The following is a collection of political events that were of prominence in 2019, as decided by the Eleven Media Group’s editorial team, in no particular order of importance, categorized into different sections.
Event of The Year
The event of the year that gripped both the local and international attention was Myanmar versus the Gambia over allegations of genocide at The International Court of Justice located at The Hague, Netherlands.
International Court of Justice (ICJ) held the public hearings on the Gambia’s the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by the Republic of the Gambia over the Crime of Genocide, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands on December 10.
The public hearing was attended by the Gambia team led by Abubacarr Marie Tambadou, Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Republic of The Gambia and the Myanmar delegation led by Myanmar State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
It sparked a fresh wave of support in Myanmar, with many major cities hosting rallies that are in support of the State Counsellor’s decision to fly to The Hague but members of opposition party Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) had called it a political ploy to gather votes for the 2020 general election.
Read the Full story here:
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/the-answer-from-the-hague
Unacceptable acts of AA that started with attacks on police outposts
On January 4, 2019, also the Independence Day of Myanmar, the insurgent group Arakan Army (AA) attacked four border guard police force outposts in Buthidaung Township, Rakhine State.
The Border Guard Force at their posts in Rakhine State.
The AA attacked with both small and large firearms, killing at least 13 police personnel and looting guns, ammunition, and explosives. Since then, both the military and the civilian government had condemned those attacks as it not only endangers the lives of those living there but for intentionally creating political and social chaos within the conflict-ridden region.
Since then, the AA and the military had clashed continuously with the former, in recent days, opting to utilize methods such as kidnapping hostages and hiding amongst civilians.
Read all related stories below:
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/civilians-injured-in-aas-attacks-in-myaebone-kyauktaw
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/the-killing-of-ye-thein-may-interfere-in-national-reconciliation-nld
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/aa-detains-two-mytel-staff
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/aa-attacks-troops-in-paletwa-and-minbya
The Northern Alliance
The Northern Alliance, an organization comprising of four ethnic armed groups, have engaged in political dialogue with both the military and the civilian government of Myanmar.
The Goattwin Bridge mined and destroyed by the Northern Alliance.
While attempt at peace talks and getting the alliance to sign onto the ceasefire agreements were being made, battles rage between the military and the alliance’s members: Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Arakan Army (AA) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).
Details of battles, peace dialogues and more can be found through the following links while full information can be searched on the website:
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/what-is-behind-the-scenes-of-aa-hoping-for-confederation
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/govt-agrees-to-meet-northern-alliance-army-after-union-day
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/heads-of-state-eye-intensified-attacks-in-rakhine-state
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/northern-alliance-denies-demand-for-ceasefire-extension
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/govt-tatmadaw-na-likely-to-meet-in-early-july
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/northern-alliance-army-burns-a-truck-on-lashio-muse-highway
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/heavy-shelling-kills-five-injures-three-in-kyutkai
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/signatories-to-persuade-ethnic-armed-groups-to-sign-nca
Parliament struggles on toward constitutional amendment
Ever since the National League for Democracy (NLD) came into power, they had exerted efforts, together with other political parties, to make amendments to the 2008 Constitution.
A big part of the NLD’s election campaign in the 2015 General Election, the process of changing the constitution only really started when it was nearly a full three years for the 2nd Parliamentary term.
Military MPs stand up to block the formation of a committee that will undertake tasks to amend the constitution.
While supporters of the NLD had expressed their strong convictions that this was entirely necessary for Myanmar’s future, members of the opposition parties, as well as the military, had criticized it as attempts at canvassing votes for the upcoming 2020 election.
A committee was formed into order to change the charter but had seen progress, or lack of progress, as members of different political parties squabble and leave the committee.
Further details could be found through the following links and the website in general:
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/two-usdp-mps-resign-from-the-constitutional-amendment-committee
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/two-more-resign-from-charter-change-committee
Myanmar-China Economic Corridor (2019-2030)
Myanmar’s de facto leader and State Counsellor, also holding the title of Foreign Minister, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had visited China and signed the Myanmar-China Economic Corridor Cooperation MoU amongst a plethora of other economic and technological agreements.
She had visited China on April 24, 2019, and met with the Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang to sign the aforementioned agreements as part of her visit to the 2nd One Belt One Road (OBOR) Forum and the Silk Road Forum.
China is one of the biggest investors in Myanmar as well as one of the most powerful border nations to Myanmar. While many projects have been initiated by the Chinese in Myanmar, some of them remain highly controversial and defied by the Myanmar populace such as the Myitsone mega-dam project.
More details to be found through the following links and website in general:
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/suu-kyi-to-attend-second-forum-of-obor-in-china
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/economic-corridor-to-benefit-people-of-china-myanmarasianewsnetwork
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/aung-san-suu-kyi-to-visit-china-to-attend-silk-road-forum
https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/state-counselor-aung-san-suu-kyi-meets-chinas-top-political-advisorhttps://elevenmyanmar.com/news/myanmar-china-discuss-plan-to-promote-economic-and-trade-cooperation
Other events of importance are;
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The growing criticisms on the Union Election Committee (UEC) that had been allegedly ignoring proposals by opposition parties, particularly that of the USDP, that the UEC have been concentrating only on amending technicalities of rules and regulations concerning elections which may be unfair towards all other parties apart from the ruling NLD.
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A vote being called in the parliament to decide on the decision on buying six Bullet-Proof vehicles for the safety of State Leaders and for those vehicles to enjoy special privileges during the importing process. The vote was passed with 359 in favour, 188 against, to purchase six Toyota Landcruiser within a budget of Ks 1.249 billion. It was a move highly criticized by lawmakers as wasteful and unnecessary as there already exist two bullet-proof Mercedes vehicles.
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Changes to laws concerning marriage and adoption that were initially criticized and blocked by many as a move that would allow persons that were not 18 years old, the legal age of consent in Myanmar, to officially marry. While the current state of the law remains so that the legal age remained at 18 years, there were marked differences between the Lower and Upper Houses when discussing amendments to the draft.
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While lawmakers had tried to implement and exercise The Right to Recall, it had so far been blocked. A draft was put on the table for the first time in August 2012 in the very first iteration of the Union Parliament but was later put on hold on August 20, 2015. It has been on hold ever since.
