When Ronan Lee heard that Myanmar's military was in the process of overthrowing the civilian elements of the country's government, including state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, he felt a particular disappointment and concern distinct from others' worries about the state of democracy in the country. He felt "concerned about what it meant for Myanmar and the aspirations of its young people, and for the Rohingya whose situation is always worse when the military have power".
In his new book, Myanmar's Rohingya Genocide, Lee in effect predicted the current seizure of power by the military. "The Tatmadaw [the country's military] has undertaken coups in the past, and enforced decades of dictatorship."
Lee cites scholars (Taeko Hiroi and Sawa Omori) who note that in political systems such as Myanmar's, where the military has significant power but also allows some civilian government to exist in pretence, coups are more likely. This is provided the military has strong popular support – something the instigators of Myanmar's recent coup thought they did.
For years, Myanmar's military and its civilian government have co-operated, in a fashion, in power. This co-operation had tarnished the reputation of Suu Kyi before her latest imprisonment. She spent the past few years defending the military against a grave charge: that of committing one of the century's worst instances of ethnic cleansing, amounting to genocide.
Lee is a scholar of genocide with a focus on the persecution of the Rohingya people of Myanmar, who have been imprisoned and subjected to violence in Rakhine state. More than 700,000 have been driven from the country by the military since 2017, many becoming refugees in neighbouring Bangladesh.
"The Rohingya are now the world's largest stateless group … while those who remain in Myanmar are subject to apartheid conditions, mass incarceration and genocide crimes," Lee writes.
His book documents a litany of these crimes, from direct violence at the hands of the military to the squalid conditions of camps where the Rohingya are housed within Myanmar, where “normal life cannot continue ... educational opportunities are scarce, medical facilities are limited, and there is little hope of work”.
The Rohingya are even provided with degraded identity documents, which reduces their rights to residency and citizenship.
Lee conducted fieldwork in Myanmar and its neighbouring countries, and his book is determined to tell the stories of the Rohingya themselves. But recent events meant we spoke also about the coup, and the activities of the civilian government that preceded it.
We are witnessing a battle of wills between a military that desires total power, and popular aspirations of Myanmar's people for a genuinely democratic future
Is it helpful to understand Myanmar before the coup, as a democracy that it is possible – as some countries now demand – for the military to "restore"?
“Pre-coup Myanmar had elements of procedural democracy, with regular elections, but was far from the kind of system that would be widely understood as real democracy,” Lee says. “The military had a quarter of the seats in parliament reserved for them, could appoint their own government ministers to key portfolios and held a veto on constitutional change.”
What the military did not expect was the strength of popular opposition its seizure of power would encounter. Many across Myanmar have protested against the coup and the measures – such as restricting internet access – the military has used to cement its control.
“We are witnessing a battle of wills between a military that desires total power, and popular aspirations of Myanmar’s people for a genuinely democratic future.”
Before the coup, the civilian government worked closely with the military while the latter perpetrated an alleged genocide. The government did not draw attention to the crimes as they happened, nor condemn those it could not deny. Suu Kyi appeared personally before an International Court of Justice tribunal in defence of the country’s military.
When asked why so many Rohingya were fleeing the country, she feigned puzzlement, saying: "We want to find out why this exodus is happening." In December 2016, Suu Kyi's official Facebook page dismissed well-founded claims of sexual violence perpetrated by the military. These instances shattered her international reputation, something the coup may ironically reverse.
Was her support for the genocide a calculation intended to retain a veneer of civilian control? Suu Kyi’s support “went well beyond what would have been necessary for her to placate the military. She has presented herself to the public in Myanmar at numerous instances as an enthusiastic supporter of the military’s approach to the Rohingya,” Lee says.
“But if acquiescing to genocide crimes, war crimes and other crimes against humanity was the price of keeping the military on-side to avoid a coup, then that price was far too high.”
In any case, the civilian administration was unable to hold on to power. “When the military has power in Myanmar, it is always bad news for the Rohingya,” Lee says.
“Min Aung Hlaing [the coup’s leader] has described removing the Rohingya from Myanmar as ‘unfinished business’ from the Second World War, so it is unlikely now that he has grabbed political power that his views have changed.”
But there is hope. While it was assumed by the military and complicit civilian leadership that the genocide was broadly popular, public resistance to the coup shows the gulf between the military and the people of Myanmar.
“It is in the Rohingya’s collective interest for Myanmar to resist the coup and create a fully democratic country,” Lee says. “That’s why we have seen solidarity from Rohingya refugees with the protesters and even some of Yangon’s usually hidden Rohingya community joining protests in the city to demand real democracy.”
It is possible that if the coup might be resisted, so, too, could the worst excesses of the military.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
RESULTS
Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari
HOW DO SIM CARD SCAMS WORK?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Price: from Dh498,542
On sale: now
SQUAD
Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammed Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Saeed Ahmed, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Muhammed Jumah, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
Quick%20facts
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EStorstockholms%20Lokaltrafik%20(SL)%20offers%20free%20guided%20tours%20of%20art%20in%20the%20metro%20and%20at%20the%20stations%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20tours%20are%20free%20of%20charge%3B%20all%20you%20need%20is%20a%20valid%20SL%20ticket%2C%20for%20which%20a%20single%20journey%20(valid%20for%2075%20minutes)%20costs%2039%20Swedish%20krone%20(%243.75)%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ETravel%20cards%20for%20unlimited%20journeys%20are%20priced%20at%20165%20Swedish%20krone%20for%2024%20hours%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAvoid%20rush%20hour%20%E2%80%93%20between%209.30%20am%20and%204.30%20pm%20%E2%80%93%20to%20explore%20the%20artwork%20at%20leisure%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
More from Armen Sarkissian
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
More on Quran memorisation:
