ANALYSIS
Myanmar: Continuing ‘bride-trafficking’ to China
Sreeparna Banerjee
A few days ago, a Chinese national who married a 17-year-old Myanmarese girl was charged with human-trafficking in Lashio after the bride ran away. This incident has again thrown light over the heinous crime of human- trafficking where women and girls are unknowingly lured or abducted and sold as ‘brides’ in China. So, why and how this trade is still continuing needs to be looked at.
The concept of ‘bride price’ where the groom’s family gives money or gifts to the bride’s family exists in Chinese society. The ‘one-child policy’ which existed from 1979 resulted in gender imbalance due to preference for male child over female ones. The female foetuses were either aborted or once the female baby was born, she was left on streets or was thrown into rivers to die or female child were neglected and given less nutrition.
This selective birth process has led to a shortfall in the female population of an estimated 30-40 million and has incidentally increased the amount of bride price. In one small village north of Beijing, parents of prospective grooms would have to pay the parents of the potential bride around $ 38,000. Thus, for low-income families who want their sons to get married, the bride price has become a big obstacle.
This has resulted in prospective family of the grooms started looking abroad. Buying brides became a cheaper option if they were trafficked. The brides can easily be bought for $ 3,000-13,000, which is affordable for the Chinese families. This opened a whole new avenue for the traffickers in Myanmar who are cashing in on the helpless condition of women belonging to conflict ridden zones.
Displaced women
The continuing conflict between the Myanmar government forces with the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and its armed wing, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) resulted in a mass displacement of over 100,000 Kachin and other ethnic minorities in 2011. The conflict has left many people in Kachin and northern Shan States struggling to survive. Their desperation worsened as the Myanmar Government largely blocked humanitarian aid to displaced people, especially in areas controlled by the KIO. Meagre food, lack of proper employment opportunities, low wages, barriers to education, and economic and social devastation resulting from decades of conflict defines these needy people.
Women often remain vulnerable due to the lack of legal protection. Desperate to support their families in the absence of men who have either been killed in the war or are participating in it, women are left with no choice but to seek work abroad. Traffickers use this vulnerability to their advantage and China is presented as a lucrative country with good pay and many working opportunities.
Many a times, these traffickers are close family members, relatives, friends or neighbours. Since there is no system of formal employment recruitment for work in China in Kachin and northern Shan States, false dreams of jobs are planned and showcased. Once women fall into the trap, they are shipped and sold as “brides” which forces them to lead a life of sexual slavery. These women are beaten and raped repeatedly with an aim to produce a child.
After one gives birth, if they wish they are allowed to go, leaving the child behind. Thus, the desperate situation of women in the conflict ridden zones in Kachin and Northern Shan states acts as push factor and the pull factors created by the gender disparity in China facilitates the process of human trafficking.
Need for legal protection
Women forced to marry Chinese people earlier was not seen as a crime but rather was viewed as an arranged marriage until China and Myanmar signed a memorandum of understanding in 2009 against human trafficking, calling such arrangements as crime. The goals towards this included joint investigations on cases involving both countries, handing over of suspects, exchanging of information, repatriating of victims, conducting of joint training in investigating and protecting victims, passing of pertinent laws and establishing of anti-trafficking liaison offices in the border areas to consolidate communication and collaboration between the two countries’ border police on combating transnational human trafficking crimes and providing victim protection services.
In reality, there have been little attempts from both sides of the border to recover trafficked women and girls. In many instances it has been reported by the family members that they were either turned away or were asked lump sum amount of money to recover their daughters, sisters or wives.
In China, sometimes ‘brides’ seeking help from authority are either turned away or are jailed for immigration violations. In other cases, repatriation of victims to Myanmar are generally done in a chaotic manner that sometimes left survivors stranded or abruptly dumped at the border. They are never allowed to
Victims have often been repressed by their family and friends to narrate their stories for fear of stigma. Others who sought justice rarely got so. While Myanmar authorities only caught the middlemen in their own country whereas they did nothing to catch the Chinese counterpart. In China, traffickers and also the families who bought such brides have been hardly arrested.
In view of the improving relations between China and Myanmar, there is a need to operationalise and strengthen the MoU on human trafficking in order to stop this heinous crime. Efforts need to be taken so that the police in Myanmar, China and KIO-controlled areas can coordinate with each other to make these cases a priority. Victims need to be treated with care rather than be criminalised. This may help to counter the ongoing heinous crime.
India: Elections 2019 – Will it see more Independent MPs
Ameya Kelkar
The ongoing Lok Sabha elections have seen political parties fight on different agendas. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre is using the
Balakot air-strikes, the Pulwama terror-attack and their own perception of the Opposition Congress Party’s perceived ineffectiveness to showcase themselves as a clear alternative, as a part of their campaign narrative. The Congress, on the other hand, is using the alternative narrative on the purported ineffectiveness of the Government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address major national issues, and at the same time promising a ‘Nyutam Aay Yojana (NYAY) scheme, essentially guaranteeing a minimum income for the citizenry, to win over hearts and minds. These mega parties, projecting their own reforms and promises, have tried to ensure that, as in 2014, the election this time too will remain a BJP-Congress battle.
However, since 2014 both parties have seen a large number of additional candidates, who have joined either of the two in the ongoing elections. Yesteryear actors like Urmila Matondkar joining the Congress and incumbent Lok Sabha member Hema Malini contesting for the BJP for a second time have shown both parties are using star-quotient as a possible leverage, at least in such constituencies.
More importantly, these elections have also seen a lot of independent candidates contesting the Lok Sabha elections from their own constituencies. Kanhaiya Kumar, the nation’s most famous student leader, is contesting on the CPI ticket from Bihar’s Begusarai constituency against the BJP and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) nominees. Likewise,
Lalthlamauni has the honour of being the first woman to contest the elections as an independent candidate from Mizoram. Such candidacies centred on individuals, and also the return of some regional parties in States like Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, apart from Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka and West Bengal, not to leave out Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, have ensured that it does not remain a two-party affair, either.
In any election cycle in the country, independent candidates are always the ones who are overlooked. In the 2014 general elections, independent candidates won only three out of the 543 seats. However, with relative prominence given to independent candidates this year, it is clear that this election will have to move beyond a two-party contest.
These elections, with the independents making headlines, serve to show the people that it is the issues that the electorate needs to consider, moving beyond traditional party affiliations. The entry of candidates like Kanhaiya Kumar into the electoral arena showcases that there are many in the field like him who want to upstage the
status quo. These independent candidates aim to showcase the true spirit of the Indian democracy, which goes beyond ideology and political loyalties.
These candidates, on the other hand, can help the electorate to decipher not only the ideology of their party, but also the ideology of their opposition and see where the faults and strengths lie. These independents, by coming out to contest the old political parties in their constituencies, will help the Indian electorate see that the realm of politics belongs to those with the best ideas and not to those who tout their party ideology regardless of their results. These independent candidates also hope to showcase the same trend which was seen in 2014, that of anger towards the existing establishment and a hope that their votes will lead to the right people come into power, who will ensure development for all citizens.
An independent candidate cannot change the tide of any election. However, an independent candidate can provide an alternative to the traditional jingoism of all parties involved and help the electorate see through this jingoism and elect their representative based on the ability of the candidate or, in the case for a first-time candidate, the achievability of his or her promises.
COUNTRY REPORTS
Afghanistan
Taliban not to attend peace ‘jirga’
The Taliban have confirmed that they will not participate in the consultative peace ‘jirga’ or tribal council that is scheduled to be held later this month. This stance was based on what the insurgent group claimed to be the national unity government’s attempt to ascertain ‘illegitimate survival, continue ‘occupation’ of the country and ensure the prevalence of the ‘corrupt regime’ like before. The group has also urged the citizens of the country to not participate in the council.
Taliban hideout exposed
In the Lalpur district of the Nangarhar province in Afghanistan, the Afghan armed forces broke into a major hideout of the Taliban which was used as a headquarters by the group in that area. A prison along with other medium and smaller hideouts were also discovered and some heavy and light weapons were confiscated. Innocent civilians were being held hostages inside these prisons. The security situation in this province is likely to deteriorate further in the coming years.
Bangladesh
Second fastest-growing: IMF
International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week claimed that Bangladesh is among the three fastest growing economies in the world. The country’s economy will grow at 7.3 percent this year and will be second highest in the world predicted IMF. The prediction was made in its report 'World Economic Outlook, April 2019: Growth Slowdown, Precarious Recovery'. According to IMF Rwanda will witness the highest growth globally and the country will grow at 7.8 percent.
Out-laws surrender
Around 596 activists of underground left organisations surrendered with their arms to Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan. They belonged to Purba Banglar Communist Party (ML-Lal Pataka), Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party, New Biplobi Communist Party and Joypurhat-based Kadamati Party. These groups have been active in northern and southern Bangladesh. They are declared out-lawed by the Government and have been running their activities underground.
Bhutan
PM begins Bangladesh visit
The Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering arrived in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh on a four-day state visit on 12 April. He was received by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and was later presented with the Guard of Honour.
Borders closed
The Indo-Bhutan border was closed on 9 April in view of the general elections in India on 11 April. With, both the entry and exit border gates were closed, people have begun to rush to Phuentsholing. The people of Alipurduar would go for the polls on 11 April and the border gate would open at 6pm on the same day. Similarly, the gates would close on the evening of April 16 and open on April 18 evening. For the elections in the State Government of Assam, the gates would be closed on April 21 evening and opened on April 23 evening.
No new subsided LPG
The Department of Trade (DoT) stopped issuing new subsidised LPG connections from 9 April in four major towns of Thimphu, Phuentsholing, Samdrupjongkhar, and Gelephu. Non-subsidised LPG, however, will continue to be available. The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) adopted this measure to ensure uninterrupted supply and distribution of subsidised LPG.
India
SC weighs ‘election bonds’
The Supreme Court has turned down a plea from the CPI(M) and the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), seeking a stay order on the usage and issuing of electoral bonds for political parties. The Supreme Court has also ordered any political party which has received donations through these bonds to furnish the details of all the money received through these bonds and the names of the donors by the 30
th of May. The bench, headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi, has also directed the Finance Ministry to reduce the window of purchasing these bonds from 10 days to five during the April-May period of this year.
EC halts bio-pics
The Election Commission on Wednesday stayed the release of the upcoming bio-pic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating its release poses a serious threat to the idea of a level playing field during the time of elections in India. The Commission has also stayed the release of the South Indian movies,
Lakshmi’s NTR, a biopic on the life of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao and
Udyama Simham a biopic on the life of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. The Commission has also stated that no promotional material regarding wither film is to be released on electronic or print media without prior certification in areas where the Model Code of Conduct is in effect.
Veterans write to President
Over 150 veterans, including eight former chiefs of the three services, have written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind, urging him, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces, to intervene in the growing use of the armed forces as a political tool in the Lok Sbha Elections. The veterans who penned this letter state that the increasing politicization during the time of elections would seriously affect the morale and fighting efficiency of the serving officers and soldiers and state that this politicization also impacts the secular and apolitical character of the armed forces.
Maldives
Sovereignty, ‘greatest gift’
Addressing the Martyrs’ Day ceremony at capital Male on Saturday,
Vice President Faisal Naseem declared that the most precious gift for Maldivians would be the sustained sovereignty of the nation. He asserted that enhancing relations between each other and standing together in solidarity are a necessity in such a globalised world where all kinds of "currents" exist. VP Naseem underscored the martyrdom of former sultans, Ali Rasgefaanu and Mohamed Thakurufaanu, and also of ‘
Shaheed’ (martyr) Corporal Hussain Adam’s on 3 November 1988, calling on the people to take examples from the heroes providing national service. The Martyr’s Day is observed to commemorate the memory of Ali Rasgefaanu, who was martyred in battle to protect the Islamic creed and sovereignty of the nation.
Myanmar
30,000 IDPs need shelter
As fighting between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA) has escalated over the last 10 days at least 10,000 more IDPs fled from their homes and were now taking refuge in nearby crowded schools and monasteries and some of were living in makeshift tents built with tarpaulin roofs. The government including local MPs give food supplies to the IDPs but they have trouble finding shelter as the weather is getting harsher. According to statistics compiled by Ethnic Rakhine Tribes Association, the number of Rakhine IDPs in Rakhine State reached 30,000 by 10 April.
China power-plant opened
People in Myanmar's southern Mon state were hailing the recent inauguration of a China-built combined cycle gas turbine power plant in the state that has made over 1,500 villages in the state possible for access to electricity. The power plant of 118.9 megawatts' capacity was built by China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC) after it won the tender with Myanmar's related ministry for implementing the project. The electricity generated from the plant in Thaton township will be transferred to the national power grid through the 230-kilovolt (KV) Sittaung-Thaton and 230-KV Thaton-Mawlamyine power stations.
Nepal
Friendship with Pak?
While on a visit to attend the 140
th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in Qatar, Speaker of Nepal’s House of Representatives, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, spoke of good relations with Pakistan. He also held talks was with Asad Qaiser, Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan. If further strengthened, this partnership can redefine South Asian politics.
Plan put at Rs 9.96 tr
The National Planning Commission (NPC) has projected a budget of Rs. 9.96 trillion in the appliance of Nepal’s 15
th five-year plan. In this course, various developmental ventures would be undertaken, like infrastructure. Investments would also be facilitated from the government sector, the private sector as well as the participation of both in similar projects.
Pakistan
Fishers’ ‘freedom’ sought
The Pakistani Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) organised a sit-in protest outside the Karachi Press Club against the Pakistani fishermen perishing in India’s prisons for having ‘mistakenly’ crossed over to Indian waters while fishing in the high seas. The protest demonstrated this constant imprisonment on both sides as an issue of human rights violation. According to Article 73 of the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, no fishermen can be arrested for fishing in the high seas.
Pilgrimage project
The newly-announced ‘Road to Makkah’ initiative for Haj 2019, promises to facilitate pilgrimage by reducing the earlier travel time of twelve to fifteen hours to just six hours between Islamabad and Mecca. The proclamation was made by the Federal Minister for Aviation and Privatisation Muhammadmian Soomro. He further stated that the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan had requested the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman to make this project a reality, during his visit.
Sri Lanka
‘War crimes’ case
Germany’s Federal Prosecutor has filed an alleged war crime case against a 37-year-old Sri Lankan Tamil, according to overseas media reports. Accordingly, B. Sivatheeban, 37, who was a member of the LTTE, has been accused of war crimes in 15 cases, manslaughter in two cases and of attempted manslaughter in 11 cases. The suspect has been a member of the LTTE, which is listed as a terrorist group in Germany, from 2006-09.
Huge welcome for Gota
Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has declared his intention to contest the presidential polls later this year, received a huge welcome on his arrival at the Kattanayaka International Airport, from the US after a private visit. Reports said that Gota had gone to the US, to move the papers for relinquishing his American citizenship, which is a minimum requirement for contesting the presidential polls after 19-A. Reports also said that at least two cases were filed in the US when he may have been there on ‘war-crimes’ charge when he was there, including one relating to the killing of
The Sunday Leader Editor, Lasantha Wickrematunga, filed by his daughter, pertaining to Gota’s term as Defence Secretary when his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa was President. However, reports that Gota had summons served on him in the US have since been denied.
Bibliography
Afghanistan
Opinion Pieces
Taimoor Shah and Mujib Mashal, “
Dozens of Afghan Forces and Taliban Killed as Violence Spikes Ahead of Talks”,
The New York Times, 10 April 2019
Mohammad Zahir Akbari, “
Optimism and Challenges of Agriculture Industry in Afghanistan”,
Daily Outlook Afghanistan, 9 April 2019
Editorials
Afghanistan Times, “
Visa crises”, 11 April 2019
Daily Outlook Afghanistan, “
Health Sector Should Not Remain Neglected”, 8 April 2019
Bangladesh
Opinion Pieces
Abhijit Chakravarty, ”
Chinese govt to play mediator in sending back Rohingyas refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar”,
The Economic Times, 9 April 2019
Selim Raihan, “
Hiccups of 'Development Surprise'”,
The Daily Star, 8 April 2019
Bhutan
Editorials
Kuensel, “
Are we forgetting the nitty-gritty in the planning?”, 12 April 2019
Kuensel, “
The proposed pay revision”, 12 April 2019
India
Opinion Pieces
M Sridhar Acharyulu, “
Modi Could Take a Leaf out of Narasimha Rao's Book on Statesmanship”,
The Wire, 7 April 2019
Soumya Shankar, “
Millions of Voters Are Missing in India”,
Foreign Policy, 9 April 2019
Bruce Stokes, “
India’s Election is A Referendum on Modi”,
Foreign Policy, 10 April 2019
Maldives
Opinion Pieces
Ritsu Nacken,
UNFPA Country Director, “Unfinished business: the pursuit of rights and choices for all - What has changed in the Maldives?”,
Maldives Independent, 11 April 2019
N Sathiya Moorthy, “Maldives: MDP makes a make-or-mar sweep of Majlis’ polls”,
www.orfonline.org, 11 April 2019
Patricia Scotland,
Secretary-General, Commonwealth, “Women’s issues are everyone’s issues”,
The Edition, 8 April 2019
Myanmar
Opinion Pieces
Nyein Maung, “
Is Bangladesh Really Interested in Justice on Rakhine Issue?”,
The Irrawaddy, 12 April 2019
Lee Sang-Hwa, “
ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit”,
The Irrawaddy, 11 April 2019
Lawi Weng, “
The Cards are in the Wa Army’s Hands”,
The Irrawaddy, 10 April 2019
Editorials
The Irrawaddy, “
Once Again, Myanmar’s Media in the Cross Hairs”, 8 April 2019
Nepal
Opinion Pieces
Dinesh Bhattarai, “
Emerging challenges”,
Republica, 10 April 2019
Sujeev Shakya, “
Unleashing transformation”,
The Kathmandu Post, 9 April 2019
Bishal Thapa, “
Whose Investment Summit?”, R
epublica, 9 April 2019
Editorials
The Kathmandu Post, “
Bitter pill”, 9 April 2019
The Himalayan Times, “
Keep fiscal order”, 10 April 2019
Pakistan
Opinion Pieces
Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, “
Two faces of democracy”,
Dawn, 12 April 2019
Komal Anwar, “
Protection of mentally-challenged prisoners in Sindh”,
The Express Tribune, 12 April 2019
Editorials
Dawn, “
Tale of neglect”, 12 April 2019
The Express Tribune, “
Bearish bourse”, 12 April 2019
Sri Lanka
Opinion Pieces
Kumar David, “Foreign connections key to Lanka’s future”,
The Island, 14 April 2019
N Sathiya Moorthy, “More elephants in the room than the nation can handle”,
www.orfonline.org, 10 April 2019
Jehan Perera, “Enduring the tragedy of ambiguous loss”,
The Island, 9 April 2019
N Sathiya Moorthy, “What’s good for Ranil was not good for Gota”,
Ceylon Today, 9 April 2019
N Sathiya Moorthy, “Hang him – NOT – let him go!”,
Colombo Gazette, 8 April 2019
Interviews
Kelum Bandara, “We have recommended one name for presidential poll: Basil”,
Daily Mirror Online, 9 April 2019
Contributors
Afghanistan & Pakistan: Sohini Bose
Bangladesh: Joyeeta Bhattacharjee
Bhutan: Mihir Bhonsale
India: Ameya Kelkar
Maldives & Sri Lanka: N Sathiya Moorthy
Myanmar: Sreeparna Banerjee
Nepal: Sohini Nayak
The views expressed above belong to the author(s). ORF research and analyses now available on Telegram! Click here to access our curated content — blogs, longforms and interviews.
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