BANGKOK // Ibrahim Gambari, the United Nations special envoy to Myanmar, arrived in Yangon yesterday to try to revive talks between Myanmar's military rulers and the detained opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Mr Gambari is expected to meet senior members of the military government, opposition leaders, including Ms Suu Kyi, who is currently under house arrest in Yangon, and representatives of the country's ethnic minorities.
"Although it's a five-day working trip, he will stay as long as it is necessary to make progress on his top priorities," said a UN official close to Mr Gambari. "Meeting Aung San Suu Kyi and hearing her views is a crucial part of the visit," he said. "If he leaves early then that will be a sure sign that his mission has failed."
The United Nations and the international community have urged Myanmar's ruling junta to include Ms Suu Kyi, her party, the National League for Democracy, and the country's ethnic minorities in any dialogue about a return to democracy. The NLD won elections in 1990, even though Ms Suu Kyi was under house arrest, but the junta refused to recognise the results and many of the party's activists were detained or fled into exile abroad.
Mr Gambari has met the opposition leader on his previous five visits, and diplomats in Yangon believe he must have already had permission from the regime to see her this time. The real test of the envoy's success though will be whether he will be able to meet the junta's top general, Than Shwe. The senior general has refused to meet him on his past few visits.
"He is likely only to be allowed to meet the largely ceremonial prime minister, Thein Sein," said Win Min, a Myanmar academic based at Chiang Mai University in Thailand. "The top general obviously has no regard for him and believes it isn't necessary to talk directly to him."
For his part, Mr Gambari is likely to be hoping for a more successful visit than his last one in March, which even he described as disappointing. He left empty-handed, and had to endure a savage dressing down by Gen Kyaw Hsan, the information minister, who accused him of being ignorant, insensitive and irrelevant to Myanmar's future.
The envoy's offer to provide international observers for a referendum on a new constitution in May was also rebuffed.
Since then the authorities have pushed through the new constitution as part of their "road map to democracy", which ensures the military will have a continued role in politics. "People were forced to vote for the constitution although most had not even read it," said Khin Omar, a Myanmar activist in Thailand who organised a troupe of clandestine monitors across the country for the referendum. "We found that voters were harassed and intimidated, and ballot boxes stuffed with 'yes' votes."
The vote went ahead in May, despite a major humanitarian crisis caused by Cyclone Nargis. More than 200,000 people died and hundreds of thousands of others were left homeless. The United Nations and Asean - the South East Asian bloc to which Myanmar belongs - have been co-ordinating a massive relief and reconstruction effort since. The Myanmar regime has realised it cannot handle the post-cyclone rebuilding without substantial international assistance. This may have made it more responsive to international offers to mediate between the military regime and the pro-democracy opposition. Two weeks ago, Tomas Ojea Quintana, the new UN special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, was allowed to make his inaugural mission.
Myanmar's military rulers are keen to get the United Nations to endorse their "road map to democracy", originally announced in Aug 2003 by Gen Khin Nyunt, who was prime minister at the time. He was later arrested and is serving more than 40 years under house arrest for corruption. "This is the one thing that the special envoy cannot do," said a senior European diplomat dealing with Myanmar.
"However there are elections planned for 2010, and Than Shwe must now implement the second stage of the road map - increased democratic space and political freedoms. This may offer some space for renewed discussions involving the pro-democracy opposition and the ethnic groups, which have signed ceasefire agreements with the military government."
It seems that Than Shwe is pressing on with his plans to introduce a form of civilian government in the near future. The referendum was the third step in the process, but he skipped the period of democratic consolidation - release of political prisoners, freedom of expression, including easing censorship on the press and the nurturing of civil society. The armed ethnic rebel groups, which have ceasefire agreements with the government, were also supposed to hand over their weapons before the referendum was held.
None of this happened, but it may be on the cards in the lead-up to planned elections in two years time. "In that case there could be an opportunity for the international community to play a constructive role in the process," according to a European diplomat who requested anonymity. "Mr Gambari's visit may be crucial to that process."
The United Nations has significantly stepped up its efforts recently to encourage change in Myanmar, especially after Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, visited Myanmar a few weeks after the cyclone and chaired the first donors' pledging meeting in Yangon. He met the reclusive Than Shwe, and, despite reports to the opposite, did raise the UN and international community's concerns about Ms Suu Kyi and the referendum.
Mr Gambari is hoping his boss's rapport with the senior general may make this trip - his sixth - easier than previous ones. But his previous visits have largely failed to produce tangible results, and diplomats in Yangon are not optimistic that this visit will be any more fruitful.
ljagan@thenational.ae
Super Rugby play-offs
Quarter-finals
- Hurricanes 35, ACT 16
- Crusaders 17, Highlanders 0
- Lions 23, Sharks 21
- Chiefs 17, Stormers 11
Semi-finals
Saturday, July 29
- Crusaders v Chiefs, 12.35pm (UAE)
- Lions v Hurricanes, 4.30pm
World ranking (at month’s end)
Jan - 257
Feb - 198
Mar - 159
Apr - 161
May - 159
Jun – 162
Currently: 88
Year-end rank since turning pro
2016 - 279
2015 - 185
2014 - 143
2013 - 63
2012 - 384
2011 - 883
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
- 1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
- 2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
- 3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
- 4th ODI, Sunday, April 16
Squads:
- UAE: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
- Zimbabwe: Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura
Profile of Tamatem
Date started: March 2013
Founder: Hussam Hammo
Based: Amman, Jordan
Employees: 55
Funding: $6m
Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media
More from our Neighbourhood series:
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Challenge Cup result:
1. UAE 3 faults
2. Ireland 9 faults
3. Brazil 11 faults
4. Spain 15 faults
5. Great Britain 17 faults
6. New Zealand 20 faults
7. Italy 26 faults
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Political flags or banners
-
Bikes, skateboards or scooters
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
ORDER OF PLAY ON SHOW COURTS
Centre Court - 4pm (UAE)
Gael Monfils (15) v Kyle Edmund
Karolina Pliskova (3) v Magdalena Rybarikova
Dusan Lajovic v Roger Federer (3)
Court 1 - 4pm
Adam Pavlasek v Novak Djokovic (2)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Gilles Simon
Angelique Kerber (1) v Kirsten Flipkens
Court 2 - 2.30pm
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Marcos Baghdatis
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Christina McHale
Milos Raonic (6) v Mikhail Youzhny
Tsvetana Pironkova v Caroline Wozniacki (5)
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
Generational responses to the pandemic
Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:
Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia