Volume I, Number 194 9th Waning Day of Tagu 1376 ME Sunday, 12 April, 2015 Yangonites ready to get wet in four-day water festival celebration By Ye Myint With only one day to go, Yangon is set to mark the Thingyan New Year’s water festival with lively events around the city. The Thingyan water festival is annually observed from 13-16 April across the country. During the holiday period, roads and streets are thronged with people danc- ing to music and dousing each other with water. In central Yangon, en- tertainment stages and wa- ter-throwing pavilions will be open from Pyay Road to Kaba-Aye Pagoda Road and from Kandawgyi Ring Road to downtown streets. Preparations are also under way in full in the sub- urbs. As authorities have to get wet in the four-day A Thingyan pavilion is readied for Myanmar’s New Year’s water festival on Kaba-Aye Pagoda limited the number of fes- water party,” said 18-year- road on Saturday, ahead of the start of the festival on Monday.—PHOTO: YE MYINT tival pandals on the main old Zaw Min, who bought roads of the city, this year’s tickets for a pandal on Ka- the midday heat.” ferred by revelers who cir- pandals lined on main roads aims to attract locals and Thingyan festival is expect- ba-Aye Pagoda Road. “I Kaba-Aye Pagoda cle the entertainment areas and small ones scattered in foreigners with a series of ed to see less traffic. prefer sitting in a pandal to Road, where most of the big by car. a variety of locations, the shows including traditional “I am getting exciting going round on the roads in pandals are located, is pre- Apart from the huge Yangon Mayor’s pandal Thingyan dances. — GNLM People of different professions voice support Regional bloc seeks greater cooperation to fight human trafficking for recent peace move By Khaing Thanda Lwin YANGON, 11 April— process, he said. Myanmar will attend a con- Ministers, deputy min- ference in Cambodia next isters and senior officials month aimed at strength- from the six Greater Me- ening regional cooperation kong Sub-region countries in the fight against human will hold a discussion on trafficking. the achievements of the The 10th Coordinated COMMIT process and fu- Mekong Ministerial Initi- ture tasks at the inter-Min- ative against Trafficking isterial meeting, he added. (COMMIT) senior offi- The first COMMIT cials’ meeting will take senior officials’ meeting U Tin Win, Ko Kyaw Thura, U Saw Lwin, an U Tun Myint, place 28-29 April and the was held in Bangkok in assistant township village a a food COMMIT inter-ministeri- 2004. Myanmar hosted the administrative officer. businessman. education officer. vendor. al meeting on 30 April in first inter-ministerial meet- MAHLAING (Mandalay conflicts have had negative has resulted in the realiza- parts of the country to go to Phnom Penh. ing in October of that year. Region), 11 April— My- effects on the education tion of the draft ceasefire polling stations with peace The senior officials’ Myanmar’s police anmar’s recent move to- sector since independence agreement,” he said, blam- of mind, said U Tin Win, meeting aims to approve force is implementing a ward peace, marked by the was restored in 1948. He ing internal armed conflicts a village administrative of- a new joint declaration of plan to combat human traf- historic signing of the draft urged all the stakehold- for the country lagging be- ficer, who hopes for a better COMMIT to explore coop- ficking in a nationwide, nationwide ceasefire agree- ers in the peace process to hind others economically future for his country. eration with other regional military-style operation, ment between the gov- continue bidding to make and socially. U Tun Myint, a food organizations like ASEAN, Union Minister Lt-Gen Ko ernment and ethnic armed the country modern and de- The ceasefire agree- vendor, expressed his de- Police Captain Min Naing Ko said at last year meeting groups here on 31 March, veloped. Ko Kyaw Thura, ment signed by the govern- light at the ceasefire agree- of Myanmar’s anti-human in Nay Pyi Taw. has drawn resounding sup- a businessman, called the ment’s Union Peacemaking ment, saying, “Lack of sta- trafficking body said. Pro- According to official port from people of differ- ceasefire an essential step Working Committee and bility and peace will spell motion and strengthening figures, police uncovered ent professions. for the country, stressing the Nationwide Ceasefire disaster for hard manual of international and region- more than 1,000 cases na- U Saw Lwin, an as- peace and stability for eco- Coordination Team repre- labourers like us.” al cooperation against hu- tionwide between 2006 and sistant township education nomic growth. senting ethnic armed groups News & Photo: man trafficking is one of the 2014. officer, said internal armed “Mutual understanding will enable people in all Kyaw Kyaw (Mahlaing) objectives of the COMMIT GNLM I Housing estate Ledi meditation Co-op minister looks Young people If parents N for war veterans centre offers into development should not be cannot, who can? If S constructed in seven-day Buddhist programmes in used as proxies in parents will not, I Nay Pyi Taw retreat Sagaing region ideological fights who will? D E PAGE-3 PAGE-3 PAGE-3 PAGE-8 PAGE-9 2 Sunday, 12 April, 2015 LOCAL NEWS School buildings collapse in storm Yinmabin Mandalay Nay Pyi Taw Hinthada TATKON, 11 April — and homes severely dam- es, while also damaging villages collapsed in the Yangon A powerful storm that aged. five buildings of the Basic strong winds. Two pylons recently hit Tatkon Town- The storm at 7.30 Education High School fell in Okshitgon Village. ship, Nay Pyi Taw Coun- pm on 9 April blew roofs Branch in Dahatgon Vil- Tin Soe Lwin cil Area, has left schools from houses in 12 villag- lage. Some schools in the (Tatkon) Concrete bridge marks major Construction transport upgrade in Myanaung Tsp stoppages TODAY’S leave brick MYANMAR factory NEWS SITES workers jobless Mandalay District begins NAY PYI TAW, 11 April — Suspension of construc- computerising township tion projects in Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon has led to voter lists a halt in production at brick MANDALAY, 11 April sub-commission is com- factories in Ottarathiri — The Mandalay District puterising the voter lists Township, leaving workers Election Sub-commission for townships in the dis- there jobless. has begun computerising trict based on data from “Some construction voter lists for the seven the General Administration sites in Nay Pyi Taw and townships under its author- Department and Immigra- Yangon have been sus- MYANAUNG, 11 April linking Asel and Yedwin- ment provided more than ity. tion and National Registra- —Yedwingon Bridge gon villages is 90 feet long K3.8 million, while local pended, so brick trading A team of 15 staff tion Department,” he said. spanning Mya Mya Creek and 10 feet wide. Township residents contributed over is cold,” a factory worker members recently finished “Officials of the European was commissioned into Administrator U Min Min K10 million. said. “As a result, we seek compiling a list of more Union, Qatar Foundation service in Myanaung Tun and local authorities The new bridge marks jobs daily.” than 900,000 voters regis- and Asian Affairs organi- Township, Ayeyawady formally opened the bridge. a major improvement in lo- About 10 entrepre- tered as of 15 December, zations observed the com- Region, on Friday. The Township Gener- cal transport infrastructure. neurs are engaged in 2014, according to Assis- pilation tasks.” The concrete bridge al Administration Depart- Win Bo (Township IPRD) brick-making in Phayagon tant Director U Tin Min The voter lists will be Village. They hope to re- Aye of Mandalay District announced at the respective Insurance company presents sume running the factories Election Sub-commission election commission offic- as usual. Office. es in the townships before compensation to customer Shwe Ye Yint “The election 30 May.—Aung Ye Thwin MANDALAY, 11 April Branch) presented a fire Daw Shwin Chiak Hway be- — Grand Guardian Insur- insurance payout to JJ auto- tween 62nd and 63rd streets ance Company (Mandalay mobile decoration shop of in Chanmyathazi Township, Mandalay, on 9 April. The building of the shop was engulfed by fire on 14 March. Officer-in-charge U Tun Kyaing of the compa- ny’s Yangon head office, U Kyaw Min Tun of its Man- dalay branch and officials presented K105,055,250 compensation to U Sai Aung, son of the shop’s owner. Tin Maung (Mandalay) Sunday, 12 April, 2015 3 NATIONAL Housing estate for war Ledi meditation centre offers seven-day veterans constructed in Buddhist retreat Nay Pyi Taw A venerable monk delivers a sermon at Ledi Buddhist meditation centre in the township of Uttarathiri in the Nay Pyi Taw Council Area.—MNA NAY PYI TAW, 11 Kalawa Retreat Sayadaw the monks recited parittas The meditation April— The Ledi Buddhist Bhaddanta Jagarabhivam- (religious verses). centre, established in meditation centre in the sa. The officials presented April 2012, can house up township of Uttarathiri in Union Minister at the offertories to the Sayadaw to 300 meditaters and pro- the Nay Pyi Taw Council President’s Office U Thein and monks, which brought vide accommodations and Area opened a seven-day Nyunt, local authorities the ceremony to an end. foods donated by well- Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services meditation retreat on Sat- and meditation practition- The week-long med- wishers. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing drives a stake urday. ers, paid homage to the itation retreat has drawn The next meditation for construction of a housing estate for The opening ceremo- Sayadaw and monks.