is hardly unnatural for in maritime territorial want to punish America the first 200 of a deployment a rising power to aspire of 2500 US Marines arrived to have armed forces that in Darwin, while India took reflect its growing economic formal charge of a nuclear clout. China consistently submarine, leased from devotes a bit over two percent of GDP to defence Russia. The prospect of an Asian about the same as Britain arms race is genuinely and France and half of what frightening, but prudent America spends. That share concern about Chinas may fall if Chinese growth build-up must not lapse into slows or the government hysteria. For the moment faces demands for more at least, China is far less social spending. China formidable than hawks on might well use force to both sides claim. Its armed stop Taiwan from formally forces have had no real seceding. Yet, apart from combat experience for more claims over the virtually than 30 years, whereas uninhabited Spratly and Americas have been fighting, Paracel Islands, China is not and learning, constantly. expansionist: it already has The capacity of the Peoples its empire. Its policy of nonLiberation Army (PLA) for interference in the affairs complex joint operations of other states constrains usually because of a tiff over Taiwan. Americas response should mix military strength with diplomatic subtlety. It must retain the ability to project force in Asia: to do otherwise would feed Chinese hawks belief that America is a declining power which can be shouldered aside. But it can do more to counter Chinas paranoia. To his credit, Obama has sought to lower tensions over Taiwan and made it clear that he does not want to contain China (far less encircle it as Chinese nationalists fear). America must resist the temptation to make every security issue a test of Chinas good faith. There are bound to be disagreements between the superpowers; and if China cannot pursue its own interests within the liberal world order, it will become more awkward and potentially belligerent. That is when things could get nasty. The Economist

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April 16 - 22, 2012

The aid that helped oust Kadhafi

By Colum Lynch UNITED NATIONS As the late Colonel Moamar Kadhafis forces prepared to crush the Libyan uprising last summer in Benghazi, Britain, France, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and other allies moved quickly to reinforce the beleaguered rebel forces. With military supplies, training, advice and the backing of NATO war planes this coalition of governments provided critical support to change the course of the conflict, ultimately leading to Kadhafis downfall. The UN Security Councils arms embargo was primarily intended to constrain Kadhafis capacity to use its massive oil wealth to import new stocks of weapons and foreign mercenaries to help put down the rebellion. But it also placed restraints on the supply of weapons to the rebels, prompting the Security Council to later introduce an exemption providing significant cover for governments seeking to arm the rebels. A new report by a UN panel of experts responsible for monitoring the arms embargo in Libya sought to itemise a list of military supplies everything from sandbags to shouldered propelled rockets that flowed into Libya after the UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on Libya in February 2011. The list is incomplete because NATO and some of the insurgents chief military backers, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, have refused to provide a full account of their contributions. The report identified many attempts by the Kadhafi regime to secure arms deals and use mercenaries from neighbouring countries, citing reports in the Globe and Mail about a July 2011 visit to Beijing by Libyan officials seeking to buy military supplies from three Chinese arms manufacturers. (China denied that the talks led to any deals.) The panel also cited reports that much of Libyas military capacity had been reconstituted after 2004, following years of Western and UN sanctions, with the aid of Western European countries and former Soviet states. But the 78-page report provides insights into how the international community combined diplomatic pressure, military airpower, and clandestine arms deliveries, to topple a regime. It would not be surprising if some of those countries considering backing the Syrian campaign to overthrow President Bashar Assad in Syria are drawing from the same playbook. The United States Though US airpower proved decisive in crippling

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Libyan rebels heading for the battlefront town of Sirte, 16 days before Moamar Kadhafi was killed there on October 20 last year. A report by a United Nations panel has listed much of military assistance provided to the rebels after the UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on Libya in February last year. Pic: AFP Kadhafis defences, the United States maintains that it provided only nonlethal military support to the rebels. The report notes that on February 6, the United States provided the panel with a list of its contributions, including 8000 uniforms, 8000 boots, 5825 load-bearing vests, 2850 bullet proof vests, 1975 military helmets, and items for defensive positions (sandbags, Hesco barriers . . .). Italy The Italian government notified the panel on February 14 that it supplied 10 military trainers, 10,000 uniforms, 5400 helmets and 2800 leather boots. United Kingdom On February 9, the United Kingdom told the panel that it supplied the rebels with 6000 sets of body armour and no more than 20 military personnel. The British action, said the report, was intended to provide a military assistance team to the Libyan authorities for the purpose of providing operational assistance, training and mentoring on security issues, including reform of the armed services, counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency. France In April 2011, the French government notified the United Nations that it had sent a small team of military advisers to Libya to provide the National Transitional Council with support and advice on ways to organise its internal structure, manage its resources and improve its communications. In June, it went further, notifying the UN that it had airdropped self-defence weapons for the civilian populations that had been victims of attacks by Libyan armed forces. The panels report contains no detailed list of these contributions as the French asked it to keep the details confidential. Albania The panel said it has obtained information that several flights operating from Tirana, Albania, transported military materiel to Benghazi over a three day period in September, 2011. The case remains under investigation. Sudan One of the more tantalising revelations in the panel report is the suggestion that Darfuri rebel groups, including members of the Zaghawa tribe and fighters from the Justice and Equality Movement, may have backed Kadhafis counterinsurgency campaign. The panel said that while it was not able to definitely corroborate many reports of the military role in the conflict, the accumulative strength of intelligence gives substantial credibility to these findings. Not to be outdone, Sudanese President Omar Bashir extended overflight rights over Sudanese territory to NATO, said senior UN diplomats, and allegedly supplied arms to the insurgents, said the panel. The panel cited claims by the Benghazi rebel defence ministry that Sudan provided small arms and light weapons such as rocket-propelled grenades, and transported other supplies to Bengazhi on two Ilyushin-76 aircraft. According to media reports, on 26 October, the President of the Sudan, Omar Al-Bashir, gave a speech in Kasala in which he acknowledged weapons deliveries from the Sudan to Libya and that the weapons had reached revolutionaries in Misratah, Al-Jabal AlGharabi and Zawiya. The Sudanese government did not reply to the panels request for information. Qatar In March 2011, Qatar notified the United Nations that it would participate in NATO enforcement of the UN-authorised no-fly zone over Libya, contributing a number of military aircraft, military transport aircraft and helicopters. Qatar categorically denied media reports that it had supplied the revolutionaries with arms and ammunition, saying only that it had sent a limited number of military personnel to provide military consultations to the revolutionaries, defend Libyan civilians and protect aid convoys. The only weapons and ammunition it had furnished was for the use of Qatari military advisors in self-defense. But the Qatari contention had one big hole in it. In July 2011, a Swiss television station discovered spent Swiss ammunition used by the Libyan revolutionaries. The Swiss ammunition had been exported to the Qatar armed forces in 2009 by a Swiss arms company, FGS Frex, and made its way to Libya. Confronted by Swiss authorities, who noted that Qatar was prohibited from re-exporting the ammunition, the Qatari ambassador appeared to have confirmed its role in the supply of ammunition. The ambassador of Qatar explained to the Swiss representatives that the transfer of the aforementioned ammunition to the Libyan opposition was a misadventure in the course of his countrys support of the NATO operation in Libya. The United Arab Emirates The panel provided few details about alleged arms transfers by the United Arab Emirates, partly because it is conducting an investigation into the matter and partly because the Gulf state refused to provide the panel with a list of its contributions. On March 25, the United Arab Emirates notified the (UN) Secretary General that it would participate, within the framework of the international coalition, by providing military aircraft. No notification was given regarding transfers of weapons or ammunition or provision of military personnel. The panel visited the UAE to inquire about its role in arming and advising the Libyan insurgents. The government insisted that it had acted in conformity with UN resolutions and under the umbrella of the NATO operation to protect civilians. They did not provide more precise information and said that NATO would be in a better position to answer those questions. NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organisations role in Libya was decisive in crippling Kadhafis military defences and providing support for insurgent offensive operations. While its air campaign is not the subject of the panels inquiry, the report notes that it wrote to NATO asking it to provide a detailed list of military materiel, including weapons and ammunition, sent by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates or any other country that participated in the NATO operation and information regarding the number and roles of military personnel sent by those countries to Libya since the imposition of the embargo. While NATO acknowledged the receipt of the panels request for information on 25 January 2012, no answer has been provided to date. Foreign Policy (Colum Lynch covers the United Nations for Foreign Policy).

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Interacting with other cultures: Two American perspectives

Lessons from an overseas campus

By Clare Malone IN autumn 2013, when eager Yale freshmen converge on New Haven, Connecticut, they will be joined by classmates thousands of miles away on the schools satellite campus in Singapore. A joint venture with the National University of Singapore, YaleNUS promises to draw on the best elements of the American liberal arts tradition, but re-shape and re-imagine the curriculum and collegiate experience for Asia. What this reshaping and reimagining actually means has been a source of concern for many at Yale. Homosexuality is illegal in Singapore and its government has been criticised for crackdowns on free speech, including the 2010 arrest of British author Alan Shadrake after the publication of a book on the death penalty in Singapore. The Yale faculty introduced a resolution last month demanding that the university respect, protect and further the ideals of civil liberties for all minorities, the principles of non-discrimination, and full political freedom both on the Yale-NUS campus and in Singapore as a whole. Broad statements of mission such as this are well and good. But as other American universities have learned New York University in Abu Dhabi, Johns Hopkins in Nanjing, China, and Cornell, Georgetown and Northwestern in Qatar the allure of adding an international outpost at little to no cost thanks to generous foreign-government support is hard to resist. A more productive exercise is to consider what the business of liberal-arts education will look like in a country that doesnt quite live up to the standards of Jeffersonian democracy. I worked for two years at Georgetowns School of Foreign Service in Qatar doing student development, a job chiefly concerned with all those intangibles that lead to the much- sought-after vibrant campus community of collegebrochure fame. The translation of the American university ethos was my job, and when I first began, I understood this more or less to mean mimicking activities and organisations found on the typical US campus. ostracised him. Yale professors are right to push the university to remember the most basic tenets of American higher education, but they do so from the safety of New Haven where they teach students who have grown up in a society that enshrines their right to say what they please and worship and live as they want, by and large. The foremost challenge that professors will face abroad is teaching critical thinking in the classroom. Challenging authority requires a shift for students who have grown up in educational systems that value rote memorisation over the fiveparagraph explorative essay. The good news for educators is that students experiencing a free exchange of ideas for the first time are aware of the importance of the act, which Americans might take for granted. In a rule-bound society, the relentless questioning of the status quo in the classroom can be shocking, sometimes painful, but it is the universitys place to guarantee that this continue, no matter what the geographical location. In Doha, you could hardly sit through a dinner party, let alone a faculty and staff town hall, without having the questions that are being so hotly debated at Yale come up time and again: How are we to preserve the liberal-arts tradition when we are in a place that has institutionalised and codified the most illiberal values imaginable? The atmosphere often felt bleak in a country that had no formal rights of free speech and worship, where homosexuality was illegal, and where migrant workers were kept out of most channels of Qatari life. It is not within any universitys ability in any country to reform a society. Educators are not imperialists, but they should be personifications of civic conscience, pushing student after student to question the rules of the world in which they live. Acts of courage through critical thought are what US universities should aspire to when they go abroad progress that we cant expect to be realised without some ugliness and struggle. Bloomberg News (Clare Malone, a Washingtonbased writer, worked in student development at the Qatar campus of Georgetowns School of Foreign Service).

The Supertrees Grove in Singapores 101-hectare Garden by the Bay, part of which is due to open to the public in late June. Future visitors to the garden are likely to include students from Yale who will be studying at the University of Singapore under a joint venture between the two institutions. But not all at Yale are happy about it. Pic: AFP The opening of minds and the entertainment of subversive ideas are essential to the DNA of the American university, but they are not qualities that came without struggle. Opening a liberal-arts university in an illiberal place is an audacious act that must be met with a dose of realism. Establishing a campus culture that promotes critical thinking never be denied the free flow of information. The ultimate equaliser of the modern age is the virtual privacy network, which allows foreign students to gain access to any information, database or article internet censors be damned. A well-stocked library doesnt hurt, either. Ensuring an open information network in a closed society is just the classroom to the halls and lounges. This is not to say that elements of a restrictive society will not seep into the classroom or university. Professors and administrators must be prepared for the inevitability of this. In Qatar, students often felt uncomfortable talking about religion or issues of morality

Opening a liberal-arts university in an illiberal place is an audacious act that must be met with a dose of realism.
requires administrators and professors who are willing to lead by example in the classroom and in their daily lives and to grapple with uncomfortable issues. By inviting American universities, governments such as Singapores are flirting with the idea of liberalisation, but the personal convictions of those in power do not always mesh with those of the public. If there is one hard line to be taken, it is that students should one crucial part of creating that characteristic university bubble in which students may act with certain freedom, away from the constraints of the outside world. In Qatar, the bubble meant sitting with a member of the opposite sex on the same couch, for example, and not causing a scandal. The maintenance of this safe space in the university must be protected. School grounds should be a place of sanctuary, where free speech extends from because of the countrys immutable standards in these areas. Georgetowns traditional first-year theology course, The Problem of God an open- to-interpretation title taught by Jesuit priests and secular humanists alike caused quite a stir when brought to the Qatar campus. A student approached us about starting an on-campus philosophical society based on atheistic belief an endeavour we supported. Some classmates

Improving cultural intelligence is good for business

By Debra Shapiro YOU do not need to travel internationally to encounter people of different cultures. They occur in everyday life, or at with workplace, in interactions with fellow employees, clients or customers. Typically, we experience differences with behavioural norms or values, such as the way we address others, how we dress, what we eat, holidays we observe or how we deal with conflict. But these differences could just be unique to individuals. They are cultural when they are common among a group that has shared experiences. Understanding when interpersonal differences are culturally guided (and not merely idiosyncratic) is one of the first attributes needed to show cultural intelligence, or CQ. CQs relevance emerged in this country when US companies began venturing into the global market and encountering difficulty. A good example was firms giving too much ground in negotiating with potential foreign partners due to misreading their counterparts more deliberate process of doing business. A low CQ factor also triggered US marketing blunders in other countries. In Africa, for instance, the first attempt by US company Gerbers at selling baby food went down with a thud. With its trademark sketch of a smiling baby on its food jars, the company was unaware product packaging around the continent typically displays whats inside to avoid language and literacy barriers. In a 2004 Harvard Business Review article, professors P. Christopher Earley and Elaine Mosakowski wrote that it is essential for individuals to approach CQ from three aspects: head, body and heart. Head: Be aware that behaviour and preferences are influenced by culture to prevent negative reactions to differences. Body: Make sure your behaviour matches or mimics those around you. Heart: You have to have the desire to improve your cross-cultural skills. Seek out opportunities to interact with others who are different than you, even if youve committed culture gaffes in the past. In todays workplace, employees hail from diverse backgrounds and bring their differences to the office. Employees most likely to create and sustain positive relationships are those that understand the head, body and heart of high CQ. These employees are sensitive to cultural differences, interact appropriately with people of different cultures and are agile enough to analyse and adapt to new cultures that they encounter. Research on CQ is in its relative infancy, but results are already showing that workplace harmony and desirable work outcomes including top team performance are more likely when employees have more CQ. The good news is that CQ can be trained, and therefore also strengthened. The best CQ-training programs are those that recognise CQ for what it is multi-faceted and a skill that takes repeated practice accompanied by commitment to continually understanding the greater cultural context from which all of us come. With 300,000-plus businesses of various sizes operating amidst a wide variety of ethnic groups, metropolitan Washington perhaps is indicative of why high-CQ workers are more and more valued, even for positions that do not involve international travel. The Washington Post (Debra Shapiro is a Professor of Management for the University of Marylands Robert H. Smith School of Business. She is an expert in negotiation, mediation and dispute-resolution strategies).

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Hard times for Madagascars sapphire mines

ILAKAKA, Madagascar At the fields are full of deep, 7:00 am, its already getting abandoned pits where miners hot in Ilakakas dusty once searched for sapphire. Those who have returned market, where a woman empties a plastic vitamin to the mines take their rocks bottle that is filled not with to the river, where men work pills, but with dozens of tiny in pairs to wash them in large rectangular sieves. sapphires. These stones once supplied Women use conical metal half the global sapphire sieves to try to catch any m a r k e t , b u t p o l i t i c a l sapphires that might have upheaval and a lack of fallen in the water. Most people in Ilakaka investment have brought tough times to the worlds live in wooden huts without running water or proper largest known reserve. In 1998, a seam of high- sanitation. The town has one quality sapphires was found paved road and few concrete in the Ilakaka river valley, buildings, but many cars by about 700 kilometres (430 Madagascars standards. The vast Indian Ocean miles) south of the capital, island is one of the poorest Antananarivo. People from across the countries in the world, with country rushed to search 81.3 percent of the population for the stones, inflating the living on less than US$1.25 a population from a few dozen day, according to the World Bank. to about 50,000. Celine left school 10 years People come here because it is easy to gain money, ago and came to Ilakaka business is easy, not like in at the peak of the boom, Tana, Celine, 24, using the travelling 230 kilometres from her hometown of capitals nickname. In Ilakaka, there are poor who get rich and rich who get poor, said the mother of two children, aged nine and seven. The gems are mostly shipped to Sri Lanka and Thailand for cutting and polishing, a situation the government hoped to change in 2008 by banning exports of rough stones in the hope of creating local polishing centres with better jobs. The timing couldnt have been worse. The A buyer examines sapphires at global financial crisis a market in Ilakaka, southern zapped demand and Madagascar. Pic: AFP destroyed confidence in new investments in risky Ambalavao in search of her parents, who had abandoned countries. Months later, the capitals her in order to go search for mayor Andry Rajoelina sapphires. She worked in the mine, ousted the elected president Marc Ravalomanana, after washed sapphires, and weeks of sometimes deadly became a maid. Eight months protests, scaring off even the after arriving, she found her parents working in a mine, bravest investors. The export ban was lifted but making little money. Now she works with a Sri in 2010, but mining still has not fully picked up. The Lankan who gives her rice easiest to reach stones have that Celine prepares for the long since been sold. Miners miners for free, so that they now must dig deeper to find would share their winnings sapphires, making the work with her, and then sell the more expensive and more sapphire to her employers. Showing off 10 sapphires dangerous. With the global meltdown her mother found the day a few years back, people before, she said she could stopped buying as they earn a little less than one needed to spend money dollar each for them. Once on necessities rather than the stone is cut and polished, luxuries, said Brian Norton, even a tiny .25 carat sapphire a gems dealer in South could fetch many times that. Africa. High-quality finished Money was not getting back to mines and miners stones can sell for more than stopped mining or could not $1000 a carat. To make ends meet, afford to mine and started subsistence farming instead she still has to work as a to provide for the family, waitress, has started a show at the local radio station, and he said. As markets recovered is studying to get her high demand again picked up, he school diploma. I used to work in the said, but many miners had stopped, making mining mine too, but it was hard more scarce and sending and tiring, she said. And I wouldnt find sapphires too prices soaring. On the outskirts of Ilakaka, often. AFP

A German soldier keeps watch during a patrol near Taloqan, the capital of Afghanistans Takhar province, on April 2. Germany is the third biggest contributor of troops to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, after the US and Britain. Pic: AFP

Egyptian activists express their feelings through art

Caricatures of the ruling generals, housing it was set ablaze during CAIRO They were hit, pushed back and even fired at, but Egyptian portraits of protesters who died in clashes in December. Authorities blamed protesters activists have returned to the scene of clashes, scenes depicting street battles deadly clashes in the heart of Cairo, have turned the centre of the capital for starting the fire, saying they had deliberately destroyed precious determined to keep their revolution into an open air art gallery. Since our revolution is peaceful, Egyptian heritage, while the protesters alive, this time armed with paint if they play with walls, we will play insist they were the ones rushing to brushes. From a distance, Sheikh Rihan with the mind. They put up a wall but the scene to salvage what remained street, a wide avenue in Cairos we dont see it, said Amr Nazeer, a of the documents. State media tried to show that usually busy administrative centre, graffiti artist who participated in the the revolutionaries were behind the looks eerily still. Not a car, not a No Walls campaign. In a cat and mouse game with the destruction, Awad told AFP. moving soul. My message is, there is no such But get closer, and a trompe loeil authorities, the artists work fast to get exposure for their work before it thing as the Description of Egypt. becomes apparent. Egypt needs to be described by its On the surface of a concrete wall is removed. Its an exhibition for the people, you people, he said, standing in front of built by security forces in the middle of the road, artists have painted a street express yourself and at most in a few his blue and sand-coloured mural, scene recreating Sheikh Rihan with all days or a week it will be removed, then which bears the slogan: May we see the light of day. its lamposts, pavements and trees, in a you paint again, Nazeer said. A few weeks after it was completed, The message is always parallel bid to melt away the barricades as part to the events. When something the enormous concrete blocks that of their No Walls campaign. Even after a popular uprising ousted happens or when theres an event, provided the canvas for Awads veteran president Hosni Mubarak the revolutionaries come first and painting started coming down. On March 30, dozens of angry last year, activists have continued then we step in, said Abu Bakr, of anti-military activists, using a taking to the streets to push for variety of creative mechanisms the goals of their revolution ropes and freedom, political transparency Its an exhibition for the people. including the wall, on levers, tore down a main and social justice which they street leading to parliament say remain unfulfilled. near the protest hub of Tahrir In November and December, fierce clashes between protesters and the growing artists movement defying Square. After Mubarak was toppled in 2011, security forces in Cairos administrative authorities through chalk, paint, spray the military council of elderly generals centre prompted authorities to erect a and stencils. A ballerina on points, women in who took power was idolised for not series of concrete walls to protect vital traditional robes carrying gas cylinders siding with the fallen dictator, but has buildings, they said. But protesters believe the walls on their heads, wolves, spears, snakes since come under attack for cracking were built to cage them in and prevent with human heads, rainbows and down on dissidents. Back in central Cairo, a series of balloons are just some of the images the spread of further protests. We didnt have a revolution so that depicted in the murals that have portraits of the victims who died during clashes with bright orange in the end, they build walls to separate covered the grey concrete walls. Authorities dont accept graffiti wings cover one large wall. us from them and them from us, said Abu Bakr said he gave them wings Ammar Abu Bakr, a lecturer at the movements, not just in Egypt but all Fine Arts School in the historic city of over the world... But we are trying because in Coptic Art his area of to introduce a new style and propose expertise wings are related to Luxor, in southern Egypt. We have launched a non-violent new subjects, said Alaa Awad, martyrs, saints and angels. The art has attracted many to the campaign, simply by opening up the another lecturer at the Luxor Fine city centre, snapping pictures and walls through drawing, Abu Bakr Arts School. Awad painted his own interpretation posing in front of the graffiti. told AFP. I pass by this street and I recognise The once drab walls of downtown of a page from the Description de Cairo have turned into a giant graphic lEgypte a rare copy of a book written the martyrs, yes, they sacrificed their newspaper, recounting current events by French scholars who accompanied lives. But as the graffiti says, they through an explosion of colour and Napoleon on his expedition to Egypt have now become angels, said Gamal which was burned when the building al-Sayyed, an IT consultant. AFP form.

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April 16 - 22, 2012
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Hard talks for the US with Afghanistan and Pakistan

Afghan government or security forces. WASHINGTON More than two years Calls for a continued US military after it embraced a revised strategy to presence in Afghanistan after 2014 may end the war in Afghanistan, the Obama by Viola Gienger not settle issues of force size or legal administration is still wrangling with immunity for prosecution, an issue that its Afghan and Pakistani allies over two of the most important elements of said Adam Smith, the top Democrat on was the death knell for an agreement to the House Armed Services Committee. keep US forces in Iraq beyond 2011. the war plan. The Obama administration had hoped In Kabul, Afghan leaders want I believe we need to look for ways to suspected insurgents captured in push this process to go as quickly as we for a security agreement to cover such special operations raids to be handed can safely do it, Smith said at a hearing points last year, said Andrew Exum, over to them immediately. Across the last month with General John Allen, the a former US Army Ranger platoon border, the Pakistanis want the right commander of US and NATO forces in leader in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US is operating under a 2003 security to approve in advance drone strikes Afghanistan. The Obama administration wants to agreement without an expiration date on extremist targets in their country. US officials say that one risks losing be able to fill the gaps in the capabilities that allows either side to withdraw at valuable intelligence in Afghanistan or willingness of the military in Pakistan any time. Senior US defence officials have and the other could tip off the enemy in or the 352,000 police officers and National Army soldiers in Afghanistan spent a lot of time in Afghanistan Pakistan to impending attacks. The negotiations reflect the differences to act, a US military official said on quite recently hammering out what the size, disposition and and suspicions that divide composition of a US staythe United States from the Afghan and Pakistani The negotiations reflect the differences and behind force would look like, said Exum, a senior governments. Their fellow with the Center support is essential to suspicions that divide the United States for a New American the NATO-led coalitions hopes of withdrawing from the Afghan and Pakistani governments. Security think tank in Washington. most of its remaining Its in the interests of 128,000 forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014, while condition of anonymity to discuss Afghanistan to strike some kind of deal, Exum said. retaining the leeway to pursue militants internal deliberations. On the other side of the border, the In Afghanistan, the latest sticking who threaten the US and its allies. The US objective in both of these point is how long the US can hold US intelligence officials said requiring negotiations is to try to ensure that Afghan prisoners captured in night prior approval from Pakistan for drone the US has the ability to protect its raids for interrogation before handing strikes in remote frontier areas risks national security interests, especially them over to local authorities, said a allowing supposed Pakistani allies to against transnational terrorist groups, US official and a congressional staffer, alert the targets in advance. They said said Caroline Wadhams, a senior fellow who spoke on condition of anonymity to that no Pakistani official was told in advance of the raid that killed Osama at the Center for American Progress discuss private negotiations. Handing suspected Taliban and other bin Laden last May. think tank in Washington. The distrust The threat picture is not going to makes it very difficult to give away any insurgents captured in night raids to Afghan custody immediately could cost get a lot better over the next couple of concessions on either side. President Barack Obama is under the US valuable intelligence because it years, said Seth Jones, a senior political pressure, even from some of his more often takes days to extract and verify scientist at the Rand Corporation and supportive Democrats in Congress, information from captured militants, a former special operations adviser to the US military. Theres a strong to accelerate the withdrawal from said two US intelligence officials. Worse, said one of the officials, in concern that the US keep several of Afghanistan. It is time to lean forward on some cases the Afghans may be eager these groups off-balance, that it can transitioning the responsibility for to take control of such night raid continue to target, in both Pakistan and security to the Afghan National Security prisoners before they can reveal the Afghanistan, a range of these groups. Bloomberg News, April 5 Forces and the Afghan government, names or plans of collaborators in the

ANALYSIS

Pria Warrick (back), director of the Pria Warrick Finishing school, during a class on confidence building in New Delhi. Pic: AFP

Indian charm schools teach how to make a positive impression

NEW DELHI At the prompting of Pria Warrick, her class of aspiring politicians open their arms wide and press their palms together over their heads milking the cheers of an imaginary crowd of supporters. This gesture conveys you want to embrace the masses as one of your own, said Warrick, who runs the Pria Warrick Finishing School in Indias capital, New Delhi. Originally targetted at newly-weds and the wives of businessmen eager to improve their hostessing skills, the school has become a popular resource for politicians wanting to improve their voter appeal. Warrick said politicians did not know how much difference positive body can make. But they are keen to change, she told AFP. Warrick said few Indian politicians employ image consultants. In their class, the students conduct role plays to explore how they might behave in different situations on the campaign trail, whether visiting an influential supporter or an impoverished farmer. Some of them feel they lack the spontaneity to answer questions, said Warrick, who learned her trade at a classic Swiss finishing school before setting up shop in India. We teach them how to evade an uncomfortable question, how to be firm in their replies and yet appear friendly. Yawning, burping and scratching the nose are three strict no-nos in Warricks guide book for the political class. You must be ultra-careful because any action will be seen as reflecting your actual thought process, she said. Although the number of aspiring politicians swells ahead of elections, the main business of the school remains firmly based in its original, almost exclusively female, clientele looking to polish their social skills. Rapid economic expansion, an increasingly upwardlymobile middle class and the growing number of Indians taking overseas posts with large multinational firms, have all fuelled demand for Warricks expertise. I used to be quite introverted and shy, said Saba Khan, 26, a homemaker whose husband works for a multinational bank. I struggled to interact with my husbands boss or his wife in social gatherings. Now, I feel ready to host a party. Important deals are sometimes struck over lunches and dinners. It is very important to dress, dine, talk and walk properly, Khan said. A typical class includes lectures on the power of small talk as well as tips on dinner table etiquette. Across town at the International School of Ethics, a similar class is underway, but its students are women who want their own careers and businesses. The institute school is run by Monica Garg who conducts workshops on personal presentation and business etiquette for business schools, management students and people working in Indias expanding hospitality and retail sectors. The colour black is stubborn and authoritative. So wear black when you want to put across this message. Wear warm colours like red and yellow if you want to show that you are approachable, Garg tells her class. Garg says the students who attend her school are well educated and professionally competent, but often feel they lack social networking skills. There is a lot more awareness about image and confidence building than there was about a decade back, Garg told AFP. Namrata Khanna, 24, said the course covered issues that were never covered in business schools. I was confused if I should dress formally for a weekend meeting with a client at a five-star hotel. Also, how much make-up should I wear, whether I should wear high heels, Khanna said. I learnt so much here, even something as basic as shaking hands. I have been told never to offer limp fish handshake. AFP

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next leader in which a textile tycoons son competed against a wealthy property consultant for the approval of a 1200-member election committee packed with tycoons and their proxies. The winner, Leung Chun-ying, has vowed to make housing more affordable for the middle and working classes without affecting price stability. He will replace outgoing Chief Executive Donald Tsang, who last month apologised for accepting favours from his business friends in the form of trips on luxury yachts and private jets. Tsang, whose term expires in June after seven years in office, appeared to hold back tears as he defended the system against allegations of widespread collusion. Like Sun Hung Kai, other major developers in Hong Kong also hold land banks of undeveloped property, and analysts said investors are jittery over whether the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will turn to them next. Critics have long complained that Hong Kongs big developers hold onto undeveloped land leased from the government, waiting years or even decades for favourable conditions, while most of the public is priced out of the market. But analysts said that Hong Kong was served well by the fact that two of Asias richest tycoons have drawn the attention of the ICAC, which was established in 1974 under British rule to clean up rampant official graft. The Kwok case was a good thing, Ma said. It means they are not above the law. It means we still have a clean system, he told AFP. AFP

Black mark for a citys clean image

MyanMar tiMes

HONG KONG A corruption case against Hong Kongs two richest property tycoons is a black mark on the citys clean image and could fuel public anger over links between government and business, analysts said. The Asian financial hub has been gripped by the arrest of billionaire brothers Thomas and Raymond Kwok, co-chairmen of the citys largest property developer, as well as former senior government official, Rafael Hui. The Kwoks have yet to be charged with any crime but anti-graft investigators are believed to be focusing on alleged malpractices involving the developers huge land bank of rural, undeveloped property, analysts said. The case has sent shockwaves through a city that has earned a reputation as one of the worlds most open and transparent markets, even as its growth has enriched a clique of tycoons who control everything from ports to telecoms. Lyncean Holdings managing director Francis Lun said the Kwok case reinforces the perception that there is collusion between the big developers and the government. This is a black eye for the civil service, the financial adviser told AFP. The Kwoks are worth an estimated US$18.3 billion and jointly chair the Sun Hung Kai Properties group, builder of many of the tallest landmarks in Hong Kongs glittering skyline. The brothers insist they have done nothing wrong and the company has stood by them, but investors wiped almost $5 billion off Sun Hung Kais market value the day after the arrests were made on March 29.

The co-chairmen of Sun Hung Kai Properties, Raymond (left) and Thomas Kwok, in Hong Kong earlier this month. The brothers insist they have done nothing wrong. Pic: AFP There is limited disclosure on the corruption investigation, which poses a level of uncertainty as to the impact on the company, said ratings agency Moodys, which like Standard & Poors has cut the firms outlook to negative. The Kwoks Sun Hung Kai, Li Ka-shings Cheung Kong Holdings, Cheng Yu-tungs New World Development and Lee Shau-kees Henderson Land Development are popularly dubbed the Big Four developers in the city of seven million people. As their wealth from land sales and development grew in the 1970s and 1980s, they expanded into other sectors such as utilities, hotels, telecommunications, supermarkets and restaurant chains. They control just about every profitable business in Hong Kong. They collect ransom from the people of Hong Kong, basically, Lun said. Chinese University of Hong Kong political scientist Ma Ngok said the tycoons have their hands in almost every sector and influenced government policy to protect their interests. They are so dominant that if you try to do something to the housing market it wont be very meaningful, he said, referring to property prices that are among the highest in the world. The Kwok arrests came days after a vote to choose Hong Kongs

A matchmaker in Dhaka flies high with success

DHAKA Kazi Ashraf Hossains work colleagues always told him he had a talent for getting couples together, so when he was forced to quit his job as a crane operator, he set up as a matchmaker. Nearly 40 years later, Hossain known by his nickname Pakhi Bhai (Bird Brother) is celebrated as Bangladeshs national cupid who has brought together about 10,000 couples. They said I had this natural ability to persuade a stubborn groom. I had to stop operating cranes after an ulcer operation, so I thought why not give matchmaking a go? he told AFP at his office in the capital, Dhaka. With an armful of photos, I set myself up in business. My father vehemently opposed it. For him it was the worst job. In the early years, Pakhi Bhai used to go about his trade like a street hawker, visiting families door to door with photographs of potential brides and grooms. The number of clients was negligible in the early days, said Pakhi Bhai, who started in 1973. The reward was meagre, not enough to feed my family properly. I used to travel between clients so fast that they wondered whether I flew in like a bird. Hence the name: Bird Brother. His break came in the late 1970s, when he invested inches (157 centimetres). For Pakhi Bhai, all marriages should be arranged by family members in the traditional manner instead of being love marriages between two individuals. I have seen thousands of love marriages break up after the wedding. These divorcees then come to us for an arranged marriage, he said. An arranged marriage is rock solid because it is the union of two families and their extended kin. The two families own the couple and they try their best not to allow it to split, he said. But migration to cities has dispersed communities and broken the traditional ties through which wedding were Ahmed, who works in set up so a professional money and started to buy female assistants. H e c h a r g e s b e t w e e n Portsmouth, Britain, for an matchmaker is increasingly newspaper advertisements. It shocked a lot of people. US$1200 and $4000 when aerospace subsidiary, has necessary, particularly as The hotel where I lived a marriage takes place, and returned to Bangladesh on aspirations are rising fast. Girls are now very choosy. threatened to evict me, he also runs a membership extended leave to find a wife, scheme that gives access to but his search has not yet These days they would said. rather wait into their late But now he is a celebrity, thousands of online resumes been successful. The batteries didnt 30s than marry someone a regular feature on annual and photographs. not fit for them. Valentine Day Two decades ago television specials and widely An arranged marriage is rock solid because it is the if a girl was not married off before admired for his 25, she must have union of two families and their extended kin. wealth, influence something terribly and contacts. wrong, he said. The job has Old-fashioned qualities E v e n s u c h r e s o u r c e s spark, Pakhi Bhai said. changed from the days of walking the streets and cannot help everyone, and The boy is highly qualified. like honesty, humility or Pakhi Bhai now works his latest clients two Its natural the family will good character are being from his headquarters in a sets of families emerge look for a beautiful girl. forgotten, he said ruefully. swish city mall with three d i s a p p o i n t e d f r o m t h e They want someone who Every girl wants a groom mobile phones on the go, a match-making room in must be beautiful, educated, who must be rich and smart. slim and at least 5 foot 2 He must own a car or a flat computer database and five Pakhi Bhais office. Kazi Ashraf Hossain in his office in Dhaka. Despite his prowess in matchmaking, Hossain says he is rarely invited to the weddings of couples he has brought together. Pic: AFP in the city. Pakhi Bhai is a good advertisment for his own business. He has six children with his first wife and then with her consent took a second wife as allowed under Muslim law. I live in the capital and my first wife lives in my village home in (southern) Barisal district. I needed someone to look after me here in Dhaka, he said. In recent years, matchmakers have been criticised for inflating the job status and wealth estimates of their clients to tap into the sought-after market of grooms who work abroad. Upstart agencies have grown like mushrooms, Pakhi Bhai said. Its hard for a matchmaker to know if a girl lied about her age or a boy about his wealth. For us, its goodwill that matters most. One big mistake and people would turn against you. Pakhi Bhai has become rich and successful but he still feels a stigma is attached to his job. People dont want to show that their marriage was aided by a matchmaker. They think any recognition of our role will bring shame or spoil their party. Ive found matches for so many people including some whose parents had all but given up hope. But I almost never get asked to their weddings, he said. AFP

Time out
Sets to be built for Bogyoke film
By Zon Pann Pwint THE filming of a biopic about Bogyoke Aung San will require reconstructing some historic buildings that have been destroyed or have been renovated to the point where they no longer resemble the original structures, Zaganar, a member of the Bogyoke Film Executive Committee, said last week. We will copy the plans of original buildings and build the settings, because, fro example, the Rangoon University Student Union was destroyed and Bogyokes house [now the Bogyoke Aung San Museum] isnt sound enough to hold the weight of a film crew, Zarganar said. The former headquarters of the Burma Independence Army [now House of Memories] and Anti-Fascist Peoples Freedom League [now the Ministry of Culture Art Gallery] are still standing but their interiors are not original because of renovations. We will build sets that will be close in appearance to the original buildings as they existed during the lifetime of Bogyoke Aung San, he said. The Anti-Fascist Peoples Freedom League (AFPFL) building located at No 8, Kominkochin Road, Bahan township in Yangon became the State School of Fine Arts in 1977 before being transformed into the Ministry of Culture Art Gallery. The State School of Fine Arts was funded by an American artist and was originally located University Avenue Road, in a building that is now used for the University of Foreign Languages, said artist U Tin New, who taught English at the fine arts school after it moved to Bahan township. Part of the building [on University Avenue Road] is windowless and soundproof, designed by use by music students, and the art section was built away from the corridor to create a quiet atmosphere for art students to concentrate, he said. In 1996 the State School of Fine Arts moved again, this time to Chin Chaung Palace in Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, and was later renamed the High School of Art and Scripture. The building in Bahan township, meanwhile, started seeing occasional use as an art gallery. However, the building fell into neglect and was largely uncared for until it was damaged by Cyclone Nargis in May 2008. Afterward, it was renovated by artist U Naing Gyi. The building was badly damaged by Cyclone Nargis, and afterward the Myanmar Artists and Artisans Organisation took responsibility to care for it. I was an executive at the organisation, and I oversaw the refurbishment of the building to hold paintings and house a gallery called the Myanmar Art Centre from 2009 to 2010, he said. The building was constructed on a hill and faces Shwedagon Pagoda. When it served as AFPFL headquarters, Bogyoke Aung San led the independence movement from that office, U Naing Gyi said. The buildings associated with Bogyoke Aung San have mostly been refurbished, and have lost their original appearance. It would have been better to keep them in their original form because they are part of our historical heritage, he said. Chit Oo Nyo, a member of the scriptwriting group for the Bogyoke Aung San biopic, said a set will be built to re-create the Rangoon University Student Union building, as well as the Jubilee Hall where bodies of the martyrs were kept for public viewing. We will also build a set for the interior of the Secretariat building if needed. We will build indoor settings because the appearance inside the buildings has been changed, he said. Chit Oo Nyo said scenes for the film, slated for release in 2015, will also be shot on location in England and India. Bogyoke Aung San went to India, as well as to England in January 1947, where he met British Prime Minister Clement Attlee in London to sign an agreement to attain independence. Therefore, some of the film will be shot on location in England, he said. He added that the rough draft of the script for the biopic has been completed, and the Bogyoke Film Executive Board is now in the process of choosing the actor who will portray Bogyoke Aung San. After that, the search will be on to choose an actor to play Aung Sans wife, Daw Khin Kyi.

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The Myanmar Times April 16 - 22, 2012

Aung San role list cut to 14 as auditions begin

Thirteen of the 14 final candidates under consideration for the role of Aung San gather at the Bogyoke Film Executive Committee Office in Yangon on April 7. Pic: Boothee By Zon Pann Pwint THE Bogyoke Film Executive Committee on April 7 started interviewing the 14 candidates under consideration to play the lead role in a biopic about Myanmar independence hero Bogyoke Aung San, slated to be released in 2015. The candidates, announced on March 29, were chosen from a list of 157 applicants for the role. Among those who made the short list of 14 was Ko Tin Swe Htoo from Myingyan in Mandalay Region, who said he had studied the biography of Aung San to become familiar with his character and disposition. My friends encouraged me to apply because they said I look like Bogyoke Aung San, he said. Although I dont feel like I have his look, I do have some similarities to him, such as speaking little and coming from the middle of Myanmar to Yangon to attend university. So Im confident I can play the role, which is why I applied, he said. The interviews on the first day started with the candidates introducing themselves, after which they were asked to talk about their knowledge and impressions of Bogyoke Aung San, and then to act out a personal event from their own lives. My hands were shaking in happiness when I saw the announcement on the newspaper that I was chosen as a candidate, said Ko Thet Zaw Win from East Dagon township in Yangon. Shortly afterward, I went to the barber and I had my hair cut like Bogyokes. I never studied much about Bogyoke Aung San in the past, but for this movie role Ive learned about his birth, death and efforts for Myanmars independence, he said. Another shortlisted candidate, 23-year-old Ko Aung Chan, said he travelled to Yangon from Lashio in Shan State to apply for the role after hearing an announcement on the radio. I applied with the aim of supporting the ambition of making the biopic. Myanmar lags far behind other countries when it comes to making movies about legendary figures. Other countries have made movies about Gandhi and Ho Chi Minh, Ko Aung Chan said. The Aung San biopic will be the most precise historical record ever produced in Myanmar because the truth was obscured for decades. He said that since childhood he has been impressed by stories about Aung San, including the legends that he never told a lie and always spoke frankly. Bogyoke is my childhood hero. It doesnt matter whether Im chosen to play his part, but I want to show my support for the project of making his biopic, Ko Aung Chan said. Another of the final 14, artist Ko Thu, said he was happy to chosen as a candidate. Soon after I came to know, I borrowed money to get an outfit made like Bogyoke Aung Sans for todays interview. Even if Im not chosen to play the main role, Id still like a small part in the film, he said. Another finalist, Ko Phyo Tayza Linn, said he applied because he and others had noticed his physical resemblance to the independence hero. I have tried to practice his passionate belief that made him a straight man whose remarks were sometimes very rude, so people would remember parts of his speeches for a very long time, he said. Actor U Zin Wyne, a member of the panel of judges charged with choosing the main actor for the film, said he was not satisfied with the results of the first round of interviews on April 7. The interviews have not been satisfactory so far. It is understandable because none of them are experienced in acting. We have to train and train the chosen person until we start filming, and we will continue training while filming, he said. Another judge, actor U Aung Lwin, said that many factors would be taken into consideration in choosing the final candidate, including similarity in facial appearance, height and accent; the ability to speak English to some extent; and intelligence. More page 22

Thant Zaw Htoo protests his non-selection for the shortlist of actors outside the Bogyoke Film Executive Committee Office in Yangon on April 7. Pic: Boothee

timeout 2
April 16 - 22, 2012
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Charity group prohibited from holding satire show

By Nyein Ei Ei Htwe A LASTMINUTE decision by authorities to prohibit a show aimed at raising funds for orphans has resulted in a loss of K4 million for the organisers, according to members of the Regent Student Charity Committee, which had planned the event. Ko Kaung Myat Htut, an event organiser for the committee, said a Thingyan fundraising show was scheduled to be held in Peoples Park on March 30, but on March 29 he received a letter from local authorities ordering them to suspend the performance. Weve always held a fundraising show after classes are over to make donations for orphans, but weve never had a big show, Ko Kaung Myat Htut said. This year we wanted to make a bigger donation so we thought of holding a hip-hop show, but then the students wanted to do their own show so they talked to director Mg Thi, who suggested his Thingyan than chat program. Than chat is a form of comedy performance that satirises everyday life, including topics such as the high cost living and official corruption. Mg Mg Myint Thein (comedian Ku Tho), leader of Pee Par Pyi than chat group that was slated to perform, said the shows are not political but instead reflect what we feel about public life with the aim of making people laugh to relieve stress. Ko Kaung Myat Htut said he did not understand why the program was not allowed. But there were no misunderstandings among our partners, performers or audience, and I want to say that there were many donors to the program but they are getting their money back as a result of the show being cancelled, he said. years, would be allowed to perform, so we were looking forward to being able to do a live show again. He said that in preparing the show, he was even careful to avoid current topics, over fears that the jokes might be misunderstood, and instead focused on using language from 30 years ago. Its less important that we rehearsed hard or wasted our time, and more important that the audiences get the chance to see the show. They Amyotha Hluttaw would allow Thingyan than chat, so we were glad and tried very hard. But in fact they didnt allow it, he said. He said than chat played an important social role that was compatible with the spirit of democracy that is growing in Myanmar. There are more and more bad scenes during Thingyan festival, like girls getting drunk in public and boys shouting dirty words, but in the past people were trained by than chat about good behaviour. There was this essence of democracy for many years in our culture but we had no chance to let it show, Mg Thi said. Mg Mg Myint Aung (comedian Bay Lu Wa) also said he felt sorry about the cancellation after months of intensive training with members of his than chat group. If there is word to describe sadness in better way, I want to use it. The main thing is benevolence for public. They havent been able to enjoy than chat for years. A man who is in his late 30s wont understand the essence of than chat because he would have been younger than 10 the last time these performances were allowed, he said. I just want to say to audiences who were prepared to watch than chat that well meet again some day, he said.

7 Days News Journal reporter Aye Thu San stands outside Yankin Township Court on March 30. Pic: Boothee

Actress fined K1000 in slapping case

By Nuam Bawi ACTRESS Htet Htet Moe Oo last month was ordered by a court in Yangon to pay a fine of K1000 for slapping a journalist at an event at Sedona Hotel nearly two years ago. Yankin Township Court found the actress guilty of causing minor hurt to 7 Days News Journal reporter Aye Thu San, and sentenced her on March 30 to pay a fine of K1000 or spend one month in jail. The court case stemmed from an incident that occurred at Sedona Hotel on May 19, 2010, during a Johnsons Baby Lotion promotion event. During an interview, Aye Thu San asked Htet Htet Moe Oo about her personal matrimonial affairs. Offended, the actress later ambushed the reporter outside the ballroom where the event took place, slapping her face and squeezing her neck. Crime victim Aye Thu San said she had mixed feelings about the verdict. Its very funny to impose a fine of K1000 compared with what Ive suffered. That amount is not even enough for a childs pocket money nowadays, so Im not satisfied with her punishment, Aye Thu San said. At the same time, the ruling shows that journalists are not people whom others More page 22 Intelligence is important because the behaviour of a highly intelligent person is different from that of a person of low intelligence, he said. It will take at least a year to train him to speak and behave like Bogyoke. We will financially support the whole family of the can treat in whatever way they want. In that sense Im satisfied that the verdict has upheld my dignity. She said the incident also spawned false rumours that she had received money from the actress to drop the case. I cannot be healed for being humiliated in front of many people outside the ballroom at the hotel. I cant set a price on what happened, and I didnt open the case in a court of law for money, Aye Thu San said. Even after I opened the case, I said frankly that if Htet Htet Moe Oo issued a public apology for her actions I would drop the charges. But she refused to apologise. When contacted by The Myanmar Times by phone following the verdict, Htet Htet Moe Oo refused to comment other than saying: The case is already finished so I dont want to answer any questions. One fan of Htet Htet Moe Oo, Ma Min Soe, said she was happy the actress was not thrown in prison but also admitted that the K1000 fine was too lenient. I dont understand the law or why they only fined her K1000. They should have sentenced her to do community work like in other countries. Being forced to do social work might have taught her to be more humble in public, she said. actor so that he can concentrate on his work for years until the film is complete. U Aung Lwin added that the other judges were considering repeat the selecting procedure all over again because they are not confident about the choice of actor. The Gandhi film is a perfect example of who

but in the past people were trained by than chat about good behaviour. There was this essence of democracy for many years in our culture but we had no chance to let it show.

There are more and more bad scenes during Thingyan festival...

The performers also said they were sorry that two months of rehearsals had gone to waste. We gathered performers and spent a lot of time practicing for this show and for Thingyan festival, Mg Mg Myint Thein said. Two months ago, there were announcements by authorities that than chat groups, which have been banned for more than 20

were eager to watch the performance after more than 20 years of having no chance, he said. Director Mg Thi, who has tried to organise than chat shows for the past three years, said he wanted to share his feelings about Thingyan festival using than chat songs that most young people have never heard before. Earlier this year, we read in the newspaper that the

Cannes judge open to more Asian films

LOS ANGELES Nanni Moretti, head of this years Cannes film festival jury, says he looks for movies that surprise him adding there is no reason a Chinese-language film cannot win the top prize. The Italian actor and filmmaker stressed that he would not oblige jury members at the festival which will run from May 16 to 27 to agree unanimously on any of the prizes bestowed including the coveted Palme dOr. I will not look for a unanimous vote at all costs, because if we search for a unanimous vote we risk choosing a film that isnt displeasing to anyone and doesnt disturb anyone but that no one is absolutely enamoured with, he said. I will be looking for the kind of films that are still able to surprise me, not the kind of film Ive already seen 5000 times, Moretti said in a telephone interview. Moretti, the first non-American to lead the jury since 2009, has presented six films at the French showcase festival over the years, Gandhi is. In Myanmar, we dont have such a film that portrays a perfect example of our hero, he said. One applicant who had not made the final cut, tuition teacher Thant Zaw Htoo, took out his frustration by sitting in silent protest outside the Bogyoke Film Executive Committee Office for hours while the interviews were taking place inside. including last years comedy Habemus Papam (We Have a Pope), out shortly in the United States. The 58-year-olds Caro Diario (Dear Diary) won best director in 1994, while La stanza del figlio (The Sons Room) won the Palme dOr, the filmfests top prize, in 2001. Asked about the relatively small number of Asian films screened at Cannes and their chances of winning the top prize, Moretti said: I cant really say anything about that now, it would seem sort of a declaration beforehand. But I dont see why a Chineselanguage film couldnt win, he added. Moretti is sometimes compared with Woody Allen for his wit and self-reflection and the Italian acknowledges there are similarities, albeit superficial. First of all, I believe that in the time span between me making one movie and the next, he makes five, he said. There are superficial analogies but above all, recently it seems to me that lately hes much more interested in writing, and thats where he takes his most pleasure. I like to pay attention to every phase of making a movie. Reflecting on the difference between the kind of films presented at Cannes and those that are nominated and win Oscars, he noted that black-and-white film The Artist won both. However, he added, Personally, I dont share the enthusiasm about that film, The Artist. I find it to be an easy film. On the Croisette, the choice of winners depends on the members of the jury, which change every year. And this is not the case with the Oscars, because the members of the Academy are the same each year. Its all very much entrusted to the single taste of the single jury members in festivals. But at any serious film festival the only thing that counts are the films, and the tastes of the jury members, he said. Whereas in the Oscars it seems to me that marketing and also distribution strategies are important. AFP was not even included in shortlist, so thats why I came here today to protest, he said. Bogyoke has won my heart and mind for many years, not just now when they have started to plan his film. It is unacceptable that my application was rejected. For all I know I might be 15th name on the shortlist, he said.

It wasnt just a sudden dream to play the part of Bogyoke Aung San when they invited applicants for the biopic. For a long time I have had the dream of playing his role if any director made a film about him, he said. I believe I can play his role well. [Daw Aung San Suu Kyi] herself said I have Bogyokes look, and many

strangers have also said I am similar in appearance to him. I have trained myself to speak and behave the way he does, and to always try to live in his mood, he added. Thant Zaw Htoo said he would dare to take any test to show that he was capable of playing the role of Bogyoke Aung San. I feel very sad that I

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timeout 3
April 16 - 22, 2012
during World War I, the French military traded in their impeccable red knickers for hand-painted stealth attire. Civilian painters, illustrators and, yes, fashion designers called camoufleurs served on the front lines, changing uniforms from bright targets to useful shields. In one French World War I military poster, aptly titled Vive la France! by F A Crepaux, a woman, symbolising France, stands dressed in the bright uniforms that they have since retired. F r o m c a m o u f l a g e s inception, designers were t h e r e i n t h e t r e n c h e s, observing and creating the garments and other mechanisms for disguise. The creation of camouflage was inherently an artistic process, said Daniel James Cole, professor of fashion history at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. It naturally came out of many 20 th century artistic movements: postimpressionism, pointillism, and Cubism. One photo of the USS West Mahomet circa 1918 illustrates dazzle painting, which could throw off an enemys perception of a ships shape and speed. British marine artist Norman Wilkinson developed the tactic, and many artists followed. American Gothic artist Grant Wood was a camoufleur in World War II. Not surprisingly, Vogue magazine picked up on the fashionable utility of this military print in 1943. The early article explained what proper military camouflage was to the Vogue reader, said Hamish Bowles, Vogues European editor-at-large, who scoured the Vogue Archive for the prints first appearance in the magazine. The next article came in 1971, when we published a trend collage on camouflage [that] showed little pictures of society girls around town. It says, Its works: the look

MyanMar tiMes

A fashion history of camouflage

By Katherine Boyle and Michael Cotterman AS the international fashion weeks come to a close, the top brass of critics are choosing the garments well wear next winter, because fashion, by its nature, is fastpaced and future-obsessed. The same can now be said of the United States Army, which is developing a series of camouflage prints to wear in places it never plans to go. In January, the Army tapped five contractors to develop a family of new camouflage patterns that can blend with any terrain, whether troops head to Somalia or Switzerland. Its a sartorial challenge of the highest order one that pushes design from taste to science, and dissects how the human eye perceives colour, shape and texture. Yet the Army has always had a complicated and close relationship with fashion. The first creators of camouflage were artists and designers people who probably knew little about the battlefield. If you talk to individual soldiers, there is probably not a more emotional issue than their uniforms and camouflage, said Jeff Myhre, the project lead for Program Executive Office Soldier, the Army office tasked with testing the new camouflage designs. This process is 100 percent science-based. Its not a fashion show its not about how it looks. The Army is now fusing textiles with technology in a way no other industry even the US$300 billion fashion industry can do. Yet history shows the military is indebted to tastes and creativity of designers. Both industries have always claimed their piece of the print. Like many stories of both style and military defeat, this one begins in the far reaches of France. After a devastating loss

US seeks return of statue to Cambodia

NEW YORK US prosecutors announced earlier this month they have launched civil action against auction house Sothebys, seeking the forfeiture of a 10th century Khmer statue so it can be returned to Cambodia. Pr o s e c u t o r s s a y t h e sandstone statue, known as the Duryodhana, was stolen during periods of extreme unrest in Cambodia during the 1960s or 1970s an allegation the auction house strongly denied. The statue which has an estimated value of between US$2 million and $3 million was pulled from a Sothebys sale in March 2011 after Cambodian authorities sent a letter via UNESCO demanding that it be returned to them. Negotiations between the two sides have been fruitless. In the civil complaint, the US attorneys office in New York claims the statue was stolen from Prasat Chen temple in Koh Ker, Cambodia before being illegally imported to New York from Europe. A private collector turned the statue over to Sothebys for the planned March 2011 auction. The house withdrew the item from the sale after receiving the letter from Cambodian authorities, but still retains possession. The Duryodhana statue is imbued with great meaning for the people of Cambodia, US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. With todays action, we are taking an important step toward reuniting this ancient artefact with its rightful owners. The statue was connected to the Koh Ker site because its base and feet remain at the temple from which it was stolen, said archaeologist Eric Bourdonneau, a lecturer at the French School for Far Eastern Studies. S o t h e b y s i s s u e d a statement saying it was disappointed by the action taken by federal prosecutors. This sculpture was legally imported into the United States and all relevant facts were openly declared, it said. We have researched this sculpture extensively and have never seen nor been presented with any evidence that specifies when the sculpture left Cambodia over the last 1000 years nor is there any such evidence in this complaint. Sothebys said the auction house was willing to further discuss the statues ownership with US and Cambodian government officials, but maintained its right to retain possession of the statue in the interim. We are disappointed that this action has been filed and we intend to defend it vigorously, Sothebys said. AFP

Reinterpretations of the print were popular during Februarys New York Fashion Week. Patrik Ervells fall 2012 collection included this painted camouflage on silk dress (right). In 2000, Jean Paul Gaultier made a collection of ball gowns from camo-printed silk tulle (left). Pic: Jean Paul Gaultier and Patrik Ervell of uniform. Its functional, practical, good-looking they put it right up there with blue jeans. Although select units of the Army wore camouflage throughout the 20th century, it didnt receive its first official camouflage uniform until the mid-1980s. In Vietnam, some units wore the Tiger Stripe uniforms, said Myhre. But we didnt get the Battle Dress Uniform, the first official print, until 1983. In 1969, soldiers near the border of Cambodia wore the uniform to blend in with the terrain. Andy Warhol is often credited with pushing camouflage into everyday fashions. His colourful Camouflage prints paved the way for designers to reimagine the print. Warhol showed that you could recolor camouflage in 1960s pop colours and make it a playful fashion print, edgier than a floral, Bowles said. Then [designer] Steven Sprouse took it up, re-colouring it and using it for fashion garments. Washington even developed its own camouflage obsession in the early 1990s, thanks to a certain first lady. The Chocolate Chip camouflage uniform of Desert Storm sold out of surplus stores in the region after Barbara Bush donned the uniform during a visit to Saudi Arabia. Later, Jean Paul Gaultier made a couture collection of ball gowns from camoprinted silk tulle in 2000. After camouflage conquered French collections showing up on the runways of Galliano and Louis Vuitton the print lost its masculine symbolism and toughness, gaining mass appeal and popping up on childrens clothes, baseball caps and bath rugs. Its part of regular fashion vocabulary now because it looks cool, Cole said. Thats the bottom line. A lot of writers are constantly trying to create a sociological correlation. But at the end of the day, were attracted to the look. Reinterpretations of the print were popular during Februarys New York Fashion Week. Designer Patrik Ervell, w h o s k n o w n f o r o n c e repurposing vintage cotton parachutes for a collection, created a series of painted silk camouflage blouses and trousers for men and women. Military garments are made to perform these really extreme functions and last forever, he said. Thats the appeal. Theyre garments that have been thought out. Even Prabal Gurungs spring collection proved that pixelated flowers inspired by Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki could double as a camouflage, harkening back to the Warhol prints. The Army selected the woodland camouflage pattern from the Alaskabased company Kryptek as one the five finalists. But will fashion approve of the Armys newest designs? The minute the Army adopts a new recognisable pattern, the fashion world will, too, Cole said. History shows that fashion adopts new camouflage quickly. Im sure it will do the same for this one. The Washington Post

This photo of the USS West Mahomet circa 1918 illustrates dazzle painting, which could throw off an enemys perception of a ships shape and speed. British marine artist Norman Wilkinson developed the tactic, and many artists followed. Pic: US National Archives

socialite
April 16 - 22, 2012
Lao New Year Party
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THIS week Socialite began with the Lao New Year party at His Excellencys residence in Dagon township on April 4, following her visit to the We & We fashion shop opening in Tarmwe township. The next day she attended the opening of Hlwan Moe Thu bags at Junction Square, and on April 6 she applauded the graduation ceremony for Basic Diplomatic Skills batch 27 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and also went to the opening ceremony of Holika Holika Korean cosmetics at Inya Lake Hotel. On April 7, Socialite took part in the Myanmar Marketing Committees Sport Day activities at Inya Lake in the morning, after which she went to the Canmake cosmetics Summer Candy product show at Taw Win Centre. She ended her social week on April 8 at the Lanopearl product launch at Junction Square and the 4U2 lucky draw party at Junction Maw Tin.

Mr Tran Phuoc Anh

Hlwan Moe Thu Opening Ceremony at Junction Square

Guests and embassy staff celebrate at the Lao New Year Party Guest and H E Nilahath Sayarth HE Mr Chu Cong Phung

MMC Sport Day

Daw Khin Myo Thet Soe Myat Thu Zar

Lu Min Ma Winne MMC staff members Craig Powell Maung Maung Aye

We & We Opening Ceremony

Holika Holika at Inya Lake hotel

U Tun Lin, Ma Maw Li Lin, Daw Ni Ni Aye and U Kyin Sein

Nu Myat Theingi Oo

Dr U Khin Maung Than

Ma Mie Nge and Myat Hein Kyaw

Daw Pyone Pyone Ye

Poe Madi Tin Lat

Ma Su and staff members

Shwe Yamin Oo

Ma Ye Mon

Zaw Moe, Chit Su Thwal, Zaw Moe Htwe

Dr Lu Mon and Dr Su Myat Sandi Oo

Nang Sai San

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the

socialite
April 16 - 22, 2012
Lanopearl Counter Opening Basic Diplomatic Skill Batch 27 Graduation

MyanMar tiMes

Zaw Lin Pyone, Thant Zin Khine, Htein Lin Aung and Htun Kyaw Naing Product Director Mi Khun Chan

Ko Aung Min Thein, Phyo Phyo Khaing and Ma Yu

Canmake Summer Candy at Taw Win Centre

Dr U Myo Myint U Tint Dair

Moe Moe Yadanar Soe Phyo Phyo Khine, Shine Min Tun and Ma Kayan Daw Aye Aye Myo and Nyein Ei Ei Htwe

Soe Zeya and Zaw Htay

Ko Thaw Dar and Htet Htet Si Thu Maung

4U2 Lucky Draw

Ma Hlaing Hlaing Htun MD and Chan Chan May Sapel

Ma Thiri Ma Ei Phyo and Ma Khine Thandar Aung

travel
April 16 - 22, 2012
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Tel Aviv, a city built on Bauhaus

By JoAnn Greco ISRAELS ages-old city, Jerusalem, is rightly famous for its warm, honey-coloured limestone architecture. But its lazily hip rival, Tel Aviv, has lately begun garnering attention for a contrasting assemblage of cool and creamy Bauhaus buildings. Erected by the hundreds as the city grew dramatically and welcomed new immigrants in the 1920s and 1930s, the citys bright white edifices have become a hallmark, typically portrayed as glowing entrancingly under brilliant blue skies. On a recent visit, however, I found them often tattered and covered with graffiti and, on one afternoon, doused by a rare but quite torrential spell of weeping skies. Still, I was determined to see as many as I could during my short stay. Named for the German architecture school founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius to advance the design principles of what would become known as the International Style, Bauhaus flourished in Tel Aviv as Jews began leaving Nazi Germany and moving to the brand-new Israeli city. Established in 1909 as a Jewish suburban utopia just outside the old Arab town of Jaffa, Tel Aviv provided a blank slate upon which architects could experiment. Because the style emphasised democracy and practicality, architects used cheap and common materials, and by the 1960s, many buildings had fallen into disrepair. Besieged by more urgent political matters, the city and still-new nation didnt especially pay attention until UNESCO recognised the wealth of Bauhaus buildings with a conference in 1994. And with World Heritage designation in 2003, things began to change slowly. Owners and developers started taking literal stock of the astounding collection, and today the renovations continue. Theres even a burgeoning municipal program just about six months old to help building owners and developers give the structures the tender loving care they so need and deserve. About 1000 of the 4000 Bauhaus structures are now protected under historic preservation guidelines, a recognition that for too long the buildings have been subject to such careless updates as the addition of stories and the enclosure of balconies. My first look at these buildings came during a general architectural walk guided by Iddo Katz, an archaeologist with a clear love of the city. Our small group met outside my nondescript hotel, one of several that hulk over the beach promenade. Katz pointed out a few nods to the International Style that these 1990s buildings offer: the vertical strip of thermometer windows that run along their sides, the notched corners, the horizontal ribbons of room windows that band the buildings. Katz also indicated a skyscraper a few blocks away, the Shalom Tower from 1965. A rectangular slab that echoes such modernist classics as the Secretariat Building of the United Nations and the Seagram Building, the tower said, noting ironically that with so many influences, they ultimately had no identity. The Bauhaus was very plain, so it fit everyone, she continued. The idea was not to show off. Everything was new and everything was the same. As architects kept building, they modified the style, tinkering with elements that had originally been established to work in a northern clime such as Germany. Windows were shrunk to combat the strong sun and angles were gently rounded, especially around the distinctive balconies, to soften the edge of what was becoming a busy city. Those balconies expanded so that occupants could take advantage of the mild weather. The now ubiquitous shutters were added for times when the sun became too strong. Minsky directed me to an upstairs gallery, where I watched a 10-minute introductory video. Tel Avivs population grew from 2000 in 1920, I learned, to 34,000 five years later, spurred by a series of riots in Jaffa that caused many Jews to migrate to the new city. The need for new housing attracted architects from around the world, including diaspora Jews. When the Nazis closed Gropius Bauhaus school in 1933, still more left Germany for Tel Aviv. With the stage set, I embarked on the tour. When I reached the first stop, I turned on the museums iPod and was startled to hear the very same Russianaccented voice that had narrated the video. Lilting Hebrew music accompanied my new friend, whom I took to calling Natasha, and I listened as she talked about the movements socialistic principles. Some might find the 20 or so buildings on the tour too much, but I lapped it up. Natasha led me to an old movie theatre thats now a hotel, to a series of workers flats and to beautiful Shlomo HaMelech street, lined with one treasure after another, all fronted by lush gardens of hibiscus and rose shrubs. Spying a coffee shop at the base of a squat apartment building that struggled for recognition from behind black scrawls and overgrown weeds, I decided to take a break. A young woman stood in the doorway, and I asked her whether she lived in the building. No, but I used to live over there, she responded, gesturing to another white building down the block. When I asked her what it was like living in a Bauhaus building, she praised the ceiling heights, the cross ventilation, the light. When I asked whether it mattered that the building had architectural significance, she replied, Of course it matters. The Bauhaus is Tel Aviv. The Washington Post

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)

Bialik Street, in Tel Aviv, Israel, opens into a pleasant square with several eclectic-style buildings from the 1920s, including the old town hall (white building), now a museum. Pic: JoAnn Greco/The Washington Post represents the height of the s t r e e t n a m e d B i a l i k ideology that was behind and, as if stepping over Tel Aviv, Katz observed. It an imaginary boundary, says, Weve moved beyond entered the Bauhaus. This mud and stone. We want street wasnt even paved in the 1920s when it was modernism. U s i n g t h e s e n e w e r named after a famous landmarks as a jumping- Russian Jewish poet who off point, we traced our had announced that he way back in time, winding would be moving to Tel t h r o u g h t h e b u s t l i n g Aviv, Katz explained. I was touched by the notion Carmel Market, a colourful, aromatic and crammed of an emerging populace space of hectoring produce becoming so excited by the sellers and beseeching renowned expats making craftspeople that harked t h e i r w a y t o t h e n e w to those found in Jaffa and city. And I could easily understand the promise Jerusalem. As we emerged from the that the still-sleepy village cacophony and entered of one-story houses could the six-sided Magen David hold for these intellectuals, Square, I was treated to my artists and Zionists. One of those was Chaim first look at several signature Bauhaus buildings. They Bialik, who came to his front the square, each eponymous street in 1924 one more distressed than and soon moved into a the other. Although they house that sits near the were spotted with graffiti, end of the block and is now boarded-up windows and a museum. Save for a few dream exposed rebar, their prowed fronts, curving integrated house embellishments, balconies and flat roofs such as Moorish archways nevertheless defined them and minaret-like domes, its designed very much along as exemplars of the style. These are truly pearls, Bauhaus principles, with a Katz said. Its very sad how relatively plain facade set back from the street behind theyve been neglected. We turned onto a little a walled-off garden of palm trees. Inside, it hews to the Arts and Crafts meme of the time, with exuberantly patterned wallpapers, jeweltoned walls and layers of intricate mosaics. MiCasa holiday deals including accommodation 6622/6624, or reservation.c@ Bialik House has only in a Deluxe Room, welcome gmail.com. recently been restored, as From April 10 to 22, MiCasa drink and fruit upon arrival, have many of the two dozen Hotel Apartments is offering international buffet breakfast Meal promotion at or so apartment buildings Happy Thingyan Package and set dinner at La Brasserie Kandawgyi Palace Hotel and homes on this quiet, leafy deals for two people (US$95 a restaurant, and other specials. street. More renovations are night) or four people ($180), The offer is valid from April From April 13 to 16 under way. including buffet breakfast, 8 to 22 and is applicable Kandawgyi Palace Hotel Two other luscious public tea and coffee, water, internet for Myanmar citizens and is offering a special lunch buildings on Bialik Square access, and use of swimming local residents. For more buffet (US$12) at Thiri Caf. a creamsicle-hued music pool and health club. A information call (95-1) 250Join us on April 17 for the hall and the white porticoed Thingyan Buffet Lunch 388 or email enquiry/prygn@ Myanmar New Year Buffet Museum of the History of special will be available from parkroyalhotels.com. Dinner (US$17), also at Thiri April 13 to 16 for $12 a Cafe. For more information, Tel Aviv Jaffa (formerly person, including a glass of Chatrium holiday package call (95-1) 249 255 or email City Hall) provide great draught beer, while freeinfo@kandawgyipalace.com. examples of dream houses flowing Myanmar draught Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake that place Bauhaus in the is included in the Myanmar Yangon offers Thingyan Padonmar holiday hours context of the growing city. New Year Buffet Dinner on packages for Myanmar The next day I took myself April 17 ($18). On Easter citizens, FRC holders and Padonmar Restaurant will over to the Bauhaus Centre; Sunday (April 8), a buffet expatriates in Myanmar be open during Thingyan Id heard that it offered an dinner with Tiger draught from April 11 to 22. from April 11 to 20, from excellent self-guided audio will be available for $19 a Packages include three nights 11am to 11pm for lunch and tour. And it would take me person. For reservations and continuous stay in a Deluxe dinner. No 105/107, Kha Yae into an entirely different inquiries, call 01-650-933, ext Room, welcome drink, Bin Road, Dagon township, neighbourhood. 121/122. complimentary wi-fi access, Yangon. At the centre on bustling use of Chatrium Health Tel/Fax: 538-895, 09Dizengoff Street, Michal Park Royal Thingyan Club, 20 percent discount at 7302-9973, 09-7310Minsky, who also leads package Lilawadee Spa and The Ritz 8608, 09-7324-2410. a walking tour on Friday Exclusive Lounge, and daily Email: padonmar. mornings, elaborated on Park Royal Yangon is international buffet breakfast. restaurant@gmail.com. how Bauhaus had developed featuring three day/two For more information, Website: www.myanmar in town and how it was night Thingyan packages, contact (95-1) 544-500, ext -restaurantpadonmar.com. gradually adapted for its The Myanmar Marketing Committee (MMC), the marketing arm of Myanmar Tourism Promotion Board, aims to market and new setting and climate. promote Myanmar as a destination to develop the Myanmar tourism industry. For more information please visit our websites www.tourism-myanmar.com or www.tourismmyanmar.org or contact Winnie The dream houses were at Traders Hotel, Level 3, Business Center, No 223 Sule Pagoda Road, GPO Box 888, Yangon, Myanmar. really the first attempt at a Tel: +951 242 828 Fax: +951 242 800 Email: mmc-pr@tradersyangon.com.mm national Jewish style, she

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)

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.

Tourism Myanmar Update

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

27
the

travel
April 16 - 22, 2012

MyanMar tiMes

DOMESTIC FLIGHT SCHEDULES

DAYS
FRI FRI MON

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT SCHEDULES

DAYS
SAT

Flight
K7 244 K7 245 AW 891 6T 405 AW 911 6T 401 W9 011 6T 801 AW 761 6T 351 K7 824 AW 791 6T 501 K7 228 YH 909 6T 405 AW 891 AW 901 W9 251 6T 401 6T 801 YH 729 AW 761 K7 622 6T 501 AW 891 AW 911 6T 401 6T 331 6T 801 AW 751 YH 737 K7 824 W9 261 AW 791 YH 731 6T 501 K7 228 YH 909 AW 891 AW 901 6T 401 W9 255 6T 331 YH 729 AW 201 K7 622 K7 226 6T 501 YH 731 AW 891 W9 251 6T 401 YH 917 6T 331 AW 751 K7 824 AW 211 K7 224 6T 501 YH 731 W9 271 6T 403 YH 909 AW 891 AW 911 6T 401 YH 729 6T 801 AW 601 K7 622 6T 501 AW 891 YH 909 AW 891 6T 401 W9 255 6T 801 AW 211 AW 751 K7 622 6T 501

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

DAYS
TUE

Flight
W9 009 AW 902 AW 892 6T 402 YH 910 W9 011 K7 229 YH 812 6T 802 W9 251 W9 150 AW 762 YH 730 6T 502 W9 009 AW 892 6T 332 6T 402 W9 021 6T 802 AW 792 YH 738 AW 752 K7 825 6T 502 W9 009 AW 892 6T 332 AW 902 6T 402 YH 812 W9 021 K7 229 AW 202 YH 730 6T 502 W9 009 AW 892 6T 332 YH 918 6T 402 W9 251 AW 212 YH 731 6T 502 W9 232 YH 728 6T 404 AW 892 6T 402 W9 011 W9 262 YH 812 6T 802 AW 602 K7 623 YH 730 6T 502 W9 009 YH 910 AW 892 6T 402 W9 011 W9 256 YH 812 6T 802 AW 212 K7 623 YH 738 6T 502

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

DAYS
SAT

Flight
AW 891 6T 403 W9 009 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 6T 801 W9 143 AW 891 YH 909 W9 009 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 AW 792 K7 223 W9 109 YH 732 6T 502 K7 223 YH 910 AW 762 W9 109 AW 792 6T 502 YH 732 K7 223 W9 109 AW 792 YH 732 6T 502 K7 223 YH 910 W9 109 YH 732 6T 502 K7 223 W9 109 YH 732 6T 502 K7 223 YH 910 6T 404 W9 109 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 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 6T 801 W9 115 AW 761 YH 811 K7 224 6T 501 YH 731 AW 911 W9 119 YH 737 K7 224 AW 791 6T 501 YH 731 AW 761 AW 201 YH 811 K7 224 W9 109 6T 501 YH 731 AW 211 K7 224 W9 109 6T 501 YH 731

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

Flight
K7 822 AW 751 W9 119 YH 811 K7 224 6T 501 YH 731 AW SPL AW 751 W9 115 YH 811 K7 826 K7 224 6T 501 YH 731 YH 737 W9 143 AW 892 YH 918 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 AW 792 AW 892 YH 918 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 K7 823 W9 116 W9 143 AW 892 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 W9 143 AW 892 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 W9 143 AW 892 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 AW 911 W9 143 AW 892 YH 918 6T 402 K7 223 K7 823 AW 752 AW SPL AW 892 YH 918 W9 011 6T 402 K7 223 AW 752 W9 116 YH 738 6T 611 W9 309 6T 611 W9 309 6T 611 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 612 W9 310 6T 612 W9 310 6T 608 W9 310 6T 612 W9 310 6T 612 6T 707 AW 301 6T 707 K7 317 6T 707 6T 707 K7 317 AW 301 AW 301 6T 707 6T 707 K7 317 6T 707 AW 301 6T 708 6T 708 K7 318 AW 302 6T 708 AW 302 6T 708 K7 318 6T 708 6T 708 K7 318 6T 708 AW 302

Dep Arr
08:00 11:00 11:00 11:00 14:00 15:00 15:00 07:30 10:30 11:00 11:00 12:30 14:00 15:00 15:00 11:00 09:05 09:20 09:35 09:40 09:45 10:00 16:55 09:20 09:35 09:40 09:45 10:00 15:15 16:45 09:05 09:20 09:35 09:45 10:00 09:05 09:20 09:35 09:45 10:00 09:05 09:20 09:35 09:45 10:00 08:55 09:05 09:20 09:35 09:45 10:00 15:15 17:15 08:55 09:20 09:35 09:40 09:45 10:00 16:45 16:45 17:20 11:15 13:00 11:15 13:00 09:00 13:00 11:15 13:00 11:15 13:00 11:15 13:00 11:15 13:00 12:55 15:00 12:55 15:00 10:40 15:00 12:55 15:00 12:55 15:00 12:55 15:00 12:55 11:30 07:00 11:30 12:30 11:30 11:30 12:30 12:45 07:00 11:30 08:00 12:30 11:30 12:45 15:55 15:55 16:40 17:15 15:55 11:30 15:55 16:40 15:55 12:25 16:40 15:55 17:15 09:15 12:10 12:10 12:25 15:15 16:10 16:25 08:40 11:40 12:10 12:25 13:45 15:15 16:10 16:25 12:25 10:15 10:30 10:45 10:35 10:55 11:15 19:10 10:30 10:45 10:35 10:55 11:15 16:30 17:55 10:15 10:30 10:45 10:55 11:15 10:15 10:30 10:45 10:55 11:15 10:15 10:30 10:45 10:55 11:15 11:05 10:15 10:30 10:45 10:55 11:15 16:30 18:25 10:05 10:30 10:45 10:35 10:55 11:15 17:55 17:55 18:35 12:40 14:45 12:40 14:45 10:25 14:45 12:40 14:45 12:40 14:45 12:40 14:45 12:40 14:45 14:20 16:45 14:20 16:45 12:05 16:45 14:20 16:45 14:55 16:45 14:20 16:45 14:20 13:30 09:05 13:30 14:00 13:30 13:30 14:00 14:50 09:05 13:30 10:00 14:00 13:30 14:50 17:55 17:55 18:10 19:20 17:55 13:35 17:55 18:10 17:55 14:25 18:10 17:55 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 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 SAT FD 3771 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306 SUN FD 3771 8M 335 TG 304 PG 702 8M 331 PG 704 FD 3773 TG 306

Dep

Arr

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

Dep

Arr

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 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 SAT 8M 336 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332 SUN 8M 336 FD 3770 TG 303 PG 701 PG 703 FD 3772 TG 305 8M 332

Dep

Arr

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

YANGON TO BANGKOK
08:30 10:15 08:50 10:35 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 08:30 10:15 08:50 10:35 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 08:30 10:15 08:50 10:35 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 08:30 10:15 08:50 10:35 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 08:30 10:15 08:50 10:35 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 08:30 10:15 08:50 10:35 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40 08:30 10:15 08:50 10:35 09:50 11:45 10:55 12:50 16:30 18:15 16:40 18:35 17:40 19:25 19:45 21:40

08:00 12:25 10:10 14:45 11:25 15:50 16:40 21:15 08:00 12:25 10:10 14:45

BANGKOK TO YANGON
07:10 07:55 07:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 09:15 10:05 15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:25 20:10 07:10 07:55 07:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 09:15 10:05 15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:25 20:10 07:10 07:10 07:55 09:15 07:55 07:55 08:50 10:05

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

SUN

SUN

8M 233
MI 517

14:15 18:40
16:40 21:15

WED

NYAUNG U TO YANGON
MON MON

HEHO TO YANGON

YANGON TO SIEM REAP

WED 8M 401 SAT 8M 401 08:50 11:25 08:50 11:25

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 SAT MH 740 AK 850 SUN MH 740 8M 502 AK 850

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

KUALA LUMPUR TO YANGON

TUE

TUE

YANGON TO KUALA LUMPUR

MON 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 TUE 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 WED MH 741 AK 851 THU 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 FRI 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 SAT SUN MH 741 AK 851 8M 501 MH 741 AK 851 WED CZ 3056 THUR 8M 711 SAT CZ 3056 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

THUR

WED

WED

WED

THUR

THUR

15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:25 20:10 07:10 07:10 07:55 09:15 07:55 07:55 08:50 10:05

FRI

FRI

FRI

SAT

SAT

THUR

SAT

SUN

15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:25 20:10 07:10 07:10 07:55 09:15 07:55 07:55 08:50 10:05

SUN

YANGON TO MYITKYINA
MON TUE THUR FRI SUN

GUANGZHOU TO YANGON
WED CZ 3055 THUR 8M 712 SAT CZ 3055 08:50 10:30 14:15 15:45 08:50 10:30 14:15 15:45

YANGON TO GUANGZHOU

FRI

SUN

YANGON TO SITTWE
MON TUE WED THUR FRI SAT

16:25 17:10 15:00 15:50 17:50 18:45 19:25 20:10 07:10 07:10 07:55 09:15 07:55 07:55 08:50 10:05

MYITKYINA TO YANGON
MON TUE THUR FRI SUN MON

SUN 8M 711

SUN 8M 712

YANGON TO TAIPEI
MON CI 7916 WED CI 7916 FRI CI 7916 14:00 19:25 14:00 19:25 14:00 19:25

TAIPEI TO YANGON
MON CI 7915 WED CI 7915 FRI CI 7915 09:55 12:45 09:55 12:45 09:55 12:45

SAT

YANGON TO NYAUNG U
MON W9 143 AW 891 YH 633 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 W9 143 AW 901 AW 891 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 W9 143 AW 891 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 K7 242 AW 781 AW 891 W9 009 AW 901 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 AW 891 W9 009 6T 401 K7 222 YH 917 K7 242 06:00 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 15:00 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:15 06:30 06:30 06:30 06:30 07:00 07:20 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 17:10 07:35 07:25 07:50 07:50 07:50 08:05 07:35 07:25 07:50 07:50 08:05 08:20

YANGON TO HEHO
12:10 12:10 12:25 15:15 16:10 16:25 09:15 10:20 12:10 12:10 12:40 15:15 16:10 16:25 08:40 12:10 12:25 15:15 15:40 16:10 16:25 12:10 12:10 12:25 15:15 15:25 16:10 16:25 12:10 15:15 15:25 16:10 16:25

YANGON TO KUNMING
TUE CA 906 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35 14:15 17:35 WED CA 906 THUR CA 906 SAT SUN CA 906 CA 906

15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:25 20:10 07:10 07:55 07:10 07:55 07:55 08:50 09:15 10:05 15:00 15:50 16:25 17:10 17:50 18:45 19:25 20:10

KUNMING TO YANGON
TUE CA 905 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15 12:35 13:15 WED CA 905 THUR CA 905 SAT SUN CA 905 CA 905

SUN

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

TUE

TUE

SUN

YANGON TO KOLKATA
Mon FRI IC734 IC734 13:30 16:40 13:30 16:40

KOLKATA TO YANGON
Mon FRI IC733 IC728 10:00 14:55 15:50 16:40

WED

WED

YANGON TO SINGAPORE
MON 8M 231 MI 511 08:40 13:05 10:10 14:45

YANGON TO CHIANG MAI

THUR W9 9607 SUN W9 9607 12:00 13:30 12:00 13:30

SINGAPORE TO YANGON
MON MI 512 8M 232 MI 518 07:55 09:20 14:10 15:35 14:20 15:45

CHIANG MAI TO YANGON

THUR W9 9608 SUN W9 9608 14:30 15:00 14:30 15:00

MANDALAY TO YANGON
MON YH 634 AW 892 6T 402 W9 262 6T 802 W9 021 YH 728 AW 762 6T 502 K7 825 08:35 08:35 08:55 10:50 13:20 14:10 16:30 16:35 17:20 17:50 10:00 10:30 10:55 12:15 14:45 15:10 17:55 18:00 19:25 19:15

THUR

YANGON TO MYEIK

THUR

8M 233
MI 517 TUE 8M 231 MI 511

14:15 18:40
16:40 21:15 08:00 12:25 10:10 14:45

YANGON TO HANOI
MON VN 956 WED VN 956 FRI SAT VN 956 VN 956 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30 19:10 21:30

8M 234
TUE MI 512 8M 232 MI 518

19:40 21:05
07:55 09:20 14:10 15:35 14:20 15:45

HANOI TO YANGON
MON VN 957 WED VN 957 FRI SAT VN 957 VN 957 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10 16:35 18:10

WED THUR

FRI

FRI

FRI SAT SUN

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

14:15 18:40
16:40 21:15 08:00 12:25 10:10 14:45 11:25 15:50 16:40 21:15 08:00 12:25 10:10 14:45

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

19:40 21:05
07:55 09:10 14:10 14:20 09:20 10:35 15:35 15:45

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

YANGON TO HO CHI MINH

TUE VN 942 14:25 17:10 14:25 17:10 14:25 17:10 THUR VN 942 SUN VN 942

HO CHI MINH TO YANGON

TUE VN 943 11:40 13:25 11:40 13:25 11:40 13:25 THUR VN 943 SUN VN 943

MYEIK TO YANGON
MON TUE

YANGON TO PHNOM PENH

WED 8M 401 SAT 8M 401 08:50 12:50 08:50 12:50

07:55 09:20 14:10 15:35 14:20 15:45 15:20 16:40

PHNOM PENH TO YANGON

WED 8M 402 SAT 8M 402 13:50 15:15 13:50 15:15

WED THUR

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

14:15 18:40
16:40 21:15 08:00 12:25 10:10 14:45 11:25 15:50 16:40 21:15

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

19:40 21:05
07:55 09:10 14:10 14:20 15:20 09:20 10:35 15:35 15:45 16:40

Subject to change without notice

FRI SAT SUN

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

tea Break
April 16 - 22, 2012
the

28
MyanMar tiMes

Penangs food hawkers see tradition lose steam

By Dan Martin GEORGETOWN Soon Chuan Choo has spent 45 years sweating next to a sizzling curbside wok in Malaysias heat, frying up flat noodles mixed with chilli sauce, prawns, tofu, cockles, egg and sprouts. It may not sound like much of a life unless you grasp the priorities of her home state Penang, where cheap, spicy street food and the hawkers who provide it are venerated as local treasures. I grew up eating her char kway teow and still its so perfect and she is such a character, said office worker Janthi Victor, referring to Soons trademark protective goggles, floppy red chefs hat and sour demeanour. For well over a century, Penangs food hawkers have been conspicuous by the clouds of steam, pungent aromas and devoted crowds surrounding them. But some fear it is a dying art as a new generation shuns taking over their parents modest curbside stands, threatening beloved recipes and a slice of the islands multi-cultural character. My daughter wont do it so I dont know what will happen, Soon said in the Hokkien dialect spoken by many Malaysian Chinese as she brusquely plunked a steaming plate onto a wobbly plastic table of tourists from Indonesia. Penang food blogger C K Lam said many young people today are not keen on a life of sweating under the hot sun. Some lucky hawkers are able to pass it on but many just hope to earn enough to retire and there is nobody to follow up, she said. Once one of Britains oldest Mahboob Zakaria, a garrulous ethnic Indian Muslim whose family has for more than 80 years sold its delicious mee goreng thin noodles fried with a smoky tomato-chilli sauce, squid, potato, and other ingredients. A showman, the 57-yearold Mahboob spins his sizzling wok with a flourish while tossing in the ingredients as he banters happily with customers in English, Tamil, Malay and Hokkien. His son Sabik Ahamed will take over the operation s o m e d a y, c a l l i n g i t predestined. This came from God, he said. But increasingly, sons and daughters demur, and the food suffers as secret homemade recipes are replaced by storebought ingredients used by new hawkers, said Lam. Hope for keeping traditions alive may lie in people like John Martin, who bought the hawker set-up and secret recipe of Ewe Chooi Guan in 2005. For decades, Ewes family had served Penang laksa a spicy-sour noodle soup unique to Penang and made from homemade fish stock, prawn paste, and pineapple but had no willing heirs. We wanted to keep up the tradition. It is such good food, it would have been a waste to just start from scratch, said Martin, who is of Portuguese-Chinese descent. Martin made plastic moulds in a previous job that earned about 3000 ringgit a month. He makes more now, he says, while declining to say how much. There is a risk of losing these great foods. A lot of work goes into preparing them, you work from 7am to 9pm. Most people wouldnt do that. AFP

YOUR STARS
By Astrologer Aung Myin Kyaw Aquarius
Healthy discontent is the prelude to progress. Commonsense often means simply cultivating a sense of proportion. While maintaining a certain degree of physical harmony and comfort is necessary, beyond a certain level, focusing too much on luxury can become a hindrance instead of a help.

Jan 20 - Feb 18

Pisces

Your love relationship will develop more smoothly if you see your partner as a wonderful companion who is gifted with mental capacities equal to yours. Give your partner the right to participate in your activities, as well as the freedom and liberty to pursue their own interests. In this way you and your companion can learn to value one another more deeply.

Feb 19 - Mar 20

Aries

Mahboob Zakaria (R) prepares mee goreng at his stall in Georgetown, Malaysia, on February 21. Pic: AFP Asian settlements, Penang is widely recognised as Asias street food capital, its mix of immigrant Chinese, Indian and local Malay flavours creating a unique culinary heritage. Street hawkers first sprang up to meet the needs of the immigrant underclass and today operate from portable metallic stands on lanes in and around Georgetown, Penangs capital. Street food is prevalent across Malaysia but most dominant in Penang, whose name is evoked by hawker stalls across the country as a mark of tastiness. Penangs hawkers serve up a diverse array of dishes unique to Malaysia, typically based on noodles and packing a spicy punch. Char kway teow is considered a signature dish, typically kept moist, but not oily, by discreetly added lard. The rice noodles of curry mee swim in a broth of curry, coconut milk and pigs blood, while various other rice and noodle dishes are packed with intestines and other organs proudly advertised on hawker signs as offal. Locals develop strong allegiances to certain hawkers an iPhone app helps them keep track of who is cooking what and where and often closely watch cooks in hopes of divining their fiercely guarded secrets. We all get along well except when it comes to [Penang hawker] food, said Chua See Poh, a government worker from the nearby city of Ipoh, while slurping down curry mee with friends. Its the only thing we might argue about. Soon became a target of such passions in 2010 when a Facebook boycott was launched after a customer reported being verbally abused by her while waiting for a 7 ringgit (US$2.30) plate of her char kway teow. The boycott campaign fizzled, however, and the demanding crowds keep her as grumpy as ever. When celebrity TV chef Anthony Bourdain visited recently for a piece on Penang, he asked Soon if she spoke English, said Penang Global Tourism Director Ooi Geok Ling. Soon snapped in Hokkien, If I could speak English, I wouldnt be doing this, would I? Her polar opposite is

Realize the truth in your perfection. One hour of right action is worth more than one year of preaching. Expand your social circle to include more people from cultures other than your own. Take pleasure in risky action, and cultivate social understanding to open your soul and access your sympathetic nature.

March 21 - April 19

Taurus

Self-respect will know no considerations, but you must understand the value of others of different natures and cultures. Encourage those in your social circle to act in a responsible way that will benefit global society. Expand your knowledge in ways that will help all living beings.

April 20 - May 20

Gemini

Take time to analyse the situation to determine the best course of action for achieving the greatest results. Compromise and reconciliation are better than controversy and contradiction in any social and political situation. Prepare you mind for new opportunities that can light the way to the development of a new social paradigm.

May 21 - June 20

Cancer

It is more beneficial to ask intelligent questions than to offer free opinions that have not been requested. Keep in mind that the road to success is partially built by the strength of old friends and partners. No one can keep you down except yourself. Fear nothing, but cultivate the ability to recognise dangerous ideas and situations so you can react accordingly.

June 22 - July 22

Leo

Aggressive and frustrated memories and thoughts will be the main culprits in the disorganisation of your life. You should develop the quality of controlling your emotions at all the times. Enthusiasm is a positive state of mind that has great power to change everything about your way of life.

July 23 - Aug 22

Virgo

Dont waste time complaining about conditions and people over whom you have no control. Fill your mind with enthusiasm and optimism, and take creative control of everything under your management. Make honesty, industry and the pursuit of justice the fundamental rules under which you practise your responsibilities. Always be fair in all your dealings, and be truthful to yourself and others who are working with you.

Aug 23 - Sept 22

Mixologists put the ale in cocktail

By Daniel Fromson AT Boundary Road in Washington DC, a new Brooklyn-esque den of exposed brick and farm-to-table hanger steaks, the Five & Dime cocktail begins with a squeeze-bottle squirt of translucent goo. When I ordered one recently, a bartender shook the egg white with artisanal root beer liqueur and maple syrup, strained the mixture into a glass, added malty Otter Creek porter and placed it on the bar. My neighbour eyed it as if afraid it might scuttle into his lap. Beer and egg, he said. But it tasted great: a smooth, sweet, herbal riff on a root beer float, with a milkshake-like head and lingering flavours of coffee and roasted barley. It was also a prime example of how some bartenders have been increasingly blurring the line between craft beer and craft cocktails, turning out drinks with enough creativity and variety to please the beer-obsessed while wooing the beer-indifferent. Such concoctions have grown into darlings of the national mixology scene in the United States, served at places such as Chicagos the Aviary and New Yorks wd-50. At Rogue 24 in DC, Bryan Tetorakis has been experimenting with beer cocktails since December. For his Cherry Coffee Stout, he mixes a cherry-and-coffeeflavoured syrup with coffee-infused brandy and Duchesse de Bourgogne, a Flemish sour ale that contributes tart cherry notes. Another cocktail, the Trippel Dubbel, grew out of his desire to accent the citrus and coriander notes in Saxo, a blond ale from Belgiums Brasserie Caracole. Tetorakis adds the beer to tangerine or orange-kumquat syrup, lemon juice, rye whiskey and Gran Classico Bitter, a liqueur made with bitter orange peel and rhubarb. Its got the bitterness, he says. You can tell that theres whiskey in there, and its also smooth and creamy. Its approachable to a lot of people. Key word: approachable. Although some beer lovers recoil at the thought of other ingredients tainting their sacred substance, some take delight in the fact that the beer cocktail often functions as beerdoms Trojan horse. Its a means of slipping the goods into enemy territory. Such is the case at Washingtons the Queen Vic, which opened last spring with an array of unintimidating beer cocktails that mostly echo traditional two-ingredient British recipes like the Black and Tan. In the La Manche, a nod to the other side of the English Channel, aromatic StGermain elderflower liqueur transforms a moderately bitter English India pale ale into a burst of honey and tropical fruit. An even fruitier drink is available at Virtue Feed & Grain in Alexandria, Virginia: the Pomegranate Fizz, one of the six seasonal hoptails devised by Eat Good Food Groups Todd Thrasher. Virtues bartenders shake pomegranate wheat beer with bourbon, vodka, pomegranate molasses and egg white, resulting in a drink with an inch of thick foam and a sweet-sour complexity. Elsewhere, bold beer cocktails are flavoured with hops, the resinous flowers showcased in India pale ales. At DCs speak-easy Last Exit, Anthony Rivera infuses gin with Cascade hops, the kind popularised by Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. He serves it in a drink called the Nucky, with lemon, honey and soda water, plus a miniature pint glass of Hofbrau lager on the side. The Washington Post

Libra

Learning to let go can be one of the greatest lessons you can learn. Everyone gets angry at the loss of love, but be sure to give vent to your anger in a safe way. Allow yourself to enjoy the excitement of uncertainty. It is time to leave loss behind and move on with courage. Invite new people into your life, and open your mind to different social colours and their various languages.

Sept 23 - Oct 22

Scorpio

Your faults are like weeds that grow without cultivation and will soon take over the garden if they are not uprooted. Know that you have the ability to take risks that will open a new chapter in your life. Make it part of your daily agenda to look for things that are going right. When it comes to love, stand firm on your resolve to develop understanding in your relationship.

Oct 23 - Nov 21

Sagittarius

You must tread a path of sacrifice on your way to romance, and you will undergo much suffering along the way to get a taste of divine love. Your principled love will also help you to staunchly adhere to a philosophy of non-violence. Cheerful news will fill your heart with sunshine and warm your life.

Nov 22 - Dec 21

Capricorn

Feel in charge of your life, and try to be more trustful of yourself. Always give yourself and others the benefit of the doubt. Encourage those around you to see development as a long-term process, and use inspiration to build a strong foundation of manpower. Remember that among the great sources of alienation are a lack of knowledge about, and deficiencies in empathy for, our fellow human beings. For a personal reading contact Aung Myin Kyaw, 4th Floor, 113 Thamain Bayan Road, Tamwe Township, Yangon. Tel: 0973135632, Email: williameaste@gmail.com

Dec 22 - Jan 19

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Housing for Sale

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Travel

Public Notice

the Royal eMBaSSy of Sudi Arabia is pleased to invite prequalified companies to tender for the Custodial Services at Embassy building and Ambassador's Rsidence building. All interested Tenders are required in advance to purchase the documents for specification and General contractual terms, which will be obtained from : The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia : 287/289, U Wisara Rd, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. an indiVidual VB.net trainer who can teach during Water Festival Holidays can call: 09500-6752, 09-5187487. photogRaphy Especially food and interior photography for Hotels & Restaurant Contact ; Sam (Ph : 09731-74404) 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. Ph: 389838, 374234. (2). Myanmar Book Centre, Ph: 221271 (3). Bishop store, Old Yaydarshay Rd, Bahan (4).Tab Book Center, Taw win Plaza, Ph: 8600042, 8600043 (Daw Ena Win & Associates)

Training

SMaRt (Fitness Center). Invite to all of our customers. Gurantee for over weight men and women (over 200 lb). To get always smart and healthy body. Available to discuss with skillful training teacher. Teach systematically. 47th St, 142, 1st Flr, Botahtaung, Ph: 09-730-17729. Singing Lessons: Professionally trained singing teacher for students of all levels. Please contact 665648. guitaR Class To Home Ph-09-731-94925 .net Programming : Home (1) C#.Net, (2) Asp.Net, (3) Sql Server, (4) Other Programming Concept With Project Contact me:Thanda 09731-63643 MaKeup Artist from Bangkok is in Yangon for 2 months and avaliable to give private makeup classes in both

Chaung tha vacation stay at a wooden house for a family for a very cheap price. 3 nigths, 4 days - 30,000 kyats per night Maximum 5 people. Need to bring your own beddings and kitchen wares. Contact - 561899 ext-119. Additional fee of 5000 - 10,000 kyats involved for cleaning fee. Only house and compound with a fence offered. elegant MyanMaR Tours Company Ltd ! Special Promotion in April 2012 to welcome Myanmar New Year!! Trip to the Virgin Islands in Mergui Archipelago by cruise 6 Days 5 Nights (5 April 2012 to 10 April 2012) 550000 Ks Now (Local) & 720 USD Now (Foreigner) Special promotion trip for launching a new Mergui Princess Boat ! 5 Days 4 Nights (11 April 2012 to 15 April 2012) & (18 April 2012 to 22 April 2012) Kawthaung, 115 Island, Nyaung Wee Island, Myauk Ni Island, Ranong for shopping 660 USD per pax (Foreigner) + 430000 Ks (Local) Book now with us !!!!!!! Email: merguiprincess@gmail. com, Ph: 01-401261, +95-9-43064296 nyan Myint thu Car rental service : 56, Bo Ywe St, Latha. Ph: 246551, 375283, 09645-0599 thingyan Sale promotion Ngapali Beach Tour April 12~15, 2012 (3N/4D) Ngapali beach fully package tours. Includ-ing air ticket (round trip) 3 star hotel (3 night) Meal (Breakfast 3 times, Lunch 4 times, Dinner 3 times) Thandwe Airport to Ngapali beach car transportat-ion tour price 490000 Ks / pax contact person Ms. Oung (Ms. Mya Mya Oung) Ph: 09-73242224 Oake Khaung Travels & Tours Co.,Ltd: W-1, West Aung San Stadium, Mingalar Taung Nyunt , Tel : 252953, 707-093, 09-730-42277. E-mail : oktour operator @ gmail. com, www. okmyanmartravels. com

Want To Buy

uSed laptop, Desktop, Notebook , Netbook, MacbookPro, Samsung Galaxy Tablet, Digital Camera, External Hardisk,Used Phone Nokia Blackberry Motorola LG HTC Sony Ericsson Samsung Galaxy S2 Galaxy Note Galaxy Nexus , (Huawei CDMA800 latest Handset) Apple Ipod Touch 4G Iphone 3gs iphone 4, 4s handset Ipad Ipad2 ipad3 All kind of electronic device can buy and sell at resonable price. Ph: 09-517-8391

thingangyun, 40 x 60 3RC ThuMinGaLar Rd, Good location for car show room & business. ph: 09-430-80638. Bahan, Golden Valley, 0.35 acre Land, big garden, 2 storey, ph line, semi-furnished, 4 MBR, US$ 3000 per month, Ph: 09-5020969 China toWn apartment, lift, 17x 59', Ph line, 2AC, 2MBR, Jacuzzi, Funished Room, water heater, US$ 1000 / 8 Lakhs per month, Ph: 09-5020969 Mayangone, Pyay Rd, 0.5acre land, 2RC Storey new house, 5 master bed rooms, ph, Fully furnished, big garden, US$ 3500 Per month, Ph: 09-5034954 KaMayut , Inya Rd 0.3acre land, 2.2RC Storey, 2MBR, 7BR, garden, ph line, US$ 3200 per month, Pls call 09-503-4954 Bahan, : Shwe Gondaing, Condo, 7F, 1500 Sqft , Fully Furnished, Fully Furniture, 3 A/C, 1 MBR, 2 SBR ,1Ph, 750 USD, (Suitable to Rent for Foreigner), near down town, near golden Vally Call-01-569448, 09-731-35900 Bahan : New University Avenue Lane, Condo, 7Flr, 1500Sqft , Fully Furnished, Fully Furniture, 3 A/C, 1 MBR, 2 SBR, 1Ph, (Suitable to Rent for Foreigner), 800USD. Call-01-569448, 09731-35900 Chantha gonyaung Executive Codominiums - Penthouse/ Rooms. - 4 rooms, 5 rooms. - Fully Furnished. - Amazing serenity and satisfactory facilities, club restaurant. 24 hours electricity

village.Hp:09-43109290. laShio : 2Acres Land including the main house and 2storey building. In downtown and Very Good place for business. Price: negotiable Ph: 09515-8738 Mandalay : 26(B) Rd, between (86/87) Aungmyaytharsan Township. (22 feet X 75 feet ) Ph: 09-504-8704, 02-21915.

Rent / Sale
taMWae : Lovely Banglow, 2 Story, 1 MB, 2SB, 50x100' Yard, Fully Furnished, 1Ph, 9 Lakhs, Foreigners welcome. Call - 01569448, 09-731-35900

Want To Hire
neW Zealand businessman seeking apartment/condo/ house sharing arrangement with one or two other people. Ph: 09-410-11547. 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, aircon, and must be clean, to include driver. Pls quote on a daily, weekly & monthly lease terms. 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
UN Position
the united Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) is seeking dynamic and highly motivated Myanmar national for administrative associate (GS-7) FixedTerm - 1 Post : Duty Station: Yangon. Secondary education required. Certification in Admi-nistration, and/ or University Degree in related area preferred. 5 to 7 years of relevant experience in administration or programme support service at the national & int'l level and establishing interrelationships among int'l organization and national governments. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based manage-ment systems. Candi-dates should clearly indicate the Post Title in their application. Application must include a cover letter, current CV, copies of relevant academic qualification certificates & a recent passport sized photograph. Send applications to: UNODC, 11A, Maylikha Rd, Ward-7, Mayangone, Yangon, Myanmar. (or) C/O UNDP, POBox (650), Yangon, Myanmar. Closing date: 25 April 2012. Ward 7, Yankin, Yangon, 11082, Closing date: 24 April, 2012. Ph: 662908, Email:whh. hrm@gmail. comwhh. lashio@gmail. com. Pls do not enclose any original documents with your application as they will not be returned. Only short listed candidates will be contacted for an interview. Salary defined by the Welthungerhilfe standard grid. Medical Technolo-gist (or) Pharmacist, Able to travel within country (3). Clinic Manager - M/F 1 post: Medical Doctor (or) Nurse (4). graphic designer cum admin assistant - M/F 1 post: Any graduate with creative thinking, Candidate with available driving license in favor. (5). Site Medical Officer - M 20 posts : Medical doctor with 5 years experience, Prefer any candidate who has experienced in Oil and Gas (onshore & offshore), mining industries & construction industries. Age not older than 55 years Requirements:Applicant should submit application letter, current CV with passport size photo, contact details, copy of professional license, certificates, referees and copy of any testimonies in a sealed envelope indicating Position applied to LEO Medicare Medical Center , G Flr, Yangon Int'l Hotel, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. Fax: (951) 218389, E-mail: leo.myn@gmail. com,ops@leo.com.mm Closing date: 15.5.2012 Police recommendation letter, others educational references & experience to : 5 (B/ D), Bayint Naung Lane (1), Thurein Yeik Mon Housing , Ywar Ma Curve, Hlaing, Yangon. Ph: 530 768, 530 237, 706 113, 09861-7759. CoMpany Dealing in Foreign Brand Product is looking for Sales & Marketing Manager & staff - M/F (3) .Graduate. At least 2 years experience. Age between 25 ~ 30 years. Experience preferred. Pls, send application together with update CV, Photo & other data reference to gimperial @myanmar.com.mm, Ph:523536,09-73008077 inteR Consulting is an int'l management consulting company. Aiming to provide a complete solution to its corporate & individual clients because from the starting of their businesses and services to the growth stage. With wide range of expertise in industrial, commercial & operational knowledge, Inter Consulting delivers success in terms of efficiency, leadership & negotiatory skills, Highly experienced in planning, organizational and analytical skill, possess excellent interpersonal skill and computer literate. Interested candidates are invited to send application & CV with two recent photos, copy of NRC and all relevant certificates to Dawn ( Ah Yone Oo) Construction Co.Ltd., 608(B), 609(A) Yuzana Tower , Shwe Gon Dine, Bahan, Ph. 551765, 558231. Closing date : April 30, 2012. hoRiZon Int'l School is a K-12 private school with two branches in Yangon and one in Mandalay, Myanmar. Horizon Shu Khinn Thar campus has been an IBDP school since July 2010. We are looking for (1). teacher ( for secondary & high school: Geography, IGCSE Chemistry & English language); Near-native English speaking teachers with a university degree in relevant subjects , 5 years experience in IGCSE classes, The successful applicant should be enthusiastic, have excellent subject knowledge, be supportive of their students & offer challenging but fun lessons. Strong classroom management skills (2). Secretary/ receptionist - F 3 posts : Age 20 ~ 40, University graduate, Must be proficient in English, Computer & Microsoft Office literacy, Comfortable working with young learners, Able to devote oneself to teaching, Friendly, enthusiastic & patient, Have thorough knowledge & experience with related fields. All candidates should have good communication and interpersonal skills. (3). Supervisor/ Cleaner/electrician -M/F 4 posts : Age 25 ~ 40 , Passed matriculation examination, Good command of English, Pleasant & helpful skills, Can work under pressure, Must have supervisory skill and 2 years experience. All candidates should be good in communicat-ion & interpersonal skills. Pls submit a cover letter, a resume/CV, a copy of relevant diploma (certificate) and a current photo to the Recruitment team at contact.skt@ horizonmyanmar.com or to Horizon Shu Khinn Thar campus, Myo Patt Rd, Thaketa, Yangon on/ before May 11, 2012. For further information, pls contact us at contact. skt@ horizonmyanmar. com or Horizon Shu Khinn Thar campus, Myo Patt Rd, Thaketa, Yangon. Ph: 450396, 450397. exotiSSiMo Travel is currently looking for a highly energetic and enthusiastic german tour operator : 1 year of working experience in tourism related field. Excellent interpersonal skills & communication skills. Strong sales and customer service focus. Ability to work under pressure. Possess computer proficiency (MS word, excel, outlook). Good commu-nication in English & German. Interested applicants are invited to send a detailed CV with recent photo, expected salary & other relevant documents to: HR Manager Exotissimo Travel Myanmar #303, Sakura Tower, 339, Bogyoke Aung San Rd. Kyauktada , Yangon. Email: memecho@ exotissimo. com FoReign Company will establish a milk dairy production in Myanmar and is looking for a young dynamic market ing sales manager. Also a executive secretary both fluent English speaking with good knowledge and skills in computers lady or gents, who is willing to work hard and grow with the company. The benefits will be satisfactory. Forward your C.V Attention Mr. Chris Karageorgas with a photo & contact phone number: email: asiadairies@ yahoo. com peaCe Myanmar Electric Co., Ltd is seeking (1) Marketing assistant Manager M/F 2 Posts: M.B.A (or) M.E/B.E (Electronic/ Mechatronics). 3 years experience in visual Image, Factory automation & industrial product. (2) Marketing executive - M/F 6 Posts : B.E/ B.Tech (or) A.G.T.I (Electronics/ Mechatronics). Marketing diploma (or) certificate. 2 years experiences in visual Image, Factory automation & industrial product. For 1 & 2 : Pleasant personality & effective communicat-ion skills. Be able to speak & write English. Computer literate. Motivated, Work independently and be able to travel. Age under 35. (3) drivers - M 2 Posts : Can drive manual & auto gear. (4) admin Staff - F 1 Post : Can use Microsoft office. 2 years experience in admin. Pls submit detailed CV with relevant docu-ments, a recent photo, expected salary, labour registration card and contact ph to 137/139, Botahtaung Pagoda Rd, Botahtaung. Ph: 202117. FMCg Company is looking for dynamic Country Sales Manager - M or F 1 Post. Good education back-ground: Minimum University Degree. Strong English speaking and written. Enthusiasm, ambition & self motivate. At least 3 years experience in FMCG sales management background, understand Myanmar trade environment & distribution network. Preferable age from 35 to 50 years. Pls send CV to dagonwinwin@ myanmar.com.mm latest by 30th of April, 2012. We aRe urgently seeking for (1) Reservationist for hotels and flights- 2 posts, (2) Sales person for international clients and quotations -2 posts and (3) operations Manager - 1 post. For position 1 & 2 must have at least 1 year experience in travel agency and for position 3 at least 5 years. Applicants must have good English skills verbal and written. Pls contact Uniteam Tours & Travel with you CV until 16 April 2012 by e-mail info@uniteamtravel-tours.com or at office - i22 Pan Hlaing Rd, Sanchaung. gRand iMpeRial is looking for Sales & Marketing staff - M/F(3) Graduate. At Least 2 years experience. Age Between 25-30 years. Experience prefer- red. Pls, send application together with update CV, photo & other data reference to gimperial @ myan mar.com.mm, Ph:523536, 09-73008077 SeeKing the following Full-time positions at various locations in Yangon. it, accountants, Cashiers, Receptionists, guest Relation officers, Sales and Marketing, human Resources, Office Clerks, Purchasers, Storekeepers, housekeeping, laundry attendant, Securities, Barista, public area attendant (Cleaner) , electriction, plumber . Interested persons can submit CV with one recent photo, bio data, education certificates, NRC copy, labor registration card in person at ECO Apartment - Pearl condo Tower E, Ground Flr, No. Ga 21, Kabaaye Pagoda Rd, Yangon or email at mashwemee @gmail. com. Ph: 557488, 09564-0880. Wanted: Freelance architect/designer to renovate foreigner penthouse downtown Yangon. Are you young, ambitious, creative, daring, seeking fame? Contact:yangonbrother 01@gmail.com We ReQuiRe the following positions for > Container teu 2000 & teu 4500 : Masters, Chief Officers, 2nd Officer, 3rd Officer, Chief engineers, 2nd engineers, FtR , oS, MtM, C/CK, MeSSMan. Interested candidates are invited to personally visit: Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement Crew Service Centre (Myanmar) Ltd : F/S 1, Shwe Marlar Yeikmon, Bayint Naung Rd, Kamaryut, Yangon. Tel: 515031, 536805 We ReQuiRe the following positions for > Chemical tanker Class 2,3 & lpg Vsls: Masters, Chief Officers, 2nd Officer, 3rd Officer, Chief Engineers, 2nd Engineers, FTR, OS, MTM, C/CK,ESSMAN. Interested candidates are invited to personally visit: Bernhard Schulte ShipmanagementCrew Service Centre (Myanmar) Ltd : F/S 1, Shwe Marlar Yeikmon, Bayint Naung Rd, Kamaryut, Yangon, Tel: 515031, 536805 uRgent Vacancy: We are looking for experience professional with the creative, global thinking, proactive & self motivated candidate for our Account Department of the following position: (1) accountant - 1 post (Female) - B.Com CPA/ ACCA degree holder, 3 years experience in accounting field is preferred, Able to use accounting software. Must be computer literate. Language proficiency. Team player with excellent interpersonal & communication skills. For Multi duty stations. Can work under high pressure. Pls apply in person with the supporting documents and recent photo to : 100 (A), Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Bahan, Yangon - (OR) by e-mail to cm.myanmar@ phoenixyoyages.com (For local service only). QuaRto Products is one of the leading Fine Food & Wine Distribut-ion Company in Myanmar. We are seeking for the following vacancies; (1) accountant (Manager) - M/F 1 Post :Financial Controller with at least 10 years accountant job experience. Must possess leadership qualities & foreign company work experience preferred. (2) accountant (Supervisor) - M/F 1 post : At least 5 years accounting related work experience & foreign company work experience preferred. Possessed ACCA certificates. (3) assistant accountant - M/F 1 post : B.com or LCCI Level III. Age less than 30 with minimum 1 or 2 years experience at related field. Good command of English & computer knowledge preferred. (4) admin & hR Manager - M/F 1 post : Possessed a degree in Human Resource related studies with several years international working experience. (5) Customer Service assistant - M/F 2 posts :Experience in International hotels preferred with good command of English speaking skills. (6) operation Staff - M 3 posts : Young male graduate, hardworking with physical ability to move stock, past experience with managing inventory preferred. (7) Management trainees - M/F 5 posts : Young graduates who are ambitious to become top management. Possessed a sharp mind and strong characters. You can apply with cover letter, CV with 2 recent photos, copies of NRC card, labor registration card, Police recommendation letter, others educational references & experience to 5 ( B/ D), Bayint Naung Lane, 550768, 530237. Sail Marketing & Communications is seeking experienced advertising agency executives to serve international clients. (1) Client service manager. (2) Media manager. Please apply at 790 Bogyoke Rd and Wadan Rd Junction Suite403, Danathiha Center Lanmadaw, Yangon, Myanmar Ph: 951-211870, 951224820. gReateR Man Int'l Trading Co., Ltd is seeking : (1) Business development executives 2 Posts : Can set a business Plan and must have business acumen. BBM or BBA graduated are preferable. (2) Sales executive - 2 Posts : Should have automobiles & machinery related knowledge. Engineering back groud with can do attitude in indispensible. (3) accountant - 2 Posts: Can Prepare income statement and should have two years related experiences with good will. Age over 25 is preferable. (4) assistant Mechanic - 2 Posts : Candidate must possess at least a professional certificate from any field. 2 years of experience in the related field is required for this position. All candidates must be energetic enthusiastic and result oriented. Sociable & interested in vehicles, automobiles & related parts. Fluent English, Computer literate and speaking Chinese is preferable. Candidate must be able to travel if works is demanding. Pls submit application to Summit Prak View Hotel, Rm: 220, 221, Alone Rd, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. We aRe looking for highly motivated, creative & energetic individual for Blue Oasis Restaurant & Bar: Restaurant Manager M 1 post , assistant Restaurant Manager -M 1 post , For F & B Service assistant Manager - M/F 1 post, Supervisor - M/F 2 posts, head Waiter/ Waitress - M/F 4 posts , Waiter 8 posts, Waitress 8 posts , Cashier - M/F 2 posts, For Kitchen thai Chef 2 posts, assistant thai Chef 2 posts, Butcher M/F 3 posts, Commis i & ii 2 posts, Cook helper 2 posts, Sanitation Workers - M/F 2 posts, For resident - admin/ Computer - M 1 post, Store incharge 2 posts, accountant 1 post, For Others - driver 1 post. Apply to HR Department :199, 34th st, Upper Block, Kyauktada

Local Position
Beauty Paradise Manufacturing & Industrial Co., Ltd. (1) asst; accountant - F 3 Posts : Minimum LCCI Level II. Age 18 ~ 28 . 1 year experience in any field.Able to use Microsoft Office. Able to work overtime when needed. Good interpersonal skill, good analytical skill and mathematical skill preferable. (2) Cashier - F 2 Posts : Minimum LCCI Level II. Age 20 ~ 28. Able to collect cash to collection points. 1 year experience in any field. Preferred outgoing personality and good interpersonal skill. (3) Sales leader - M 5 Posts : Age 18 ~ 30 years. Must be Dynamic, challenging, & hardworking. Driving skill would be an advan-tage. (4) Sales promoter - F 10 Posts : For 3 & 4 : 10th Standard pass/ Preferable Graduate. Age between 18 ~ 25 years. Pleasant personality & good interpersonal skill. (5) graphic designer M/F 2 Posts: 10th Standard Pass/ Preferable Graduate. 2 years experience. Closing date: 30-4-2012. No.1-A, May Aye Myaing Park, Near Ta Tar Phyu Busstop, 5.5 mile, Pyay Rd, Hlaing. Ph: 512307, 09732-45777. legendaRy Myanmar Travel & A LA CARTE. (1) Office Staff - F 2 Pax: The applicants must have minimum 1 year experience in Office. All applicants must be University Graduate, Spoken & written English, must have excellent interpersonal skill and good computer knowledge. Pls apply CV with one recent photo, other certificate NRC copy, Labour registration card, Police recommendation letter to : 9, Rm (A-4), 3rd Flr, Kyaung St, Myaynigone, Sanchaung . Ph: 523652, 516795, Closing date: within 2 weeks. (1) StoRe Manager Male - 1 post. (2) account - F 2 post. (3) Sale - F 2 post. 24, Inya Rd, Kamayut , Yangon My 534654, mail: theredscarf99@ gmail. com. leo Medicare 24hour Medical Assistance Service : Our organization is 24 hour medical assistant company; operating 24 hour international medical center, 24 hour diagnostics centre, 24 hour daycare centre, 24 hour assistant service and remote site medical services in Myanmar. Our organi-zation is looking for efficient & competent employees for follow-ing positions. For all posts require mandatory criteria of minimum 2 to 5 years working experience in related job, computer skills, language proficiency for both Myanmar and English. (1). Receptionist - F 2 posts : Any graduate with good communication skills & good personality, Prefer multilingual candidate (Chinese, Japanese, Korea) (2). Marketing Manager/ Marketing executive - M/F 2 posts : Medical Doctor (or)

INGO Position
CaRe Myanmar organization is seeking (1) M & e data administrator - Yangon - 1 post Closing date: 11th May 2012 (Friday) (2) Monitoring & Evaluation Data Administrator - Yangon 1 post Closing date: 11th May 2012 (Friday) Qualify women are strongly encourage to apply Please request the detailed Terms of Reference at the CARE Myanmar office during office hours (8:30 to 5:00) between Monday to Friday or can obtain by email: recruitment@ care.org.mm Care Int'l in Myanmar : 17A, Pyi Htaung Su St, Sayarsan Rd, Sayarsan NorthWest Ward, Bahan, Yangon. Tel: 401419, 401420, 401421 (1)dRR education Training Officer - (DM Division_DRR Unit)- 1 post : Selected townships for the DRR MRCS/FRC Program (2) admin & Finance Officer (Health Division) - 1 post : Tauggyi with frequent visit to HQ Nay Pyi Taw and project townships. (3)Consultant (Health Division) - 1 post, Naypyitaw. Pls submit CV , passport phto with other documents to Myanmar Red Cross Society (Naypyitaw) mrcshrrecruitment@ gmail. com WelthungeRhilFe is looking for horticulturist/agronomist with Nutritional experien-ces : University degree in Horticulture/ Agronomist or in related technical field namely nutrition or health. Field working experien-ce with int'l organizat-ion/ INGO preferably on nutritional or food security issues. Good communication and engaging community facilitation skills, strong inter-personal & intercultural skills. Experience in teaching would be an asset. Shan language (written and spoken) is essential. Good working knowledge in English is an asset. Computer literate (familiar with MS Office package). Women are encouraged to apply! Pls send application to: Welthungerhilfe HR Manager : 29(A), Thirimingalar Avenue,

QuaRto Products is one of the leading Fine Food & Wine Distribut-ion Company in Myanmar. We are looking forward to the applicants for our QP Inya Shop ; Retail Sales assistant - Male 1 Post: Responsibilities: Perform excellent customer service, Build rapport and customer service, Proactively follow-up customer quires and needs, Responds positively to customer complaints, Perform cashiering duties, Perform daily closing balancing of cash collections, Ensure that visual merchandising standards are adhered to all times Requirements: Any graduate, Able to work retail hour, Age under 25, Well groomed, Retail sales experience will be preferred, driver - Male 1 Post : Responsibilities - Drive vehicle safely for the transport of collection & deliveries, Develop & implement vehicle management and maintenance system, Take care of day-today maintenan-ce of vehicles, check oil, water, battery , brakes, tires, etc. and perform minor repairs and arrange for the repairs and ensure that the vehicle is kept clean, Log official trips, daily mileage, gas consumption, oil changes, greasing, etc. Ensure that the steps required by rules and regulations are taken in case of involvement in anaccident Requirements: 10th Standard passed or Any graduate, Valid driving license, At least 2 years work experience as a driver with safe driving record, Skills in motor vehicle repairs You can apply with cover letter, CV with 2 recent photos, copies of NRC card, labor registration card,

innovation & higher performance to our clients businesses. We are looking for a suitable & qualified individual to fill the position to perform duties in Myanmar for our corporate client, a global leader in specialty chemicals which is active in over 100 countries around the world and operates 15 state-of-theart manufacturing sites, labs and offices across South EastAsia,Australia & New Zea-land. Sales executive : University degree in Life Science/ Agricultu-ral, Experience in sales (preferably in feed business/ livestock industry), Mature & able to work independently and trustworthy, Good in oral & written English communications,Excellent organizational and people skills, Proficient in computer applicat-ions (MS office, Lotus Notes Mails etc.) Knowledge of int'l trading & supply chain, Experience with working in a multinational company is an advantage. Pls submit application together with details resume to hr@ icononline.net or you may submit application to Inter Consulting Co., Ltd : 30 (B-1), Rm 601, 6th Flr, Yadanar Innya Condo, Golden Valley 2, Than Lwin Rd, Bahan, Tel: 09-7310 5353, 097310 5340 We aRe urgently seeking for deputy director and Chief engineer post, the person will be responsible for Projects, Contracts & Public relations : Engineering graduate with sound knowledge of Building, Industrial plants, Marine & Road Con-struction. proficiency in English (Any other additional languages will be an advantage) must have effective communication skills with strong

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: bdootygn@mptmail.net. 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 Embassy of the State of Kuwait Chatrium Hotel, Rm: No.416, 418, 420, 422, 40 Natmauk Rd, Tarmwe Tsp, Tel: 544500. 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. yangon@gmail.com 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. yangon@gmail.com, info@slembyangon.org, 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: fo.myanmar@unodc.org 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. drtinlatt@matglobal.com

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. info@cloverhotel.asia 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: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com

Strand Bar 92, Strand Rd, Yangon, Myanmar. tel: 243377.fax: 243393, sales@thestrand.com.mm www.ghmhotels.com

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

mt Quick guide
April 16 - 22, 2012
ADvERTISING
We StaRted the adVeRtiSing induStRy in MyanMaR SinCe 1991

32
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MyanMar tiMes

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

SAIL Marketing & Communications Suite 403, Danathiha Center 790, Corner of Bogyoke Rd & Wadan Rd, Lanmadaw Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 211870, 224820, 2301195. Email: admin@ advertising-myanmar.com www.advertising-myanmar. com

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

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

CONSTRUCTION

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

CAFS

BEAUTY & MASSAGE

Qi Foot Spa At Inya Lake Hotel, Yangon. Tel: +951-662866, 662857 Ext: 1725 Zen Wellness Care No.62 (A), Rm-3, Yaw Min Gyi St, Dagon Tsp, Yangon. Tel: +951-252939.

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

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.

La Brasserie (International) PARKROYAL Yangon. 33, Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Tsp. tel : 250388. Cafe de Angel Always Pure & Fresh No.24, Baho Rd, Ahlone Tsp. tel : 703449 Opening Hour: 9 am to 11 pm

DUTY FREE

GENERATORS
Heavy Equipments & Genset

FITNESS CENTRE
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.

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, Bldg(A), Rm (G-02), Pyay Rd, Kamayut Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 52717, 09 51 70528

We are moving to: 17, 2nd street, Hlaing Yadanarmon Housing, Hlaing Township, Yangon. Tel: 500143, 500144, 500145.

Winning Way No. 589-592, Bo Aung Kyaw St, Yangon-Pathein highway Road. Hlaing Thayar Tsp. Tel: 951645178-182, 685199, Fax: 951-645211, 545278. e-mail: mkt-mti@ winstrategic.com.mm

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

INYA1 Resturant & Bar No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com Traders Caf Traders Hotel, Yangon. #223, Sule Pagoda Rd. Tel: 242828 ext: 6519

EDUCATION CENTRE
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: ask@rvcenre.com.sg The British Council 92, Strand Rd, Kyauktada Tsp. tel: 254658.

HOME FURNISHING

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

BATTERY

CHOCOLATE
ISO 9001:2008 (QMS)

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

HEALTH SERvICES

SR 22/1, Next to the Pearl Shopping Centre, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 544297, 549527, 700777. email: eros@ mptmail.net.mm.

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.

G-A, Ground Floor, Pearl Center, Kabaraye Pagoda Road, Yangon. Tel: 09 500 6880 Email: chocolateheaven. sale@gmail.com

FLORAL SERvICES

81, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 548022, 542979, 553783, 09-8030847, 09-730-56079. Email: asiapacific. myanmar@gmail.com.

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. vejthani@myanmar.com.mm www.vejthani.com

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.

BOOK STORES

COLD STORAGE

ELECTRICAL

LEGAL SERvICE
U Min Sein, BSc, RA, CPA.,RL Advocate of the Supreme Court 83/14 Pansodan St, Yangon. tel: 253 273. uminsein@mptmail.net.mm

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

Est. 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

Est. 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 & Banyardala Rd, 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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April 16 - 22, 2012
SCHOOLS
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. Streamline Education 24, Myasabai Rd, Parami, Myangone Tsp. tel: 662304, 09-500-6916. No.35(b), Tatkatho Yeik Mon Housing, New University Avenue, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 951-549451, 557219, 540730. www.yangon-academy.org Myanmar. Tel: 95-1-535783, 527705, 501429. Fax: 95-1-527705. Email: salesikon@myanmar.com.mm Junction Mawtin Bogyoke Aung San Rd, Cor of Wadan St. Lanmadaw Tsp. Tel: Junction Square Pyay Rd, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 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, Tel: 545871~73 Super 1 (Shwe Bonthar) 397, Bogyoke Aung San St, Pabedan. Tel: 250268~29 Victoria Shwe Pone Nyet Yeik Mon, Bayint Naung Rd, Kamaryut Tsp. Tel : 515136. 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. Kan Yeik Tha Road Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp. Yangon, Myamar. 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

MyanMar tiMes

OFFICE FURNITURE

Monday to Saturday (9am to 6pm) No. 797, MAC Tower II, Room -4, Ground Floor, Bogyoke Aung San Road, Lamadaw Township, Yangon, Myanmar. Tel: (951) 212944 Ext: 303 sales.centuremyanmar@ gmail.com www.centure.in.th

PLEASURE CRUISES

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

Tel: 299255~9, Ext: 7801, 7802 Fax: 382917 reception@ kandawgyipalace-hotel. com www.kandawgyipalacehotel.com

RESTAURANTS
Kan Yeik Tha Road Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp. Yangon, Myamar. Taste Paradise Chinese Restaurant

Horizon Intl School 25, Po Sein Road, Bahan Tsp, tel : 541085, 551795, 551796, 450396~7. fax : 543926, email : contact@horizonmyanmar. com, www.horizon.com Bldg No. 12, Yangon Intl Compound, Ahlone Road. Tel: 09-431-85008, 09-731-60662. sales@corrianderleaf.com ILBC 180, Thunandar 9th Lane, Thumingalar Housing, Thingungyung.tel: 562401.

SOLAR SYSTEM
The Brightest AC CFL Bulb 21, 9th St, Lanmadaw Tsp. Ph: 212243, 216861, 216864. spsolarstation@ gmail.com. www. spsolarstation.com

STEEL CONSTRUCTION

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

Lunch/Dinner/Catering 555539, 536174 Black Canyon Coffee & International Thai Cuisine 330, Ahlone Rd, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 0980 21691, 395052. email: blackcanyon@ yangon. net.mm.

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

Tel: 299255~9, Ext: 7778 Fax: 382917 reception@ kandawgyipalace-hotel. com www.kandawgyipalacehotel.com

The Ritz Exclusive Lounge Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Ground Floor, Tel: 544500 Ext 6243, 6244

ILBC IGCSE SCHOOL No.(34), Laydauntkan Road, Tamwe Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 542982, 545720, 549106,545736,400156 Fax: 541040 Email: info@ilbc.net.mm www.ilbcedu.com ISM Intl School W 22/24, Mya Kan Thar Housing, Hlaing Tsp. tel:530082, 530083. International School Yangon 20, Shwe Taung Kyar St, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 512793.

PEB Steel Buildings 60 (A), Halpin Road, Yangon. Tel: 01-218223, 218224. Fax: 218224. marketing@pebsteel.com. mm www.pebsteel.com.mm

SUPERMARKETS
Asia Light 106, Set Yone Rd.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. 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,

TRAvEL AGENTS

No.430(A), Corner of Dhamazedi Rd & Golden Valley Rd, Building(2) Market Place (City Mart), Bahan Tsp, Yangon. Tel : 01-523840(Ext-309), 09-73208079. Kohaku Japanese Restaurant Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon 40, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp, Lobby Level, Tel: 544500 Ext 6231

PAINT

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

REMOvALISTS

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.

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

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. Sun Far Travels & Tours 27, Ground flr, 38th st, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel: 380888.

Admissions Office: No. 44, Than Lwin Road, Bahan Township, Yangon. Tel: 535433, 09-850-3073. Email: rviacademygn@ rvcentre.com.sg

WATER HEATERS

Enchanting and Romantic, a Bliss on the Lake 62 D, U Tun Nyein Road, Mayangon Tsp, Yangon Tel. 01 665 516, 660976 Mob. 09-512-7795 operayangon@gmail.com www.operayangon.com

95, Anawrahta Rd. 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.

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 worldwide@mptmail.net.mm

INYA1 Resturant & Bar No.(1), Inya Road, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 01-527506 email: inyaone@gmail.com www.inya1.com

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

Kan Yeik Tha Road Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp. Yangon, Myamar. Legendary Myanmar Intl Shipping & Logistics Co., Ltd. No-9, Rm (A-4), 3rd Flr, Kyaung St, Myaynigone, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 516827, 523653, 516795. Mobile. 09-512-3049. Email: legandarymyr@ mptmail.net .mm www.LMSL-shipping.com

No.5, U Htun Nyein St, Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd, Mayangone Tsp, Yangon. Tel: 656611, 09-431-35406. Email: info@ mesamisyangon.com

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)

French Restaurant Tel: 299255~9, Ext: 7776 Fax: 382917 reception@ kandawgyipalace-hotel. com www.kandawgyipalacehotel.com

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

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 9@gmail.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 Kangaroo Child Care 55, Aung Min Gaung 1st Rd, Kamayut Tsp. Tel: 501 568, 09 504 7732.

Same as Rinnai Gas cooker and cooker Hood Showroom Address

Water Heater

WEB SERvICES

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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April 16 - 22, 2012
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MyanMar tiMes

In baseballs new order, superpowers abound

By Dave Sheinin BACK in the winter of 2010-11, the baseball landscape was still as simple as global politics was in the 1980s: There were two clear superpowers, and a bunch of smaller but still-dangerous wannabes whose resources couldnt quite keep up with their ambitions. That winter, one of the superpowers, the Boston Red Sox, signed Carl Crawford and traded for Adrian Gonzalez at a total cost of US$296 million in contracts in hopes of maintaining a minidynasty that had produced six playoff appearances and two World Series titles in the previous eight seasons. The other superpower, the New York Yankees, signed a setup reliever, Rafael Soriano, for $35 million, giving them eight players who would make eightfigure salaries in 2011, a season that produced the Yankees 11th division title in 14 years. That same winter, Arte Moreno, owner of the Los Angeles Angels, spoke on behalf of all the wannabes. Contemplating Crawfords seven-year Red Sox contract, he lamented: Its crazy Were talking $142 million for one player? Seven years on a player is a huge risk financially. A little more than a year later, as the 2012 baseball season gets under way, it is clear the sports landscape has been altered significantly, and perhaps permanently. The balance of power has not so much shifted as splintered in all directions, and the notion of two giant superpowers lording over baseball is as outdated as a Cold War-era Hollywood thriller. There were still hundreds of millions of dollars being spent this past winter, but it wasnt coming out of New York or Boston, as both the Yankees and Red Sox mostly sat out the free agent market while preaching austerity. Instead, it came out of Miami, where the new-look Marlins, no longer penny-pinchers, shelled out nearly $200 million for Jose Reyes, Heath Bell and Mark Buehrle. It came out of Detroit, where the television deals, both with Fox Sports, worth a reported $3 billion each, developments that have pushed those franchises into the second tier of large-market teams, in terms of revenues, just behind the Yankees. Similarly, a move this season into a new, taxpayerfunded stadium, with an expected sharp increase in revenues, has emboldened the Marlins. Some of the new TV contracts are game-changers, in terms of revenues, Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said. There are always going to be haves and have-nots, but things have gotten very competitive now. In fact, while it may not be accurate to say the Angels and Rangers have replaced the Yankees and Red Sox as baseballs true superpowers, it is not a stretch to say their AL West rivalry, in terms of sheer star power and gamesmanship, may have eclipsed that of the AL East rivals as the most essential and entertaining in the game. In the past two years alone, they have poached each others players (Wilson going from the Rangers to Angels, Vladimir Guerrero the other direction), outbid each other (the Rangers signing of Adrian Beltre) and gotten into protracted Twitter wars (Wilson and Mike Napoli). Id say were at least on the same level, said Vernon Wells, the Angels veteran outfielder, on the respective rivalries. Theres more history to Yankees-Red Sox, obviously, but if youre talking about great teams who are targeting each other, the Angels and Rangers are right there. The Angels signing of Pujols, to be sure, was spurred in no small measure by the Rangers ascendancy in the AL West, a division the Angels had dominated with five titles between 2004 and 2009. And that, perhaps better than anything else, sums up where baseball is in 2012. Thanks to new revenue streams and competitive balance, anyone can be a superpower, and no one has the slightest idea anymore what constitutes crazy. The Washington Post

Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a home run against the San Francisco Giants in Phoenix, Arizona on April 6. Pic: AFP Tigers emerged out of nowhere to snatch up slugger Prince Fielder for $214 million. It came out of Texas, where the Rangers spent a record $111.7 million to acquire Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish. And look who tops the list of baseballs wildest spenders in the winter of 2011-12: Thats right: Moreno and the Angels. If $142 million and seven years was crazy, what does that make $240 million and 10 years? Thats what the Angels spent on Albert Pujols, who turned 32 one month after his deal was done. Baseball, noted sports economist Andrew Zimbalist told the Associated Press in the aftermath, needs to have steroids testing for owners. Wilson, who had helped the Rangers to back-to-back American League pennants in 2010 and 2011 before reaching free agency, is an example of how baseballs new world order has affected the talent market. Everybody was used to the Yankees and Red Sox being the big players, he said. This year was an anomaly in that those teams didnt drive the market. But was it really an anomaly, or a sign of a permanently altered economic landscape? Its true that both the Yankees and Red Sox found themselves more or less tapped out this winter due largely to big expenditures in previous winters the Red Sox by the Gonzalez and Crawford deals of the year before, the Yankees by the Mark Teixeira-CC SabathiaAJ Burnett haul (total cost: $423.5 million) of the winter of 2008-09. The Yankees also spent $122 million this winter to retain Sabathia. Timing is everything, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. This winter, with where we were with our financial commitments, it forced us to not be as aggressive in the free agent market. That wont be the case every winter. But there were other factors, besides the natural boom-andbust cycle of high-end rosterbuilding, that fuelled this winters global shift. For one thing, baseballs new collective bargaining agreement, with its increased penalties for exceeding luxury-tax thresholds, has gotten the attention of the Yankees and Red Sox who paid $13.9 million and $3.4 million, respectively, in luxury taxes in 2011, figures that will rise significantly in future years if they remain over the thresholds. For the Yankees, the publicly stated target is getting their payroll, currently around $210 million, under $189 million by 2014, which would allow them a one-time reset of their tax rate, from its current 42.5 percent to 17.5pc. Yes, that [$189 million] is a real number, and were going to be shooting for it, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner told reporters this spring. Im just not convinced we need to be as high [in payroll] as weve been in the past to field a championship-calibre team. At the same time, both the Rangers and Angels have been bolstered by new 20-year

Bahrain unrest continually monitored, say FIA

PARIS Motor racing chiefs admitted that they are continually monitoring the violent unrest in Bahrain as pressure grows to cancel the Gulf kingdoms Formula One Grand Prix, scheduled for April 22. The FIA is in daily contact with the highest authorities, the principal European embassies and, of course, the local and international promoters, the international motor racing federation said in a statement released to AFP. The FIA is the guarantor of race security and in each country counts on local authorities to guarantee this security. On this point, we have been regularly assured by the highest authorities in Bahrain that all the security challenges are under control. Former world champion Damon Hill had previously demanded a rethink over staging the race. Hill was part of a factfinding mission to Bahrain, which also included FIA chief Jean Todt, earlier this year and expressed his support for a return of the event which had been cancelled in 2011. But a violent crackdown on demonstrations has continued, prompting Shiite activists to demand the race be scrapped. What we must put above all else is what will be the penalty in terms of human cost if the race goes ahead? Hill told The Guardian. It would be a bad state of affairs, and bad for Formula One, to be seen to be enforcing martial law in order to hold the race. That is not what this sport should be about. Looking at it today youd have to say that the race could be creating more problems than its solving. Hill said he is not arguing for the race to cancelled again, but insists the FIA must review the situation. I hope the FIA are considering the implications of this fully and that events in Bahrain are not seen as they are often sold, as a bunch of yobs throwing Molotov cocktails, because thats a gross simplification, Hill said. If they believe that, they ought be more wary. You dont get 100,000 people risking their lives in protest for nothing. If we go, we all go, but there is obviously still a great deal of pain, anger and tension in Bahrain. It would be better for F1 to make it clear it properly understands this, and that it wants only the best for all Bahrain, or whatever country

Pic: AFP A Bahraini Shiite demonstrator holds a poster of jailed activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja as another makes the victory sign during protests calling for his release on April 6. it visits. I think F1 is sailing very close to this limit. But there is an even more troubling thought, which is this: is F1 playing brinkmanship for purely financial reasons while people are putting their lives in peril to protest against this event? The Bahrain Grand Prix was cancelled in 2011 due to the unrest that gripped the Shiite-majority state after a mid-March crackdown on protests demanding democratic reforms that would challenge the power of the Sunni Al-Khalifa ruling dynasty. Formula One ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone has insisted that the outbreak of fresh violence will not affect this years race. According to an independent probe, 35 people were killed in the unrest between midFebruary and mid-March 2011. AFP

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April 16 - 22, 2012

MyanMar tiMes

First Arab sumo wrestler chases historic title in Japan

By Shigemi Sato TOKYO With legs resembling tree trunks and packing the body weight of two average-sized men, sumo wrestlings Great Sandstorm would seem a good fit for the wildly popular Japanese sport. But Egypts Abdelrahman Ahmed Shaalan, the first professional sumo wrestler from both the African continent and Arab world, faces some mighty challenges as he embarks on a quest to become a yokozuna, or grand champion. The man known by the ring name Osunaarashi, which translates as Great Sandstorm, prays five times a day as a devout Muslim, a tough routine given the intense daily training schedule required for sumos highly ritualised contests. Small in number, foreigners are vital members of tradition-bound sumo as more Japanese youngsters with high athletic abilities tend to choose baseball, football and other lucrative or more high-profile sports with less rigid conventions. Mongolians have been a dominant force in the top ranks for years, although Shaalan is among the sports first Muslim competitors. As such, the 20-year-old does not touch the deep-fried pork cutlets loved by millions of Japanese or drink vast quantities of beer and rice wine sake, staples of a diet that sumo wrestlers rely on to bulk up. Muslims avoid pork and alcohol. But Shaalan, who quit his university accounting degree to enter sumos professional ranks, is undeterred, even brushing aside the challenges presented by the holy month of Ramadan when he cannot eat or drink during daylight hours. Regular sumo tournaments are held in the afternoon. I am confident that I can overcome my challenges, the burly wrestler told Japanese media last month after winning his first two professional-level matches at a tournament in the western city of Osaka. Shaalan, a native of Giza, which is home to Egypts pyramids, insisted he was able to train for at least four hours in the daytime during the Islamic celebration. I want to become a wrestler who represents Arab and African nations ... My dream is to become a yokozuna, said the Egyptian, who stands at 189 centimetres (6 ft 2 ins) and weighs 145 kilograms (320 pounds). He did, however, concede: I am a little bit worried. But no problem. Japans sumo association could not say whether the Great Sandstorm is the sports first Muslim competitor. There have been unconfirmed reports of Muslim sumo wrestlers in the past. His coach, a former wrestler known as Otake, has promised hell keep his new recruit in top shape, even changing the recipe for a meat, vegetable and fish stew known as Chankonabe which wrestlers devour on a daily basis. When we serve pork cutlet, we prepare chicken cutlet for him. When we use pork for Chankonabe, we let him eat something else, the coach said. But I want him to get used to the customs and traditions of the sumo world otherwise. Shaalans coach is most concerned about keeping his young apprentice focused amid the media storm sparked by the newcomers spectacular debut, which included dumping his Japanese opponent with a powerful arm throw. It was very exciting, declared the novice, who was not allowed to do a oneon-one interview under sumo association guidelines for new recruits. Otake was less enthusiastic about the victories that earned Shaalan a coveted spot in the sports bi-monthly tournaments, although he will start at the bottom of the rankings at the next meeting in May. He needed to crouch lower in exchanging thrusts, the sumo master said, adding that his apprentice was not flexible enough to do the splits. I will teach him to become more humble as his ranking rises. Shaalans arrival in the pro ranks came after he won an open-class bronze medal at the 2008 world junior sumo championships and an over-100 kilogram bronze at the 2010 edition. Despite its popularity, the sport has suffered in recent years with a hugely damaging bout-fixing scandal that infuriated the public and forced the resignations of about two dozen wrestlers and a stablemaster. Sometimes brutal training methods and allegations of illegal drug use have also come under the microscope. None of that is likely to turn off the determined Shaalan, whose love affair with sumo began at the age of 15 when he was invited by a friend to a practice session. I was impressed by the strength of sumo wrestlers who behaved as if nothing had happened even after they lost or got tired, he said. I want the world to understand sumo. AFP

A man (left) celebrates after his dog wins a fight during a fighting match in Tangdhe Sayedan, Punjab on February 29. Pic: AFP

Dogfights thrive in rural Pakistan

By Khurram Shahzad TANGDHE SAYEDAN, Pakistan Fighting can be a way of life in parts of Talibanscourged Pakistan, but on the farms it is more likely to be dogs who are in training for their own violent and bloody battles. Officially banned by the government and condemned as cruel by animal rights groups, thousands of wealthy Pakistani farmers, landowners and businessmen use the quiet winter months to indulge a passion for bloody bulldog fights. I love Moti just like my kids. Hes a source of pride, crowed a jubilant Malik Tassaduq Hussain after his dog won a fight in Tangdhe Sayedan, a village in Punjab province, 110 kilometres (70 miles) east of Islamabad. To the din of drum beats and flutes, men hoisted Moti onto their shoulders, danced through the crowds and showered the animal with banknotes after thousands watched him bite and tear his way to victory on a secluded plateau. In villages such as these, fights between bulldogs, known as booly in Punjabi, provide one of the few forms of entertainment while crops grow. The rules are brutally simple: the dogs fight until one bleeds to death, runs off, or until the owner takes pity and withdraws the animal from battle, handing the opponent victory. Winning owners can get small prizes such as trophies, cell phones, or televisions while some organizers give prize money ranging from 5,000 rupees (US$55) to 100,000 rupees, depending on what the organizers can afford. We organise these festivals because we love dog fights. Every organiser chooses his own or associates land in the village to stage these fights. Its a hobby of the powerful, said Abdul Ghaffar, a local organiser. A champion like Moti, whose name means Pearl, costs hundreds of dollars a month in food and requires extensive training before the annual fighting season, which runs from late September to late March. Hussain explains Motis complicated, and expensive diet. We give him two litres of milk, one kilogram of meat, butter and a supplement of an apple everyday. It costs us 50,000 rupees ($548) every month, said the 59-year-old farmer. Half my family is settled in Britain and my brother, who is a lawyer over there, gives me money to feed the dog and keep our familys honour. Moti is two years old but spent a year training for his first fight, running behind a motorcycle for more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) a day, Hussain said. Those who win, bring honour and pride to the owners. But its a different story for those who lose. Please dont ask me anything. I am disturbed. My dog lost, said one young man in his early twenties. I have no courage to speak, it is shame, he added, rubbing salt into his dogs wounds to stop them becoming infected. As with bans on terror groups that allow organisations to rename themselves and carry on largely unchecked, Pakistan does little to enforce the prohibition on dog fights and the industry they attract. Traders set up tea and snack stalls around the field. There are organised parking contracts and every fight is filmed. Videos of major fights go on sale. There is an unwritten calendar of meets, and every fan, dog owner and stall holder knows when and where to ship up within 200 kilometres. I go to every fight and set up my stall everywhere. I earn around 3,000 rupees ($33) a day which is much more than what I get from my shop, Ishtiaq Ahmed, 45, said. Police say they do raid fights and arrest culprits but Punjab police spokeswoman Nabeela Ghazanfar concedes that most get bail. The maximum penalty six months in jail and a fine equivalent to $11 is hardly prohibitive and activists want the government to do more to outlaw dog fights, which they say are wrong and cruel. Many dogs die due to wounds after the fights. Fighting dogs develop skin diseases and many of their wounds do not heal, said Nasim Ahmad, secretary in Pakistan for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals. Zulfiqar Otho, a vet who volunteers for the Pakistan Animal Welfare Society, said that owners of losing dogs sometimes shoot them after fights and that on average, one dog dies per festival. They are rich businessmen, feudal lords, members of the parliament and other bigwigs of society. They influence police through their stature and money ... Police cant move against the will of these people, he said. But the fans are unperturbed. God created dogs to fight and bite, said farmer Chaudhry Javed. Even if we dont arrange this, theyll fight each other, he added. AFP

First ever African sumo wrestler, Abdelrahman Ahmed Shaalan of Egypt, ring name Osunaarashi, celebrates winning his debut bout in Osaka on March 13. Pic: AFP

tImESsPORt
Mourinho anticipates tough battle with Bayern
By Dermot Ledwith MADRID Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho predicted bitter rivals Barcelona would reach the Champions League final but was not sure whether his side would be strong enough to beat Bayern Munich and join them. The Portuguese tactician winner of the trophy with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010 was speaking ahead of their semi-final clash against the German giants later this month. Mourinho, whose side lead champions Barcelona by six points in the Spanish league, said he foresaw few problems for holders Barcelona in their semi-final against one of his former teams Chelsea in their semi-final. Our semi will be a difficult match for both sides, but I am sure Barca will be the other finalist as they have such a good side, he said. Bayern will obviously be a strong rival, they are a very powerful club both on and off the pitch with great fans and its a semi-final we all want to play, I think Europe in general will enjoy it, he added. His compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo echoed his sentiments about their next opponents, who have been crowned European champions four times. Bayern are one of the teams that can win the trophy so they will be a difficult opponent for us, said Ronaldo, whose double strike against APOEL took his tally for the season to 49 goals. Real go into the Bayern clash with a near perfect Champions League record this season, winning nine out of ten games, and Mourinho said that having missed out in previous years his players are determined to land the trophy this time round. We will have players back from injury so we are well prepared for a difficult April, he said. These players have failed to get to the final in the past few years so it is normal that they will be extra motivated to get past Bayern. We will have a tough first game in their stadium before bringing them to the Bernabeu but lets see if we can all do enough to get through to that final. AFP

April 16 - 22, 2012

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta (centre) scores past AC Milans goalkeeper Chistian Abbiati at the Camp Nou on April 3, helping to set up the grudge match with Chelsea. Iniesta also scored the winning goal against them in 2009. Pic: AFP

Chelsea on Barca revenge mission

By Steve Griffiths LONDON Roberto Di Matteo admits Chelsea will be motivated by revenge when they face Barcelona in an potentially explosive Champions League semi-final showdown. Many of Chelseas current stars can still feel the emotional scars from Barcas controversial Champions League semi-final victory over the Blues in 2009. Chelsea, managed then by caretaker boss Guus Hiddink, felt they were denied several clear penalties before Andres Iniestas last-gasp strike sent Barca through to the final on away goals. The sense of injustice prompted Chelsea striker Didier Drogba to abuse Norway referee Tom Henning Ovrebo on the pitch after the final whistle, while several other players hinted they had been cheated. That was the last meeting between two clubs whose rivalry has been become increasingly bitter since first erupting during Jose Mourinhos time in charge at Stamford Bridge. Now Chelsea, 3-1 aggregate winners against Benfica in the quarter-finals, have a chance to avenge that loss by ending Barcas reign as European champions and Blues interim boss Di Matteo says his players are determined to seize the opportunity. We have faced them a lot of times over the years and a lot of our players have some history against Barcelona, Di Matteo said. Certainly they feel a bit hard done by from when we played against them three years ago. Barca have proved themselves Europes pre-eminent force twice in the last three seasons and they look in the mood to collect yet another title this year. Lionel Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and company brushed aside AC Milan in their quarter-final and have plenty of motivation to reach the final again themselves as arch rivals Real Madrid could be lying in wait in Munich. Few teams in Europe have been able to find an answer to the problems posed by Barcas bewildering array of attacking options, but Di Matteo insists he is looking forward to the challenge. It will be exciting to play two games against one of the best teams in the world. We will find a strategy that will suit our team and our players to face Barcelona, he said. They have some individuals that are a big threat and very dangerous, but we also have to play our game and play to our strengths. They have reached the final and won the trophy many times but I am looking forward to the two games. It will be exciting to play Barcelona again. Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou insists Barcelona have weaknesses that his side can exploit when they meet in the Champions League semi-finals this month. While Barcas strength lies in the world-class skill of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi, Ivory Coast star Kalou is less impressed with their back-four. They have their weaknesses, Kalou said. We know that they havent been so confident at the back, conceding a lot of goals, so that is something we can play on. People see the way Barcelona play today and they can say, Chelsea have no chance against Barcelona. But, as a player for Chelsea, we work hard every day in training and we believe that on the pitch is the only way of answering all those negative thoughts. Our fans expect us to win, we expect to win. Although Barcelona are rightly regarded as Europes preeminent force at present, Kalou points to their failure to keep pace with Jose Mourinhos Real Madrid in the Spanish league this term as proof they are not invincible. Everyone forgets that Madrid are having a great season with Jose, Kalou said. Right now, if we had played Madrid, people would not say that Chelsea has no chance. But, because its Barca, because they have Messi and all those players, people are thinking that we cant make it. The Chelsea players know that this is one game and, in one game, everything can happen. AFP