Myanmar army clashes with the ethnic ‘rebels’

Cambodia’s Sen orders probe

YANGON, June 28, (RTRS): Myanmar’s military has engaged in deadly clashes with ethnic minority rebels in the northeast in the past week, state media reported on Wednesday, as concern grows for three reporters detained by the military in the region.

The journalists were taken into military custody in northern Shan State on Monday after covering a drugburning event organised by the rebel Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), which demands more autonomy for the Ta’ang ethnic group.

The journalists’ detention comes amid rising concern that press freedoms are being eroded in Myanmar despite a transition from full military rule, and underlines the challenge de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi faces in achieving peace. Clashes between government troops and loosely allied rebel groups close to Myanmar’s border with China have set back peace talks prioritsed by Suu Kyi when she took power last year. The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said the army — known as the Tatmadaw — had clashed five times with insurgents since the army discovered a TNLA training camp on June 20.

“During the engagements, several Tatmadaw officers and troops were killed and a few were wounded. Four bodies of enemy troops were also found,” the newspaper said, citing unidentified military officials.

Suu Kyi

Cambodia’s Sen

orders

probe:

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered an investigation on Wednesday into The Situation Room, a consortium of rights groups which criticised local elections this month that handed a victory to Hun Sen’s ruling party.

Speaking on the 66th anniversary of his ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), Hun Sen ordered a probe into the groups which monitored the June 4 commune elections.

Cambodia’s embattled opposition did well in the local election, which government critics hope will pave the way for an opposition victory to end Hun Sen’s 32-year rule in the impoverished country come a general election in 2018.

Thailand seeks US cooperation:

Thailand on Wednesday defended its efforts to stop human trafficking after the United States kept it on a trafficking watch list and urged US officials to visit the country and see first hand its efforts.

Thailand is a regional center for migrant workers who come from poorer, neighboring countries including Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia in search of jobs.

Rights groups say millions are vulnerable to abuse, including forced labour, in various Thai sectors including the country’s multi billion dollar seafood industry.

The 2017 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report said Thailand reported more investigations, prosecutions and convictions of trafficking cases but it did not demonstrate “increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period”.

Australia flies indigenous flags:

Australia raised indigenous flags to fly alongside its national standard over its oldest public building on Wednesday, another step on a long and often troubled road to reconciliation with its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The flags, representing the oldest living cultures in the world, were raised as Australia marks the 50th anniversary of Aborigines being counted as part of the population, and the 25th anniversary of a milestone court case that paved the way for recognition of indigenous land ownership.