BANGKOK // The jailing of 14 political activists from Myanmar yesterday is the latest in a series of jail terms the country's authorities have given to artists, activists, blog writers, journalists and lawyers in the past few weeks.
The activists, including five women, from the 88 Generation Students group have each received a 65-year jail sentence for their suspected involvement in the monk-led uprising last year, relatives say.
"The junta is clearly conducting a major crackdown on all dissents in the country," said Zin Linn, a leading Myanmar dissident and former political prisoner based in Bangkok. "They want to silence all opposition before the planned elections in 2010."
Yesterday the military-controlled courts sentenced the student leaders for their support of the mass protests, known as the Saffron Revolt, that took place in Aug 2007 against increasing food and fuel prices.
Most of them had been detained before the campaign against the demonstrators in September that left more than 100 dead and thousands injured. They have been held in Insein prison in Yangon.
Late last month, nine leaders of the group, including the top three - Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi and Htay Kyew - were sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court for interrupting the court proceedings. They refused to accept the court's authority and insisted they would continue to oppose the judicial system using non-violent civil disobedience.
Since the contempt of court conviction, the nine have been moved to Maubin prison in the Irrawaddy Delta, an area that was devastated by a cyclone in May.
Khin Omar, a Myanmar activist based in Chiang Mai, said: "We fear they will now face harsh treatment at the hands of the authorities there, because it is more isolated and family visits are much more difficult.
"The conditions in prison for political prisoners is getting worse and worse," she said.
Analysts say the junta fears the students even more than the National League for Democracy (NLD), which won the 1990 elections, but was never allowed to form a civilian government. Its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has spent most of the intervening years in house arrest.
"They think they can handle the NLD, but they know they cannot control the students," said a western diplomat who deals with Myanmar.
Benjamin Zawacki, the Myanmar representative for Amnesty International, said: "These sentences are a clear signal that the regime will not tolerate any opposition in the lead up to the elections in 2010."
Su Su Nway, a labour rights activist, has also been sentenced to more than 12 years in jail for her efforts to stop forced labour, according to a source who has access to the Insein prison where she is being held.
The current sentences come only one day after Nay Phone Latt, a young blog writer, was sentenced to more than 20 years in jail for publishing a cartoon of Gen Than Shwe, the country's top military leader. He was tried behind closed doors in an Insein prison special court. The 28-year-old owns two internet cafes in Yangon and is one of Myanmar's best known blog writers. He was arrested about 10 months ago. Another young activist arrested with him was sentenced to more than two years in prison.
Saw Wai, a poet, was also sentenced to two years in prison on Monday for "inciting crimes against public tranquillity". He was arrested in January after his poem, titled February 14, which mocks Than Shwe, was published in Ah Chit (Love) Journal.
Soe Maung, Saw Wai's lawyer, said he would continue filing appeals because the trial was not free or fair. "We will continue to appeal this judgment at all levels," he said. "We intend to do as much as the law and judicial proceedings permit us to, within the legal framework, until we reach the last stage."
International human rights groups say lawyers representing opposition figures are being harassed and intimidated.
Last week, Nay Phone Latt's lawyer, Aung Thein, and another lawyer, Khin Maung Shein, were sentenced in absentia to four months in prison for contempt of court.
Four other lawyers, Kyaw Hoe, Maung Maung Latt, Myint Thaung and Khin Htay Kyew, have also been barred from representing their clients since last week, according to one of them, Kyaw Hoe. The lawyers were representing several dissidents, including members of the 88 Generation Students group.
"I asked a prison authority why I was not allowed to appear in court," Kyaw Hoe said. "He said there was no reason and that the order had come from higher officials."
More than 15 journalists are also still in detention awaiting trial, according to the Burma Media Association. Most of them are accused of publishing material on the conditions in the cyclone-devastated area and pointing out inadequacies of the relief effort.
Those opposed to the regime's road map to democracy and its constitution appear to be the targets.
"It's business as usual," Mr Zawacki said. "There is no shift in practice. They are using draconian prison sentences to warn people not to stand up to the regime, all that's changed is their rhetoric - there's no road map to political change."
ljagan@thenational.ae
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
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UAE - India ties
The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner after the US and China
Annual bilateral trade between India and the UAE has crossed US$ 60 billion
The UAE is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India
Indians comprise the largest community with 3.3 million residents in the UAE
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visited the UAE in August 2015
His visit on August 23-24 will be the third in four years
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited India in February 2016
Sheikh Mohamed was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2017
Modi will visit Bahrain on August 24-25
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)
Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
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