Six-Party Talks Are Held in Naypyitaw PHOTO: REUTERS
of Myanmar’s biggest political players, convened in Naypyitaw on April 10. The meeting involving President U Thein Sein, opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, parliamentary leaders, an ethnic representative U Shwe Mann, center, speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, and the army commander-in-chief Snr.-Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, left, and Myanmar Army opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi arrive for six-party talks at Commander-inthe Presidential Palace in Naypyitaw on April 10. Chief Snr.-Gen. Min Aung Hlaing was labeled “a success” by the A six-party dialogue on constitugovernment. tional reform and upcoming The President’s Office, quoting national elections, involving some
presidential spokesman U Ye Htut, said a timetable for the next meeting had been agreed sometime after Parliament reconvenes, though no date was provided. U Aye Maung, the chairman of the Rakhine National Party who was designated to represent ethnic minorities’ interests at the talks, said amendments to the country’s controversial military-drafted Constitution and elections due late this year were the primary topics addressed. “But [the discussion was] not thorough on constitutional fixes as we will discuss during the next round of meetings. We met today because Parliament requested it. Parliament has to submit details on constitutional amendments before we discuss it at the next meeting,” he said. —The Irrawaddy
Local Recruiters Suspended After Russian Trawler Sinking
May 2015
recruitment agencies are registered with the ministry. The suspension of the five agencies is the first of its kind. Of the 42 Myanmar nationals aboard the Dalny Vostok when it sank, 22 were rescued. Sixteen
have been confirmed dead while four others are missing. Of the suspended agencies, Sea Rider provided the vessel with 27 sailors, while the rest were recruited by Top Chance, Asia Wave, Light Oasis and Star Global. —Thuzar PHOTO: ITAR-TASS
The Ministry of Transport indefinitely suspended five local seafarer recruitment agencies in April that it alleged had sent Myanmar nationals to work on the Russian fishing trawler Dalny Vostok, which sank off Russia’s fareastern coast on April 2. Though the Department of Water Transport permits seafarer recruitment agencies, it does not allow them to send Myanmar nationals to foreign fishing trawlers. “The ship to which they sent the sailors was not the one they said in their application,” said U Toe Myint, director of the department’s Seafarers Division. “They failed to report this to us. Even if they sent them to another ship, they would have had to report this to us and seek our approval, as well as submit relevant documents to prove that the ship is recognized by us. They failed to do all these things and that’s why we suspended them.” A total of 161 seafarer
Russian fishing trawler Dalny Vostok TheIrrawaddy
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