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Category: South Asia

The status of BRI projects in Srilanka

Editor022 mins

Download the report: Link Year Import from China Export to China Balance of Payment 2017 $3.29 billion $137.39 million -$3.15 billion 2018 $3.52 billion $152.3 million -$3.37 billion 2019 $3.65 billion $169.8 million -$3.48 billion 2020 $4.75 billion $186.2 million -$4.56 billion 2021 $5.17 billion $200 million -$4.97 billion 2022 $5.75 billion $215.6 million -$5.53 billion Trade statistics of Sri Lanka with China from 2017 to 2022 As you can see, Sri Lanka has a trade deficit with China. This means that Sri Lanka imports more goods and services from China than it exports to China. The trade deficit has been growing in recent years, and it is now at a record high. The trade deficit with China is a major challenge for the Sri Lankan economy. It is a drain on the country’s foreign exchange reserves and it makes it difficult for Sri Lanka to compete with other countries in the global market. As you can see, since 2017, Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves have been falling. This is brought on by a multitude of things, such as a growing trade imbalance with China, excessive inflation, and political unrest. Sri Lanka is as a result compelled to rely on loans from China to fund its infrastructure projects.                Since 2017, Sri Lanka’s overall debt to China has risen. Concerns regarding Sri Lanka’s capacity to pay off its debt have been highlighted by the rise in Chinese debt. China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has had a devastating impact on Sri Lanka. The country has been forced to take on massive debt to finance BRI projects, which has led to a severe economic crisis. The Sri Lankan government has been unable to repay its debts, and China has taken control of key infrastructure assets, including the Hambantota port. This has left Sri Lanka in a state of economic and strategic dependence on China. The BRI has also led to environmental damage in Sri Lanka. Many BRI projects have been built without proper environmental impact assessments, and this has caused widespread pollution and deforestation. The BRI has also displaced thousands of people, who have been forced to leave their homes to make way for BRI projects. Our investigation revealed that a majority of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects in Sri Lanka had major problems. 71% of projects had cost overruns, 79% caused environmental damage, 86% were delayed, 86% were affected by corruption, 50% were completed, 50% were of poor quality, and 21% were used to advance China’s geopolitical interests. The study’s findings suggest that the BRI has not been a success in Sri Lanka. The high number of problems with BRI projects has had a negative impact on the country’s economy and environment. The BRI has been used to advance China’s geopolitical interests, which has further strained relations between China and Sri Lanka. List of the projects that have suffered cost overruns: Here are some of the Chinese companies that have been charged with corruption allegations in Sri Lanka: Hambantota Port Project Completed China’s geopolitical interests, Environment Damage, Corruption, FundingIssues, Cost Overrun, Delayed The Hambantota Port Project is a deep-water port located in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. The project was initiated by the Sri Lankan government in 2008 and was financed by China. The total cost of the project was estimated to be $1.5 billion, but it ended up costing $3.8 billion. The project was completed in 2010, but it has been struggling to attract cargo traffic. In 2017, the Sri Lankan government leased the port to China Merchants Port Holdings for 99 years. The Hambantota Port Project has been plagued by several issues. One issue is that the port is located in a remote area, and it is not well-connected to other ports in the region. Another issue is that the port is not deep enough to handle large ships. As a result, the port has been unable to attract enough cargo traffic to generate revenue. The Hambantota Port Project has also been criticized for its environmental impact. The construction of the port has led to the destruction of mangrove forests and wetlands. The port has also been accused of polluting the water and air in the area. The Hambantota Port Project has been met with protests and uproar from Sri Lankan citizens. They have accused the government of wasting money on a project that is not economically viable. They have also expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the port. The Hambantota Port Project has also been criticized by world leaders. The United States has accused China of using the project to gain strategic control over Sri Lanka. The United States has also warned other countries about the risks of getting involved in BRI. The Hambantota Port Project is a cautionary tale about the risks of debt-financed infrastructure projects. The project has been a financial disaster for Sri Lanka and it has had a negative impact on the environment. The project has also raised concerns about China’s strategic ambitions in the region. Colombo Port City Project China’s geopolitical interests, Environment Damage, Corruption, FundingIssues, Cost Overrun, Delayed The Colombo Port City initiative is a $15 billion initiative in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to build a new financial and commercial center. The China Development Bank is funding the project, which is being built by China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC). The project would result in the formation of a new 269-hectare (664-acre) island off the coast of Colombo. The island will be transformed into a financial and economic hub, complete with residential, business, and tourist amenities. The project is scheduled to be finished in 2027 but our on-ground talks with the locals suggest that it may take at least 2 more decades to get over. The project has already overrun its budget by a whopping $1.5 billion. The project has been met with protests and outrage from Sri Lankan civilians, who have accused the government of squandering money on an unprofitable project. They have also raised reservations about the port’s environmental effect. World leaders…

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The status of BRI projects in Pakistan

Editor022 mins

Download the report: Link Pakistan’s involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) dates back to 2013 when it became one of the earliest countries to join the ambitious project. Recognizing the potential for economic development and infrastructure improvement, Pakistan saw the BRI as an opportunity to address its own infrastructure gaps, boost trade and investment, and strengthen bilateral ties with China. Here is a table of the year-on-year trade statistics of Pakistan with China from 2017 to 2022: Year Pakistan’s Imports from China Pakistan’s Export to China Balance of Payment 2017 10,815.3  USD Million 3,463.6 USD Million -7,351.7 USD Million 2018 13,733.4 USD Million 4,407 USD Million -9,326.4 USD Million 2019 16,095.1 USD Million 4,997.2 USD Million -11,107.9 USD Million 2020 16,688.3 USD Million 5,563.5 USD Million -11,124.8 USD Million 2021 22,589.1 USD Million 6,663 USD Million -15,926.1 USD Million 2022 25,198.7 USD Million 4,143.2 USD Million -21,055.5 USD Million Trade statistics of Pakistan with China from 2017 to 2022 The Pakistani economy is in a state of flux. The country is facing several challenges, including high inflation, a widening trade deficit, and a slowing economy. As you can see, forex reserves have been declining in Pakistan since 2017. This is due to a number of factors, including a widening trade deficit with China, high inflation, and political instability. As a result, Pakistan has been forced to rely on loans from China to finance its BRI projects. Total debt from China to Pakistan has been increasing since 2017. This is because Pakistan has been borrowing heavily from China to finance its BRI projects. The increase in debt from China has raised concerns about Pakistan’s ability to repay it. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and it’s part China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are two major projects that are having a significant impact on Pakistan economy. BRI is a global infrastructure project that is being spearheaded by China. CPEC is a part of BRI and is a $62 billion project that is aimed at connecting China’s Xinjiang province to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan. CPEC has been a major source of investment for Pakistan. However, it has also led to several problems. One of the biggest problems is the trade imbalance between Pakistan and China. Pakistan is importing more goods from China than it is exporting to China. This has led to a widening trade deficit, which is putting a strain on the Pakistani economy. Another problem with CPEC is that it has led to a rise in debt. Pakistan has borrowed heavily from China to finance CPEC projects. This has increased the country’s debt burden and made it more difficult for Pakistan to repay its loans. On top of it, most of the projects under CPEC have suffered from cost overruns, widening the debt burden on Pakistan!! List of the projects that have suffered cost overruns: Transport Energy Other There are a number of Chinese companies that have been charged with corruption allegations in Pakistan. Some of the most notable cases include: Our rigorous investigation has revealed that CPEC is failing. The Pakistani government has acknowledged that it is having difficulty paying back the loans it took out to fund the project. CPEC is not creating enough employment or economic development to significantly aid Pakistan’s faltering economy. A significant setback for both China and Pakistan is the collapse of CPEC. It is causing instability in Pakistan and harming China’s credibility as a trustworthy partner. Here are some of the problems that have plagued the CPEC Projects over the years. The first bar shows the finished projects out of the 30 projects in CPEC that make up the sample size. Though 40% of the initiatives in the sample from Pakistan in previous years were finished 36.47% of the projects were of poor quality and suffered from major flaws. A staggering 93.33% of projects had cost overruns, severely crippling Pakistan’s already fragile economy under its mounting debt. Our analysis revealed that over 90% of those projects’ stakeholders felt apprehensive because of security concerns as a result of several terror attacks and violent local protests targeting Chinese and Pakistani stakeholders. Over 70% of projects were delayed, and a roughly comparable amount of the projects were plagued with corruption, due to the country’s declining foreign exchange, shifting political landscape, and political violence. Thus, the Chinese businesses finished the projects with low-quality materials and nearly half of them encountered funding problems! SEZ/Industrial Parks The common problems faced by the SEZ Projects under CPEC in Pakistan Industrial Park on Pakistan Steel Mill Land Environment Damage, Cost Overrun, Delayed, Corruption, FundingIssues, SecurityIssues The Industrial Park on Pakistan Steel Mill Land is a project that was announced in 2016. The project is being developed by the China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) and is expected to cost $1.5 billion. The park is being built on the land of Pakistan Steel Mills, which has been in financial trouble for many years. The project has been facing a number of issues. One of the main issues is the environmental impact of the project. The park is being built on land that is polluted with heavy metals. This pollution could have a negative impact on the environment and the health of the people who live in the area. Another issue with the project is the lack of transparency. The Pakistani government has not released any information about the terms of the agreement with CMEC. This lack of transparency has led to concerns that the Pakistani government is giving away too much to China. There is no information available on the status of the project on the official website of CPEC. Here is a screenshot of the same. Several protests against the project occurred in the past several years. Residents in the region and environmental organizations organized the demonstrations. The project has to cease, according to the demonstrators. Up until now, the Pakistani government has refused to halt the project. The project is crucial for Pakistan’s economy, according to the government. However, the administration has also…

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Cyclone Mocha: Before and After

Editor04 mins

Myanmar’s Sittwe University is seen Nov. 12, 2022 [left] and May 18, 2023. Credit: Google Earth [left]; Planet Labs Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar’s coast on May 14 with sustained winds reaching over 220 kilometers per hour (137 mph). Hundreds of Rohingya Muslims were killed when the storm tore through western Myanmar’s Rakhine state, according to RFA reporting. Villagers gather materials to rebuild in Kyay Taw Paik Seik five days after Cyclone Mocha. (Photo: RFA) A view of the few remaining structures in Kyay Taw Paik Seik in the aftermath of the storm. (Photo: RFA) Some 130,000 Rohingya have lived for more than a decade in internally displaced persons camps in and around Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine. The camps are poorly funded by the junta and run by volunteer groups. The village of Dar Paing Ywar Thit in Myanmar is seen April 14, 2023 [left] and May 21, 2023. Credit: Maxar Technologies [left]; Planet Labs The Dar Paing camp for internally displaced Rohingya in Sittwe was among the hardest hit by Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine state. (Photo: Citizen Journalist) Residents of Dar Paing navigate roads flooded by Cyclone Mocha. (Photo: Citizen Journalist) Nearly 1 million Rohingya were forced to leave their homes in Rakhine state following a military crackdown against the Muslim-minority in 2017. About 740,000 fled to Bangladesh and live in Cox’s Bazar, also hit hard by Cyclone Mocha. The village of Bay Dar in Myanmar is seen Nov. 12, 2022 [left] and May 21, 2023. Cyclone Mocha cut a new inlet, seen on the right side of the photo, allowing the sea to pour in and leaving the village on a peninsula. Credit: Maxar Technologies [left]; Planet Labs Another camp for internally displaced Rohingya in Sittwe known as Bay Dar Rohingya Village also sustained heavy damage from Mocha. (Photo: RFA) Wooden dwellings in Bay Dar were reduced to piles of debris by the storm. (Photo: RFA) Residents of Bay Dar salvage what they can of their belongings three days after the cyclone made landfall. (Photo: RFA) While the death toll was significantly lower in other parts of Sittwe, damage from the storm was substantial. In villages such as Kyay Taw Paik Seik, aid workers say residents are in urgent need of shelters and drinking water, as sea water has mixed in with most of the reservoirs from the flooding that followed the storm. The Myanmar village of Aung Pin Lal is seen April 14, 2023 [left] and barely a month later on May 21, 2023. Credit: Maxar Technologies [left]; Planet Labs

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The status of BRI projects in Nepal

Editor034 mins

Download the report: Link Nepal officially joined the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2017, marking a significant milestone in its collaboration with China. The decision to join the BRI was driven by Nepal’s aim to enhance its connectivity, infrastructure development, and economic cooperation with neighboring countries. As a landlocked nation nestled between India and China, Nepal saw the BRI as an opportunity to tap into regional connectivity and benefit from cross-border trade and investment opportunities. Here are the year-on-year trade statistics and balance of payment of Nepal with China from 2017 to 2022: Year Nepal’s Import from China Nepal’s Export to China Balance of Payment 2017 1,247 million USD 181 million USD -1,066 million USD 2018 1,477 million USD 213 million USD -1,264 million USD 2019 1,702 million USD 245 million USD -1,457 million USD 2020 1,932 million USD 278 million USD -1,654 million USD 2021 2,162 million USD 311 million USD -1,851 million USD 2022 2,401 million USD 345 million USD -2,056 million USD Trade statistics of Nepal with China from 2017 to 2022 As you can see, Nepal and China have a trade deficit. In other words, Nepal imports more products and services from China than it does from China. In recent years, the trade gap has been widening. This is brought on by a variety of elements, such as the growing cost of Chinese goods, the weak Nepali rupee, the dearth of Nepali exports that are priced competitively with Chinese exports, and the Belt and Road Initiative Cost overruns, hefty loan agreements and corruption. The difference in value between Nepal’s imports and exports is known as the balance of payments. In recent years, the payment balance has been negative. As a result, Nepal has been spending more on imports than it is making on exports. The BRI is the root cause of the negative balance of payments. Our analysis revealed that 94% of BRI projects had cost overruns, 60% were detrimental to the environment, every single one i.e. 100% had been delayed, 12% had given rise to false claims (Non-BRI successful projects claimed as BRI projects), 60% had been impacted by corruption, and more than half of the projects i.e 53% which are under construction or are completed had poor quality. List of the projects that have suffered cost overruns: Transport Projects: Energy Projects: Education Project: Water Project: Urban Development Project: Nepal-China Projects: List of the projects that have suffered cost overruns: Here are some of the Chinese companies that have been charged with corruption allegations in Nepal: Hydro-electricity Projects Budhi Gandaki Hydroelectricity Project   Cost Overrun, Delayed, Corruption, Poor Quality Political unrest, as well as worries about the project’s effects on the environment and society, have caused delays and financial problems. The Budhi Gandaki hydroelectric project is a “storage-type project” designed to address the country’s energy crisis. It is located on the Budhi Gandaki River in Nepal’s Central/Western development zone. The 1200 MW project, which had been included in the BRI in 2017, was abandoned by the government as a result of problems and delays in the award process. The project is being constructed by the China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) and is expected to cost $2.5 billion. However, the project has been plagued by cost overruns and delays. In 2018, the project’s estimated cost was increased to $3.5 billion. In 2020, the project’s completion date was pushed back from 2022 to 2024. There have been a number of corruption cases related to the Budhi Gandaki Hydroelectricity Project. In 2019, the Nepali government filed a corruption case against the China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC). The government accused CGGC of overcharging for the project and of using substandard materials. The case is still pending in court. In 2020, the Nepali government also filed a corruption case against several Nepali officials who were involved in the awarding of the contract to CGGC. The government accused the officials of accepting bribes from CGGC to award the contract to the company. The case is also still pending in court. The corruption cases related to the Budhi Gandaki Hydroelectricity Project have raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of the project. The cases have also cast a shadow over the future of the project. It remains to be seen whether the project will be completed on time and within budget and whether it will be able to provide Nepal with the much-needed electricity that it is expected to generate. https://web.archive.org/web/20230427155915/https://bghep.gov.np/pages/about-the-unit Ij-Reportika reporters talked to a lot of locals who said that this project has demolished their lives completely. Even the project’s official website page on Environment, Compensation and Redistribution, Resettlement and Rehabilitation is UNDER CONSTRUCTION just like the project for years. West Seti Hydroelectric Project Cost Overrun, Delayed, False Claim, Poor Quality The project has faced delays and financing issues due to political instability and concerns over environmental and social impacts. The West-Seti Hydropower Project and Seti River Project (SR6), joint storage projects totaling 1200MW that China had twice abandoned, were officially granted by Nepal to India’s National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC). The Chinese CWE Investment Corporation, a division of China Three Gorges Corporation, withdrew from the project in August 2018 due to it being “financially unfeasible and its resettlement and rehabilitation costs were too high.” Snowy Mountain Engineering Corporation’s license had not been extended by Nepal before that time due to the Chinese company’s inability to start the work “convincingly” for a whole decade in the middle of the 1990s. The West Seti Project predates the BRI, however, Chinese BRI specialists previously referred to it as a BRI project before CWE formally declined it, which resulted in significant financial losses for Nepal. The cost overrun in the West Seti Hydroelectric Project is estimated to be around USD 932 million. The project was initially estimated to cost USD 2.5 billion, but the cost has increased due to several factors. Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Environment Damage, Cost Overrun, Delayed, Corruption, Completed, Poor Quality The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project is a 456-megawatt…

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Malaysia’s Mahathir says Russia may take nuclear option

Editor06 mins

The world is facing the grim prospect of a nuclear war as the Ukrainian conflict drags on, a former Asian leader has warned. “I don’t think you can make Russia surrender,” said former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad about the ongoing Ukraine war on Friday – the second day of the Future of Asia conference hosted by the Nikkei news group in Tokyo. “They will fight to the end, and in desperation they may resort to the use of nuclear weapons,” said the former statesman who will be 98 in July, adding that not only Ukraine and Russia, but “the whole world will suffer.” Mahathir served as Malaysia’s prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020.  “Nuclear war is the worst kind of war because of the extent of destruction it causes,” he said, reflecting on the end of World War II when two atomic bombs were dropped on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. A summit of Group of Seven (G7) of the world’s most developed nations was held in Hiroshima last week. “It seems that G7 countries went to Hiroshima trying to persuade the Global South that they should support the West’s efforts in the Ukraine war,” Mahathir said.  The Global South is a term generally used for less developed countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania, as opposed to more prosperous nations in the Global North including North America, Europe, and Australia, as well as several rich Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore.  “We should not get involved in wars,” the former leader said before criticizing what he called “the mindset of some countries.” “Global North thinks that war is a solution to conflicts between nations,” Mahathir said. “Russia and the West were partners in the war against Germany,” he said, “but immediately after the war the West decided that their new enemy is Russia so they set up NATO.” ‘World government’ The rivalry between the world’s two superpowers China and the U.S. once again was highlighted at the Future of Asia event, in its 28th year this year. Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Thursday that his country “welcomes the G7’s announcement that they are prepared to build a stable and constructive relationship with China.” Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong went further adding: “Any attempt either to contain China’s rise or to limit America’s presence in the region will have few takers. Nobody wants to see a new cold war.” Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (right) at a Q&A session at the Future of Asia conference, May 26, 2023. Credit: RFA/Screenshot from livestream For his part, Mahathir Mohamad urged Asian countries that they “should not take sides to support either the U.S. or China.” “We should support the world that includes the U.S., China and the rest.” “We should free ourselves from the influences by the West both in the economic and political fields,” said the former leader, known for his anti-Western rhetoric. In his opinion, the United Nations as an organization needs to be restructured in order to lead global efforts in dealing with common world problems such as climate change, pandemics and consequences of wars. “We should think of a common approach to deal with world problems, through a kind of world government,” he said. Future of Asia, held by Japan’s Nikkei annually since 1995, is “an international gathering where political, economic, and academic leaders from the Asia-Pacific region offer their opinions frankly and freely on regional issues and the role of Asia in the world.” This year’s theme is ‘Leveraging Asia’s power to confront global challenges.’ Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivered a speech Thursday saying Tokyo is “focused on co-creating the future” with its Asian partners. Edited by Mike Firn.

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Cambodian court charges trio that assisted farmers with incitement

Editor010 mins

A court in Cambodia’s Ratanakiri province has charged three men with incitement after they advised farmers of their constitutional rights, prompting more than 200 farmers to descend on the capital to call for their release. On the afternoon of May 17, authorities in Kratie province arrested Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community President Theng Savoeun and 16 of his colleagues for “inciting social unrest” and “conspiracy to commit treason.” According to local rights group ADHOC, the arrests took place after the 17 met with farmers in Ratanakiri to discuss agricultural techniques and their rights as Cambodian citizens. That same day, police set 14 of the detainees free after they agreed to thumbprint a statement pledging that they would no longer conduct training sessions. The Ratanakkiri Provincial Court formally charged Theng Savoeun and two others – Thach Hach and Nhel Pheap – and ordered them detained at the provincial prison. Nearly six days later, the trio remain in detention and have been refused access to lawyers or family members – visits they are guaranteed after 24 hours in custody, according to Cambodian law. Over the weekend, some 200 farmers – mostly women – from various provinces traveled to the Ministry of Interior in Phnom Penh to demand their release, claiming that they had provided assistance and done nothing illegal. ‘My son is not a dog’ Among them was Theng Savoeun’s mother, Toch Satt, who vowed that she will not leave the premises until her son is freed. “Minister of Interior Sar Kheng, I urge you to resolve this case – get it done today or I will not go home,” she shouted in front of the ministry on Monday, three days after joining other farmers in the capital to protest the detentions.  “My son is not a dog, he is a human being,” she said. “I regret that you arrested my son, who did nothing wrong. My son serves the interests of the people.” Theng Savoeun, who is currently being detained, is the president of the Coalition of Cambodian Farmers Community, which was established in 2011 to help farmers’ communities whose land was encroached. Credit: Theng Savoeun Facebook Other protesters – several of whom were carrying infants – held photos of the three detainees and cardboard signs calling for their freedom. One protester from Koh Kong province named Keut Neou told RFA Khmer that she and others had arrived in Phnom Penh to protest on May 19 and had since run out of money. She said they have been staying for free at a Buddhist temple in the suburbs, but are unable to afford rides downtown to the ministry. “We are poor people and farmers – we have no money, so we all decided to walk,” she said. Another farmer from Koh Kong named Nhel Sreymom urged Prime Minister Hun Sen and his wife, Bun Rany, to help find justice for the three detainees. “Please, Samdech father and mother, help find a solution for them,” she said, using an honorific for the prime minister. “These three people are innocent.”  ‘Planning peasant revolution’ Ministry of Interior officials on Monday met with 10 farmers’ representatives and accepted a petition calling for their release. The officials said Hun Sen will examine and consider their demands. ADHOC human rights spokesperson Soeung Senkaruna urged the Ratanakiri court to reconsider the charges against Theng Savoeun, Thach Hach and Nhel Pheap. “If the charges still have reasonable doubt, the court should hold off on the charges because, from my view, Theng Savoeun has done a lot of work to help farmers to supplement the assistance of the government,” he said. Attempts by RFA to contact Ratanakiri Provincial Police Commissioner Ung Sopheap and Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak about the case went unanswered Monday. However, Khieu Sopheak told local media group CamboJa on May 19 that Theng Savoeun and his associates were involved in “planning a peasant revolution.” About 200 farmers across the country protest in front of the Ministry of Interior to demand the release of Theng Savoeun, president of the Coalition of Cambodian Farmers Community and two of his associates who are being detained. Credit: Citizen journalist The Cambodian Farmers’ Community Association has vehemently denied the allegations, saying it only instructed farmers on agricultural laws and techniques. The group, which claims to have a membership of around 20,000 people across Cambodia, was founded in 2011 to assist farmers from 10 communities who say their land was encroached on. ‘Crackdown’ on rights groups Local rights groups – including LICADHO, ADHOC and the Cambodian Center for the Defense of Human Rights – are monitoring the case and told RFA that the arrests not only threaten the Cambodian Farmers’ Community Association, but also undermine the work of civil society. The case has also drawn the attention of international rights groups, including New York-based Human Rights Watch. Deputy Asia Director Phil Robertson said his organization was “appalled” by the arrests and violation of laws that allow the three access to lawyers, calling it an example of how authorities “blatantly violate basic freedoms of association and expression, and totally disregard Cambodia’s international human rights obligations.” Robertson also called authorities out for harassing supporters demanding the trio’s release, noting that police in Koh Kong stopped a minivan carrying Cambodian Farmers’ Community Association members and prevented them from leaving the province. He linked the arrests to what he called a “crackdown” on NGOs and civil society groups in Cambodia ahead of the July 23 general election, “where any sort of challenge, real or perceived, to the government is met with a maximum display of intimidation and punishment.” “Cambodia should immediately and unconditionally let the CCFC 3 go free, and halt the campaign of harassment and abuse against the CCFC and other Cambodian NGOs who dare to stand up and exercise their civil and political rights,” Robertson said. Illegal land grabs by developers or individuals are not uncommon in Cambodia, where officials and bureaucrats can be bribed to provide bogus land titles. Disputes over land…

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Papua New Guinea, United States deepen relations with defense pact signing

Editor09 mins

The United States signed a defense cooperation agreement on Monday with Papua New Guinea, and announced other security and humanitarian support, in a deepening of its relationship with the most populous Pacific island country. Papua New Guinea’s capital Port Moresby also hosted India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a summit with leaders of 14 Pacific island countries, underscoring the increased geopolitical competition in the vast ocean region where China’s diplomatic relations have burgeoned. The defense agreement is “mutually beneficial,” Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said at the signing ceremony.  “In the context of Papua New Guinea it secures our national interest,” he said, predicting it would help the country, one of the poorest in the region, to develop a “robust economy.” Responding to domestic criticism of the defense agreement, Marape said, “this signing in no way, shape and form encroaches into our sovereignty.”  U.S. President Joe Biden had planned to stop over in Papua New Guinea on Monday before attending a meeting in Sydney with the leaders of Australia, Japan and India. He canceled the trip to focus on high-stakes Federal debt-limit negotiations, in an apparent setback for U.S. efforts to exert influence in the Pacific.  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who traveled to Port Moresby in the president’s place, said he carried an invitation from Biden to Pacific leaders to visit Washington in the fall. As part of efforts to counter Beijing’s influence in the Pacific, Biden hosted a meeting of Pacific island leaders in September last year in Washington.  “Simply put we are committed to growing all aspects of our relationship,” Blinken said at the defense agreement signing ceremony. The pact, he said, would be transparent to the public and make it easier for the two countries’ defense forces to train together and improve the capacity of Papua New Guinea’s military to respond to natural disasters. China, over several decades, has become a substantial source of trade, infrastructure and aid for developing Pacific island countries as it seeks to isolate Taiwan diplomatically and build its own set of global institutions.  Last year, China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, alarming the U.S. and its allies such as Australia. The Solomons and Kiribati switched their diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taiwan in 2019. Modi, in his speech to Pacific leaders, did not specifically mention China but said his country was committed to a “free and open Indo Pacific,” the U.S. terminology for a vast region spanning the Indian and Pacific oceans. Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, speaking at a U.S.-Pacific island leaders meeting, said there was a “level of disappointment” in Biden’s cancellation. He also said he welcomed the fall invitation. ‘Intrusion’ into PNG affairs The defense cooperation agreement between Papua New Guinea and the U.S. has been criticized by some analysts and groups such as the PNG Trade Union Congress as being overly accommodative to Washington’s interests. Australia’s Sky TV reported on what it said was a leaked draft version of the agreement last week. “It is the processes our government followed and the motivation behind fast tracking the processes with zero public consultation and parliament debate [that] opens up public debate to all sorts of conclusions,” said Anton Sekum, acting general secretary of the Trade Union Congress, in a statement on Monday. “Any agreement that will have elements of intrusion into our sovereignty and may put the country in harm’s way must not be done without all citizens’ consent,” he said. Elias Wohengu, secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, who was Papua New Guinea’s chief negotiator in the defense cooperation talks, said there was no factual basis to rumors that U.S. military personnel who broke Papua New Guinea’s laws would enjoy immunity from prosecution.  Speculation it would preclude defense agreements with other countries and required changes to Papua New Guinea’s laws was also incorrect, he said. “There is no immunity in this agreement for any foreign personnel that will be present in Papua New Guinea,” Wohengu told a press conference on the weekend. “If a crime is committed, punishment will be carried out. So anyone who goes out spreading rumors that we will be providing immunity to offenders is wrong,” he said. The State Department said the text of the defense cooperation agreement would be made public when it comes into force.  Papua New Guinea’s Ministry of Defense said it would hold a question and answer session for civil society groups and journalists at its headquarters on Tuesday. Papua New Guinea and the U.S. also signed a shiprider agreement that provides the basis for personnel from the Pacific island country to work on U.S. coast guard and naval vessels, and vice versa, in targeting economic and security weaknesses such as illegal fishing.  Among other support announced by the State Department, the U.S. government will supply $12.4 million of equipment to Papua New Guinea’s defense force.  It includes $5.4 million of body armor, provided earlier this month, such as ballistic helmets and flak vests with armor plates. Some $7 million will be provided for military dress uniforms for Papua New Guinea’s 50th independence events in 2025. The U.S. is also exploring warehousing of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies in Papua New Guinea.  BenarNews is an RFA–affiliated news organization.

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Cyclone Mocha destroys camp housing 700 in Myanmar’s Magway region

Editor04 mins

As news slowly emerges about the extent of damage caused by Sunday’s cyclone, residents of a township in Myanmar’s Magway region told RFA Wednesday that Mocha destroyed a displaced persons camp housing more than 700 people. The cyclone brought torrential rains, causing a local creek to burst its banks and flood the camp in Tilin township’s Htan Pin Kone village on Sunday, according to one resident, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons. He said it destroyed all the 200 tents in the camp, set up on the banks of the creek. People were forced to move to the camp because junta troops repeatedly carried out maneuvers near Htan Pin Kone village, which has around 250 houses, the resident told RFA Wednesday. “The troop pass near Htan Pin Kone village whenever they conduct offensives on the western part of Tilin township, so the village is quite insecure. That’s why the whole village moved to a safer place, so there are a lot of displaced people,” he said. According to the latest report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) 2,462 people were relocated from their homes in two Magway townships before the cyclone hit. It said 3,676 houses in 98 villages in the region were damaged by heavy rains and flash floods. Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar’s coast Sunday with winds reaching over 220 kilometers per hour (137 mph). Preliminary figures compiled exclusively by RFA confirmed at least 31 deaths due to the cyclone in Rakhine and Chin states, and Ayeyarwady, Magway and Sagaing regions. On Tuesday, the National Unity Government updated its estimated death toll to 435 across the country, with an unspecified number still missing. The United Nations said Tuesday that 16 million people were potentially exposed to Mocha, including more than 1.2 million who were already internally displaced.  Its Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said early estimates indicated nearly 3.2 million people in Rakhine state and Myanmar’s northwest were the most vulnerable and considered likely to have humanitarian needs in the wake of the cyclone. The International Rescue Committee said Wednesday is deeply concerned about the communities, especially those living in displaced persons camps. It said it is responding to the needs of communities affected by Cyclone Mocha in Bangladesh and Myanmar and appealed for more funding for humanitarian work in Myanmar. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn.

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Nearly 400 feared dead after Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar’s Rakhine state

Editor05 mins

Nearly 400 Rohingya refugees in Myanmar’s Rakhine state were probably killed by Cyclone Mocha, the country’s parallel National Unity Government and local aid workers told RFA Tuesday.  The NUG said the figure was based on estimates of the damage, since search and rescue teams have not retrieved the bodies and many victims are still missing. The figure has not been independently verified by RFA. Volunteers from the Muslim Aid and Relief Society who are collecting field data said most of the dead were children, pregnant women and the elderly. They said they are still searching for bodies. Aung Kyaw Moe, a Rohingya advisor to the National Unity Government, told RFA Tuesday the majority of the victims were from Sittwe township. “Some are still missing. This is in Sittwe alone,” he said.  “Bodies were found on the streets and under trees. Search and rescue has not been done yet so we can’t pick up the bodies. All the refugee camps were badly damaged.” He said that the actual number of casualties could be much higher. ‘Refugee camps are open-roof prisons’. There are 21 Rohingya refugee camps in Rakhine state with 120,000 refugees staying in 13 camps in Sittwe township. Nay San Lwin, co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition, said the refugees were housed in makeshift tents which were mostly destroyed when the cyclone hit. “Most of the Rohingya refugee camps did not have time to evacuate [ahead of] the cyclone,” he said.  “Lives are lost when there are no shelters to evacuate the cyclone. The tents were destroyed. Refugee camps are open-roof prisons.” Residents of Sittwe township said that most of the camps were built close to the sea, leaving them vulnerable to heavy waves, coastal winds and torrential rainfall. Nearly 1 million Rohingya were forced to leave their homes in Rakhine state following a military crackdown against the Muslim-minory in 2017. About 740,000 fled to Bangladesh and live in Cox’s Bazar, also hit hard by Cyclone Mocha. Those who remained live in internally displaced persons camps, poorly funded by the junta and volunteer groups. Collecting information on cyclone victims has been hard because there are only a few volunteers from the Muslim community collecting data in the field, a member of the data collection team told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity. It is also hard to collect data on the ground after Sittwe’s largest telecommunications tower collapsed when the cyclone hit it on May 14, cutting phone lines and internet access. RFA’s calls to the junta spokesman for Rakhine state, Hla Thein, went unanswered Tuesday. Cyclone Mocha hit Myanmar’s coast Sunday with sustained winds reaching over 220 kilometers per hour (137 mph). According to preliminary figures compiled exclusively by RFA, there have been at least 30 deaths due to the cyclone in Rakhine and Chin states, and Ayeyarwady, Magway and Sagaing regions . Rakhine state and Ayeyarwady region were hit hard by Cyclone Nargis in 2008, leaving nearly 140,000 people dead or missing. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn.

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Investigative Journalism Reportika © March 2022 by Ij-Reportika is licensed under CC BY 4.0