WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 ANALYSIS

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Issues The Myanmar election: What we know so far

yanmar’s opposition looked poised yes- terday for a landslide poll win, but even if MAung San Suu Kyi’s party does form a majority, governing a impoverished nation where the military retains huge influence will be no mean feat. Here’s what we know so far about the election and what it means for the nascent democracy.

Who won? Right now it’s hard to say unequivocally, as full results aren’t in. But from the few seats declared, Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party is sweeping the board. Her party has won 78 Putin’s daughters and Russian 2nd-generation elite of the 88 seats announced so far in the lower house, which has a total of 323 seats up for grabs. By Stephen Grey, Andrey Kuzmin and a second generation inheriting the status of the rapid progress since her Oriental studies as an The university’s rector, Sadovnichy, said in a They have done particularly well in their Yangon Elizabeth Piper current circle around Putin. “Many in society undergraduate. May 2014 presentation published on the uni- stronghold, taking all the city’s declared seats, as think they haven’t worked for it, and they ques- According to the website of Moscow State versity website that NIDF, along with other enti- well as making strong gains in the important ince began cementing his tion who these people really are,” she said. University, she is attached to the Mechanics and ties, would be tasked with conducting an Mandalay region. And they’ve even taken a few grip on Russia in the 1990s, many of his Among other children of the Putin circle Mathematics Faculty. Under the name expert review of the expansion of the university. seats in Myanmar’s ethnic minority regions. That Sfriends have grown famously rich. Not so with growing influence are: Boris Kovalchuk, Tikhonova, she is listed as an author, along with Tikhonova’s role is to confer with and represent suggests the NLD may mop up in regions where the president himself, say his supporters, who son of Yuri Kovalchuk, the largest shareholder of other academics, of a chapter in a maths text the views of the wider business community, she many thought the vote was more likely to go to insist Putin is above the money grab that has Bank Rossiya and a close Putin associate; Gleb book and at least six scientific papers since told in an interview this month. The smaller ethnic parties. The NLD is also dominating marked his reign. His public financial disclosures Frank, son of former transport minister Sergei 2011. The papers include studies on medicines $1.7 billion expansion plan involves both public many regional parliamentary seats — 142 out of depict a man of modest means. In April, Putin Frank and son-in-law of commodity billionaire and space travel; one is listed as a study of how and private funding, and aims to double the 162 declared so far-which could give them signifi- declared an income for 2014 of 7.65 million rou- Timchenko; Igor Rotenberg, son of the billion- the human body reacts to zero gravity. Most of size of the university campus by 2018 with new cant influence over important local authorities. bles ($119,000). He listed the ownership of two aire , Putin’s former judo part- the papers were co-authored with the universi- laboratories, academic buildings, schools, stu- There are a total of 652 regional parliamentary modest apartments and a share in a car parking ner; Sergei S Ivanov, son of Kremlin Chief of Staff ty rector, Viktor Sadovnichy. He did not respond dent accommodation, and a museum. seats to fill. No upper house results have been garage. Sergei B Ivanov. directly to requests for comment, but the uni- The NIDF did not respond to a request for released yet, nor do we know yet whether Suu Kyi His daughter Katerina is doing considerably In an interview with Reuters, Alexei Navalny, versity issued a statement. comment. In an email, Innopraktika referred has won in her own constituency of Kawhmu. better, supported by some of the Russian presi- a Russian opposition leader, described what he It said Tikhonova had proved to be a “talent- questions about its activities to Moscow State dent’s wealthy friends, a Reuters examination called a “neo-feudal system” that threatens to ed researcher” who had “reported results of her University and said it could not comment on shows. After unconfirmed media speculation dominate state offices and big business. “Today research at scientific seminars and conferences Tikhonova’s private life. The university said in a Will NLD form the next govt? about Katerina’s identity, a senior Russian figure in Russia, it is absolutely normal that the boards many times.” The statement added: “We do not statement that many people were involved in At the current rate of results, it certainly looks told Reuters that she uses the surname of directors at state banks are headed by chil- have information about the private life of its expansion plan, including university like it. Under Myanmar’s complicated 2008 military- Tikhonova. Andrey Akimov, deputy chairman of dren of security service officials, who aren’t even employees.” Tikhonova is also the director of employees and outside experts. According to crafted constitution, the NLD needs to take at least Russian lender , said he had met 30 years old when they are appointed,” he said. two initiatives connected to the university, the Russian state public records, since 2013 the 67 percent of seats in both the lower and upper Katerina when she was little and more recently, “It is more than just a dynastic succession. National Intellectual Development Foundation NIDF has won contracts worth 182 million rou- houses to form a government. Its rivals, the army- and that Tikhonova was Putin’s daughter. Children don’t just inherit their parents’ posts, (NIDF) and the National Intellectual Reserve bles ($2.8 million) from Rosneft, Rosatom and backed Union Solidarity and Development Party Reuters has also learned that earlier this year but also the right to choose any other post they Centre (NIRC). She became director of the non- Transneft, all state-owned companies. Of 10 (USDP), only needs to win a third. That’s because a Katerina, 29, described herself as the “spouse” of fancy. The danger is that very soon all key profit NIDF in May 2013 and later became direc- contracts reviewed by Reuters, eight were quarter of seats in the legislature are reserved for , son of , a long- resources will end up in the hands of five to sev- tor of the NIRC as well. awarded without competitive tender. The con- military appointees. In a BBC interview yesterday, time friend of the president. Shamalov senior is en families.” The NIRC and NIDF created and run a project tracts were mostly to carry out research at the Suu Kyi said she believed the NLD were on track to a shareholder in Bank Rossiya, which US officials Reuters asked the Kremlin whether Katerina at the university called Innopraktika, which is university. take 75 percent of seats, which would push her par- have described as the personal bank of the Tikhonova was the daughter of Putin and also headed by Tikhonova. It sponsors and sup- Transneft declined to comment. A ty well over the 67 percent threshold. Challenges Russian elite. As husband and wife, Kirill and spokesman for Rosatom said: “Rosatom cooper- ahead? Firstly, Suu Kyi can’t be president-she is cur- Katerina would have corporate holdings worth ates with Innopraktika as well as other institu- rently forbidden from taking the top spot under about $2 billion, according to estimates provid- tions ... As part of its strategy Rosatom aims at the constitution, which bans those with foreign ed to Reuters by financial analysts. That wealth developing new projects.” He said contracts children. Her two sons are British. stems mainly from a large publicly disclosed were awarded openly and transparently. A Secondly, even if she forms a majority, any stake in a major gas and petrochemical compa- spokesman for the oil company Rosneft said it major constitutional reform is going to be very ny that Kirill acquired from Gennady was cooperating with Moscow State University difficult. The army bloc within the legislature can Timchenko, another longtime friend of Putin. on 17 projects that were worth a total of 530 Also among the young couple’s holdings is a million roubles. effectively veto any changes to the charter. That seaside villa in Biarritz, France, estimated to be In March 2015, Tikhonova was appointed as means a Suu Kyi presidency remains a distant worth about $3.7 million. That asset, too, was a deputy vice-rector of the university. It is not prospect-an obstruction the powerhouse politi- acquired by Kirill from Timchenko, a commodi- known whether the post pays a salary. cian cryptically vowed to circumnavigate by being ties trader who has known the president since Tikhonova’s role in the expansion project, “above the president”. A third issue is that the mili- at least the 1990s. Katerina is also thriving in though not her family tie to Putin, was laid out tary still holds other constitutional cards, includ- academia and running publicly funded projects in a report in January by Russian business news ing the top security posts at the home, defense at Moscow State University. A Reuters examina- channel RBC TV. Her title at the university was and border affairs ministries. “There are lots of tion of public documents shows that the presi- first reported by opposition leader Navalny. Her levers of power and they control the ones they dent’s younger daughter has signed contracts appointment is noted in an official order by need to,” said Richard Horsey, an independent worth several million dollars from state-owned Sadovnichy posted on the university website. Myanmar analyst. organizations for work at the university to be She does not appear on the ordinary list of carried out by organisations she directs. There is staff, but she is listed as a member of the uni- How will the president be chosen? no indication she has made any personal finan- versity’s scientific council. Myanmar’s president is directly elected by the cial gain from this work. Asked about Tikhonova’s title, pay and role, legislature. With the existing parliament sitting for She holds a senior position at the university, the university said in statement: “The National a final session from Monday, new MPs won’t take and helps direct a $1.7 billion plan to expand its Intellectual Reserve Centre supports specifical- up their seats until the end of January. Once the campus. Katerina’s official advisers at Moscow Russian President Vladimir Putin ly young people in innovative activity of MSU, new parliament is up and running, electing the State University include five members of Putin’s and that is why its activity is coordinated by the new president can begin, some time around inner circle - including two former KGB officers whether she is married to Kirill Shamalov, and ports young scientists. Innopraktika has a raft of Rector’s office ... Consequently the Centre’s February or March 2016. The lower and upper who knew her when she was a toddler. They other questions. Dmitry Peskov, press secretary advisers and partners who are close to Putin, director Katerina Tikhonova is the deputy vice- served with her father in the 1980s when he of the Russian Federation, replied: “We have no including Sergei Chemezov and Nikolai Tokarev. rector within this department.” houses will each put forward a candidate, as will was deployed to Dresden, East Germany. Putin’s information whatsoever about the personal life, The two men were KGB associates of Putin dur- the military bloc. The whole parliament then votes elder daughter, Maria, is linked to Moscow State family connection, marital status, academic ing his days as a spy in Dresden, Germany, living Ocean views on the three-the winner becomes president and University as well. She is a graduate of the activities, involvement in particular projects and in the same apartment block as the future Tikhonova is active beyond the university. the losers vice presidents. Even if the NLD’s cho- school’s Fundamental Medicine Department family tree of Ms Tikhonova, or about other indi- Russian leader and his young family. Under that name, she has competed for years sen candidate wins, he or she will likely have at and is forging a career in endocrinology, accord- viduals mentioned in your letter. “In recent years Chemezov is now the head of state-owned as an acrobatic rock’n’roll dancer. In 2013, she least one military-backed vice president. Nicholas ing to publicly available documents. there has been an enormous quantity of gossip technology giant , and Tokarev is head of and her dancing partner came fifth in a world Farrelly, director of the Myanmar Research Centre Katerina, Maria and Kirill Shamalov all on the subject of the family ties of V. Putin, and, state-owned Transneft, a gas pipeline company. championship event in Switzerland. Today, she at the Australian National University, said the NLD declined to comment for this article. Asked in particular, his daughters. The proportion of Tokarev did not respond to a request for com- is chairman of two organising committees of is well aware of the uphill struggle they face. The about the Biarritz home, a spokesman for accurate information in all these publications is ment. Chemezov’s company Rostec said in a the All-Russian Acrobatic Rock’n’Roll NLD “has thought about governing for more than Timchenko said he would not comment on per- laughably small.” statement that Rostec assists in the state’s Federation, according to its website. The a quarter of a century. That’s a long time to wait”, sonal matters. The stock acquisitions, state busi- development of industry, and that Chemezov’s Federation’s sponsors include Sibur, Novatek he said.— AFP ness deals, French property and oligarch con- ‘Talented researcher’ involvement with Innopraktika was therefore and Gazprombank - companies that are co- nections offer a rare glimpse into the lives of Katerina has largely escaped public atten- “natural and logical.” Also among the trustees of owned or co-controlled by friends and associ- Putin’s children. The president has been very tion since her father became president in 2000. Innopraktika, according to its website, are Igor ates of the president. These people include protective of his private life and his daughters, In 2011, Putin told Russian television that Sechin, head of the state oil company Rosneft, Timchenko; Kirill Shamalov; and Kirill’s elder All articles appearing on these who seldom appear in the media. The transac- Katerina had read Oriental studies, specializing and Andrey Akimov, deputy chairman of brother, Yury Shamalov. The same companies pages are the personal opinion of tions also provide insight into the family in Japanese and history, at St Petersburg Gazprombank. Rosneft and Sechin declined to are also mentioned on Innopraktika’s website finances of Russia’s most powerful man and the University. Little else was known about her comment. as among its corporate partners. the writers. Kuwait Times takes no elite that has formed around him. adult life until a Russian blogger, Oleg Kashin, Asked about Tikhonova and Innopraktika, A spokesman for Sibur said: “As for spon- responsibility for views expressed Katerina and Kirill, 33, are among a new gen- reported in January that the president’s Akimov said: “I knew it was Putin’s daughter. But soring the (Acrobatic Rock’n’Roll) Federation - therein. Kuwait Times invites read- eration of Russians enjoying a rapid rise in the younger daughter was active at Moscow State of course we took the decision to support MSU’s the motives are the same as in partnerships wake of their well-connected parents. The phe- University and had taken the surname projects irrespective of any family connections.” with other types of sport. At different times ers to voice their opinions. Please nomenon bears similarities to the “princelings” Tikhonova, derived from the name of her Innopraktika’s program coincided with the Sibur has supported the Russian basketball send submissions via email to: opin- of China - the children and grandchildren of grandmother, Yekaterina Tikhonovna bank’s own priorities, he said, including federation, Formula One team, many Russian [email protected] or via snail Communist Party leaders who have gone on to Shkrebneva. Gazprombank’s “global idea of supporting sci- hockey and football teams and many others.” gain positions of power and amass great As well as Gazprombank’s Akimov, two sen- entific development.” He said he did not believe The spokesman said Sibur provided advice mail to PO Box 1301 Safat, Kuwait. wealth. Olga Kryshtanovskaya, a sociologist and ior academic sources one at Moscow State that Tikhonova had received any special treat- but not money to Innopraktika, and had long The editor reserves the right to edit former member of Putin’s United Russia political University and one scientist with close contacts ment, and that he supported the expansion collaborated with Moscow State University. any submission as necessary. party, told Reuters that a “new aristocracy” was there - also confirmed to Reuters that plan of Moscow State University, regardless of Novatek did not respond to requests for com- emerging in politics and state companies, with Tikhonova is Putin’s daughter. She has made Tikhonova’s involvement. ment. — Reuters