UNITED NATIONS -- The top U.N. humanitarian affairs official said Monday that the world body had suffered significant losses while delivering cyclone aid to Myanmar because of a distorted official exchange rate.This month, the United Nations issued an appeal for more than $300 million in extra aid to cope with the effects of Cyclone Nargis, which left about 140,000 people dead or missing when it struck the Irrawaddy delta region in early May.Humanitarian affairs chief John Holmes told reporters that the United Nations has lost about $10 million in currency exchanges so far as it pays for goods and services in Myanmar."We were arguably a bit slow to recognize . . . how serious a problem this has become for us," Holmes said, adding that the spread between the market and official rates widened suddenly in June."It's not acceptable," he added.The market rate for the local currency, kyats, is around 1,100 per dollar but the U.N. rate is around 880, according to the Inner City Press, a blog that covers the United Nations and first raised the currency exchange issue.Holmes, who spoke at the United Nations after returning from a trip to the Irrawaddy River delta, said relief efforts were improving, with almost everyone affected by the cyclone now having been reached with items such as food or materials for shelter.A revised appeal for aid of $482 million had raised about $200 million so far, he said, adding that initial indications from donors were "quite positive."He later said he was not aware of any countries refusing to contribute because of the currency loss but that donors were only just realizing the extent of the problems.Inner City Press reported last week that the military government in Myanmar, also known as Burma, had changed the official exchange rate since the cyclone struck.
Junta Approves Investment in Cyber City
The Burmese companies include the semi-government-owned Myanmar Teleport and eight privately-owned companies, including FISCA Enterprise, MCC and Fortune International, Htoo Trading, Myanmar World Distribution, Nibban, Tamoenyel Chanthar Tun Wai Thar, Yadanabon Cyber Corporation and Myanmar Info-Tech.
Three foreign companies have received the go-ahead: the Russian-owned firm CBOSS, Maxinet of Australia and Global Technology, which is believed to be based in either Thailand or the UK.
According to well-informed sources, the regime rejected proposed investments by Shin Satellite of Thailand, ZTE and Alcatel Shanghai Bell of China and Malaysia’s IP Tel Sdn Bhd.
The 12 companies agreed to spend a total of US $22 million at the Yadanabon site. They have been assigned 12 plots, with a combined area of 70 acres, according to a report in The Myanmar Times weekly, published in Rangoon.
Several sources from computer universities said that the objective of the Yadanabon Cyber City project is to tighten control over Internet connections across the country and prevent users from gaining access to or distributing information critical of the regime.
The 10,000-acre Yadanabon site was established in June 2006. It includes seven training and human resources development buildings, 30 factory plots, a convention center and a research and development area. There are also fiber-optic cables connecting the site with other cities in Burma and satellite connections with India, China and Thailand.
Over one-fifth of the total area of the site will be used for the production of software and hardware. The project is located in the town of Yadanabon Myothit, near Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo), about 67 km east of Mandalay.
A journalist from Mandalay said that IT professionals based in the city have shown little interest in investing in the Yadanabon Cyber City because it is too remote from urban areas.
Burma has three Internet service providers—the state-owned Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT), BaganNet/Myanmar Teleport (formerly known as Bagan Cybertech) and Information Technology Central Services (ITCS), launched by the government-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Association in 2007. All are based in Rangoon.
Meanwhile, the Burmese military regime approved http://www.khitlunge.com.mm/, a Web site launched by ITCS to spread government propaganda and counter media attacks by exiled Burmese media groups.
Burma has some of the world’s most restrictive Internet policies, banning blogs and exiled news providers critical of the country’s ruling junta. However, access to prohibited Web sites is often possible through use of proxy servers.
According to the Open Net Initiative Bulletin, Burma is one of 30 counties that have less than one percent Internet penetration, with an estimated 300,000 Internet users nationwide in 2005.
According to well-informed sources, the regime rejected proposed investments by Shin Satellite of Thailand, ZTE and Alcatel Shanghai Bell of China and Malaysia’s IP Tel Sdn Bhd.
The 12 companies agreed to spend a total of US $22 million at the Yadanabon site. They have been assigned 12 plots, with a combined area of 70 acres, according to a report in The Myanmar Times weekly, published in Rangoon.
Several sources from computer universities said that the objective of the Yadanabon Cyber City project is to tighten control over Internet connections across the country and prevent users from gaining access to or distributing information critical of the regime.
The 10,000-acre Yadanabon site was established in June 2006. It includes seven training and human resources development buildings, 30 factory plots, a convention center and a research and development area. There are also fiber-optic cables connecting the site with other cities in Burma and satellite connections with India, China and Thailand.
Over one-fifth of the total area of the site will be used for the production of software and hardware. The project is located in the town of Yadanabon Myothit, near Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo), about 67 km east of Mandalay.
A journalist from Mandalay said that IT professionals based in the city have shown little interest in investing in the Yadanabon Cyber City because it is too remote from urban areas.
Burma has three Internet service providers—the state-owned Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT), BaganNet/Myanmar Teleport (formerly known as Bagan Cybertech) and Information Technology Central Services (ITCS), launched by the government-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Association in 2007. All are based in Rangoon.
Meanwhile, the Burmese military regime approved http://www.khitlunge.com.mm/, a Web site launched by ITCS to spread government propaganda and counter media attacks by exiled Burmese media groups.
Burma has some of the world’s most restrictive Internet policies, banning blogs and exiled news providers critical of the country’s ruling junta. However, access to prohibited Web sites is often possible through use of proxy servers.
According to the Open Net Initiative Bulletin, Burma is one of 30 counties that have less than one percent Internet penetration, with an estimated 300,000 Internet users nationwide in 2005.
No comments:
Post a Comment