February
16, 2018
(Continued
from 13-2-2018)
Media
Access
25.
After the incident in October, 2016, eight media tours were arranged for
domestic and international media to visit Maungdaw area and IDP camps in
Rakhine State to date. The domestic and international media were also sponsored
to accompany on two of the field visits of diplomatic heads from the foreign
missions in Myanmar and the military personnel. Currently media access is being
provided to domestic and international media twice a month.
26.
In order to improve information sharing related to Rakhine State, not only the
state-owned media but also the social media such as Facebook and Twitter are
used. May Yu FM, with the broadcast range covering the Maungdaw District, has
been broadcasting educational and awareness programs in Myanmar, Rakhine and
Bengali languages six times a day. Radios are also provided free to the local
communities.
Education
27.
The projects and activities implemented in the education sector in Rakhine
State from April to December, 2017 are listed below:
(a)
Out of 424 schools that were closed after the violent incident, 290 schools
have been reopened.
(b)
Stipend of MMK 28.53 million and 4,000 school uniforms in a total value of MMK
8.00 million were supported to 2,189 basic education students in Rakhine State.
(c)
MMK 22.5 million has been supported to 450 teachers assigned in Maungdaw and
Buthidaung Township in Rakhine State. Security is being provided by the
Government for its staff.
(d)
In order to assist 61 local Muslim students to be able sit in the examinations
of the University of Distance Education, intensive courses were offered at the
Government Technical Institute (GTI) in Thandwe from 27-10-2017 to 29-11-2017.
(e)
9 Muslim students were admitted at the University of Distance Education
(Sittwe) and 39 Muslim students at the University of Distance Education
(Toungup).
(f)
Pilot projects for literacy campaign are planned in Shwe Zaa, Maung Ni, Pan Taw
Pyin, Shwe Zaa Sayti Pyin and Thayet Oat villages for the children from local
Muslim communities to gain basic Myanmar language skills.
(g)Education
is being provided to the students from IDP camps at Thetkaepyin Ywama
post-primary school, Thinganet post-primary school and Tharyargone post-primary
school. The students who completed their studies at those schools can continue
their education at Thetkaepyingone high school. Teacher trainings will be
provided to those who have not completed the trainings.
Health
28.
Awareness has been raised among all the communities in Rakhine State to get the
message across that anyone can access healthcare services. As a result,
healthcare services were provided as shown in the following table.
29.
At every hospital and healthcare center, the signboards, giving information in
Rakhine, Bengali and English languages, are posted to inform that everyone is
welcome to seek healthcare services and also that hospitals and healthcare
centers are “protected zones” where the people coming to receive care are
granted with a safe environment.
30.
Health education and health news reports are regularly broadcast in Bengali
language on May Yu FM radio as parts of its program. Five topics on health
education programmes were broadcast in October, five in November, and increased
to seven in December.
31.
The Community Health Care Training was conducted for two times and joined by a
total of 72 community health workers, including Muslim health workers.
32.
197 items of medicines and hospital equipment were provided to 24 public
hospitals within Rakine State. Likewise, medicines and medical equipment, X-ray
machine and laboratory equipment were also provided to Tanung Pyo Letwe
Hospital in Maungdaw Township.
33.
At Buthidaung Township Hospital, it has been planned to set up a small blood
bank with the support of JICA. Arrangements have been made to procure necessary
machines and equipment including cold chain cabinet powered with solar system
to store blood and to transport them to the Hospital.
34.
So as to have a proportionate ratio between the population and health personnel
in Rakhine State, 34 new doctors, one new dentist and 64 new nurses have
already been recruited and appointed. As part of the government program to
increase healthcare capacity, a total number of 430 nurses and midwives were
trained at the Nurses and Midwives Training Institute (Sittwe) as well as a
total number of 101 trainees were trained in a six-month training course on
Public Health Supervisor (Grade 2) in Sittwe.
35.
As one of the efforts to upgrade health infrastructure in Rakhine State, a
master plan on upgrading of Sittwe General Hospital is being drafted and survey
activities for measuring hospital buildings both inside and outside as well as
topographic survey have been conducted. The activities to be implemented phase
by phase have been prioritized.
36.
To contribute to combatting malnutrition across the state, a survey is being
conducted to assess the nutritional status and physical growth of the children
in Rakhine State. A total of 30 enumeration areas (EAs) are selected and the
survey has been completed in 4 EAs and is still ongoing in 2 EAs. In the
routine nutrition program, the nutritional status of the children is regularly
checked and 37 kinds of nutrition supplements and other medicines including
vitamin tablets and micronutrient tablets have been provided to date.
37.
During the reporting period, healthcare personnel, including Muslim healthcare
workers, were trained on immunization. Supplementary oral polio immunization
campaigns were conducted in Rakhine State and those campaigns also covered
Maungdaw Township and Buthidaung Township. The campaigns benefitted 79,196
children as the first batch and 71,330 children as the second batch in Maungdaw
Township as well as the first batch of 57,587 and the second batch of 57,587
children in Buthidaung Township. Similarly, the Japanese Encephalitis mass
immunization campaigns reached 28,265 children in Maungdaw and 34,507 children
in Buthidaung.
38.
As part of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), 614 children under one
and 137 pregnant women were provided required vaccines in Muslim villages
within Pauktaw Township.
Drugs
39.
To reduce the threats of drug abuse, the following measures were carried out:
(a)
Two trainings for Volunteer Narcotic Drug Supervisors were conducted, with a
focus on reducing drug abuse and the rehabilitation of those who had stopped
using narcotic drugs.
(b)
Legal actions were taken against a total of 18 personnel, two police officers
and 16 police of other ranks who were found guilty in narcotics related
corruption cases.
(c)
To raise awareness about narcotics among the public, 441 educational talks were
conducted, gathering 21,697 people including students.
(d)
From 1 January 2017 to 22 November 2017, there were a total number of 138
drug-related crimes investigated in Rakhine State and 191 people were brought
to court. Different kinds of narcotic drugs which were worth about MMK 65
million were seized.
Communal
Participation and Representation
40.
Restrictions on registration of civil society organizations have been relaxed
and a total of 88 organizations have been registered during the reporting
period.
41.
In accordance with the Ward/Village Tract Administration Law and Rules, the new
elections for ten- and hundred- household heads were held and a total number of
1,063 heads were elected in 151 wards and 912 village tracts.
42.
Terms of reference and code of ethics for the Camp Management Committee in IDP
camps are under review for amendments.
Inter-communal
Cohesion
43.
The activities undertaken for inter-communal cohesion are summarized below.
(a)
The Committee for Implementation of the Recommendations on Rakhine State met
and discussed with members of 15 CSOs and youth representatives in Rakhine
State on 28 October 2017.
(b)
The Diversity Management in the Age of Globalization Forum was held in Nay Pyi
Taw on 21 and 22 November, which gathered national and international experts,
people from all walks of life and people from different communities of Rakhine
State. After the Forum, a meeting on local development and inter-communal
cohesion was convened with the participation of the representatives from
religious organizations in Rakhine State, various ethnic groups, and minority
groups at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.
(c)
As a cultural communication and mass participatory movement, an audition was
conducted on 25 September, 2017 for Peace Music Festival in Sittwe, Rakhine
State.
Security
Sector
44.
To strengthen the security in Rakhine State, the following measures were taken.
(a)
A total number of 30 police officers and police of other ranks from Myanmar
Police Force attended Community Policing (Multiplier) Training Course No.
(1/2017). 10 police officers from Myanmar Police Force also joined the
Community Policing Training conducted in Japan.
(b)
Systematic Crowd Management (Multiplier) Training Course No. (1/2017) was
provided to 130 police officers and police of other ranks.
(c)(Multiplier)
Training on Gender-Based Violence was conducted for 30 police officers and
police of other ranks from Myanmar Police Force.
(d)
All the police personnel on duty are required to wear visible name badges.
(e)
14 CCTV cameras were installed at the checkpoints of No. (1) Border Guard
Police Headquarters, the police squad stations and Chaung Pauk Wa police
outpost.
(f)
Local Dialect Training Course No. (1/2017) was delivered to 30 police officers
and police of other ranks from Rakhine State.
(g)
13 police officers and 14 police of other ranks, totaling 27 policemen were
found guilty of violating police code of conducts and the actions were taken
against them in accordance with Myanmar Police Force Discipline Maintenance
Law.
Access
to Justice
45.
The civil servants of the judicial sector of Rakhine State were sent to the
following trainings and workshops related to the principles and procedures of
rule of law:
(a)
Fair Trial Standards, and Human Rights Additional Refresher Training delivered
at Rakhine State High Court, jointly organized by Union Supreme Court and UNDP;
(b)
Multiplier training on the principles of rule of law, access to justice,
accountability and transparency, gender equality and international standards
for justice conducted at Thandwe District Court, joined by 10 trainees from 21
to 25 October, 2017, at Kyaukphyu District Court, joined by 9 trainees from 11
to 16 December, 2017.
Cultural
Development
46.
The following activities have been carried out, among others, to promote
cultural development in Rakhine State:
(a)
As part of the efforts made for the inclusion of Mrauk U on the UNESCO’s list
of World Heritage sites, GIS Team is making field visits to the villages in
Mrauk U area; the hill where the Mrauk U Palace is situated and its surrounding
areas are cleaned up; awareness is raised among the communities in the urban
wards for proper disposal of waste; and stone posts are set up for use as signs
of demarcation of zones.
(b)
Manuscript copies of stone inscriptions in the Mruak U Museum have been
underway, namely Pyaingcha, O Htain, Wunti Nat Taung, Zonedat Letyarpyanchi,
Htayin Nawin, Pangonethein Pagoda, U Mya Wah, Shitthaung Pagoda, Bawdi Shwegu,
Lesekan Wall stone, and Vesali Period inscriptions.
(c)
Manuscript copies of stone inscriptions in the Sittwe Cultural Museum have also
been in progress, namely a part of throne with inscription and stone
inscriptions in Sanskrit language, Bukwe stone inscriptions from Pyinlegaung
Temple and an anonymous stone inscription.
(d)
The applications for Sri Moha Dev Bari Hindu Temple and U Ye Kyaw Thu Monastery
to be conserved and protected as historic buildings were submitted.
(e)
In addition, the historical data of the following historic, cultural and
religious sites and monuments in Sittwe have been collected and documented:
Sadhamma Jotikayone Temple which was built in 1885; U Sandima Temple two lion
statues built in 1879; Theintawgyi in Amyotha Temple built in 1254 ME; Shwepya
Temple built in 1901 and Theintawgyi built in 1916 within the compound of
Shwepya Temple.
Border
Issues and the Bilateral Relationship with Bangladesh
47.
The improvements achieved in dealing with border issues, bilateral relationship
with Bangladesh, and border trade and investments are briefly described below.
(a)
During the visit of Minister for Home Affairs of Bangladesh in October, 2017,
the “MoU on Establishment of Border Liaison Office – BLOs” and “MoU on Security
Dialogue and Cooperation” were signed between the two countries on 24 October,
2017.
(b)
For the purpose of enhancing bilateral trade and investments, the two countries
are taking turns hosting Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meetings once a year. As a
result, the total export, import and trade achieved were USD 0.222 million, USD
0.002 million, and USD 0.224 million respectively.
(c)
Maungdaw Trade Center could resume its trade activities starting from 14 October,
2017 and it has achieved USD 0.397 million worth of the total export to date.
Regional
Relations
48.
The Government is briefing and updating neighbouring countries in the ASEAN
Region, on a regular basis, on the situations in Rakhine State and its policies
and plans on Rakhine State via the following various ways – communications with
ASEAN embassies in Myanmar; communications, through Myanmar embassies, with the
governments of the neighbouring countries and the ambassadors of other foreign
embassies based in those respective countries; at the ASEAN summits, ASEAN
Foreign Ministers’ Meetings and ASEAN Senior Officials’ meetings; at 13th ASEM
Foreign Ministers’ Meeting; at 31st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Disaster
Management and related meetings; and also during receptions of responsible
persons from international organizations.
Implementation
of the Commission’s Recommendations
49.
The Government is making every effort for effective implementation of the
recommendations of the Commission and some of these efforts are outlined below.
(a)
“The Committee for Implementation of the Recommendations on Rakhine State”
chaired by the Union Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement was
established with 19 members, through the Order No. 83/2017 dated 9 October,
2017.
(b)
During the year 2017, 10 coordination meetings of the Committee were held with
a focus on supporting and coordinating immediate, short-term and long-term
plans and priorities to be carried out by respective ministries for successful
implementation of the recommendations on Rakhine State.
(c)
The Secretariat of the Committee for Implementation of the Recommendations on
Rakhine State is operated by a multi-disciplinary team formed with a range of
government officers and staff from different related ministries, external IT technicians
and experts on related subject matters.
(d)
The operational expenses for the Secretariat Office of the Committee for
Implementation of the Recommendations on Rakhine State are borne by the
President Office.
(e)
The financial and technical support and contributions needed for different
sectors of the development of Rakhine State have been systematically mobilized
under the leadership of Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance,
Resettlement and Development in Rakhine -UEHRD.
Conclusion
50.
In sum, it is reported to the people that the Government is making continuous
and unremitting efforts to provide sufficient electrical power supply and to
improve transportation and communications, which are fundamental to the
socioeconomic development and creation of employment opportunities in Rakhine
State, and also is stepping up the work for freedom of movement, closure of IDP
camps and national verification process, through special projects, which are
critical elements to end conflict in the long run as well as for strengthened
security arrangements.
Ref;
The Global New Light of Myanmar
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