Transcripts For ALJAZ Inside Story 20240711

Horse rhetoric floor the temperature see each other again listen to each other again and make progress we have to stop treating our products as our enemies they are not our enemies there are birds there are birds. A bunch owes us to over the years a season of trying to burrow to try to repeat it time to show and a time to hear all this is the target here on american. Oh Vice President elect come on horaces making history shes the 1st woman and the 1st person of color to become the Vice President she offered a message of hope for future women leaders. And what a testament it is to joes character that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country and select a woman as his vice. But while i may be the 1st woman in this office i will not be the last. President trump is continuing to make on substantiative claims about voice of fraud his campaign has vowed to mount more legal challenges. And reaction from World Leaders to the Election Results have been pouring in prime as a Benjamin Netanyahu has congratulated biden as a great friend of israel the Palestinian Government has also welcomed the results. Its on clarifies and will return to the nuclear deal with iran the nations Supreme Leader called the election a spectacle an example of the decline of the u. S. Stay with us inside story thats next. Was there and we heard scott realistically how can you do it institutionalised corruption in this country if we listen if this breaks up and real conflict between budgets and india this has implications for the rest of the world we meet with global newsmakers and talk about the stories that matter is there a. Good me and more be on a path to democracy the country holds its 2nd election since the end of military rule but with minorities excluded well the outcome lead to real change this is inside story. Hello and welcome to the program. Me and moore is preparing to go to the polls on sunday for its 2nd general election thats despite a growing number of covert infections and conflicts in some states in 2015 the National League for democracy won the 1st parliamentary election ending the militarys tight grip on power that had lasted more than 50 years its widely expected that the n. L. The party of Nobel Prize Winner Aung San Suu Kyi will retain power despite being internationally criticized for its handling of the 2017 military crackdown on Rohingya Muslims meanwhile more than 1000000 people in conflict areas have had their right to vote canceled by the government raising concerns over the credibility of me and more as election scott heiler explains. Its been 5 years since the people of myanmar went to the polls in a general election and only the 2nd time they will cast ballots since the nation emerged from 50 years of military rule but no surprises are expected the National League for democracy or headed by the high profile and one time symbol of democracy. Is expected to maintain its ruling position but with reform slow and stalled Economic Growth and peace talks their victory is not expected to be a landslide as in 2015 the normal. To change the whole system 5 year is just a short period we were under the dictatorship for more than 40 years and this is to stop the democracy we need more time i can give to n. L. B. More time you know only that they couldnt change anything for us thats why i dont like the. For me personally i just dont like the n. L. Day the turnout for the election is expected to be lower than the estimated 70 percent 5 years ago because the nation is facing a 2nd wave of covert 19 but also because some ethnic areas wont even have polling the government citing security due to ongoing fighting between the army and armed ethnic groups this along with other rules and regulations have raised concern by human Rights Groups about the fairness of the election despite facing International Condemnation for its 2017 military crackdown in Rakhine State sending hundreds of thousands of ethnic muslim fleeing to bangladesh on song suchi is still very popular at home and broadly people live really. A kind of test on thanks popularity and more or less like a referendum on the achievements and. Ministration but actually i think obviously that came. With things like me. The countrys now fighting even with the anticipated victory for the end of the end its 75 year old leader theres growing concern about the lack of depth within the partys leadership unsung suchi has not positioned anyone to be a potential successor so any sudden changes could lead to a political crisis scott hodler aljazeera. Me and more formally known as burma is the largest country in Southeast Asia since gaining its independence from british rule in 1988 the country has been battered by civil war the conflict began a year later when power was unexpectedly handed to the majority bermans excluding many ethnic minorities in 1962 1000000 more was under an oppressive military junta that lasted more than 50 years gradual liberalization began in 2010 leading to free elections in 2015 and the establishment of a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in 2017 a military crackdown against the muslim or hindu forced more than 700000 to flee to neighboring bangladesh in what the u. N. Called a textbook example of ethnic cleansing this damaged the International Reputation of the newly elected government and highlighted the continuing grip of the military in me and more. All right lets bring in our guests nikki diamond is a human rights specialist at fortified rights he joins us from yang on it meant more to kim is president of the burmese were he to organization u. K. And joins us from london and joining us from bangkok is Phil Robertson Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch is Asia Division welcome to each of you nikki let me start with you in me and martin there was a wave of optimism and a sense of hope that greeted National League for Democracy Victory in 2015 what is the sentiment around this election cycle. It is a little bit hard to still but ive seen the most of the people paddling that know wont cant pay the rent a bit issued in the big dont trust in austin City Government right now and i also think that most of the people who support for instance now im not trying to bet again how and they were not local and will d be again solar people or people frustrated governmental or whats the and implementation the contending with the human rights situation thats what over. The performance will fill Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called these elections fundamentally flawed what are the electoral problems that youve identified. Well there are quite a few 1st of all weve got to discriminatory citizenship and other laws that bar most Rohingya Muslims 600000 who are still in Rakhine State another 1100000 who have been forced to flee to bangladesh from being involved at all theyre not considered citizens the 2008 constitution reserves 25 percent of the parliamentary seats for the military theyre appointed by the Army Commander in chief so youre talking about the rick requirement for anybody to actually get a working majority in the National Parliament you have to actually win 67 percent of the seats either as a sole party or as a coalition of parties to overcome that 25 percent set aside for the military and thats quite unclear quite unfair and theres big problems with the supposedly independent Union Election commission which is proving to be anything but independent or even basically competent tony youve youve stated that you are concerned about the lack of International Condemnation of the disenfranchisement of the right in this election what do you worry could happen as a result. I think its a quite worrying situation because you know International Community weve been campaigning edible gave him that. Rohingya citizenship issue for many years and then we can see here. These 2020 alexion s. Gluey center and there is no such condition International Committee have and you know they instead rohingya are as clued up from election they are funding to e. C. Races commission i worry that these really encouraged to the military same time to the government they can move well what are their human rights abuses and violations particularly as you know right rohingya areas in our kind of stayed on the genoese ongoing genocide you practice in politics practiced it i guess rohingya you know this is. Much lower worrying that you know. Every day of daily life around us are facing crimes or you know and by their brummies military and same time government is not allowing enough minuter in aid. Also restriction of movement mariage are still on top of that so what how much farther situation can get was you know it can be much less was so there is one point that of cause Burmese Military and government practice in general sidle policy and and congressman to this election will be much much lost and i worry that. It could it will be much farther and is really encouraging point one of the important thing here is you know so they can move on when they can kill anyone they can do what i what they want to rohingya so nobody can nobody caring about you know as to their food or that International Community supported it funding it you know so this is the point here i want to point out mickey many analysts have said that at its core this election is really a referendum on some suchi would you agree with that assessment everything the one of the i mean a primary concern for me is i mean majority still believe in all sincerity and also people i mean hope for instance achieve the never dying but also have been on the other hand there are increasing number all people who lost their homes and all the and also serve one of the problem it was a hostile and only human rights situation specially on the writings of duration iraq and also other at the minority so her treatment again her installation in red herring in 11500000. 00 went to the for the at the minority in africa affected areas like the kind cent they cannot rely on to participate in this election. So ive seen a number of youre not the political different type men so lets make people crazy and back less again Current Situation and also you need i mean you know. Be a trying. Just then what i mean by youre elected government how to appoint the member of the Election Commission you know Election Commission member so now began a kinds that you dont favor or the current government which made me which make me up thats ration so frustrated and also. And felt and exposed room to as well religious minority in nema but thats the kind of indicator that. Increased number of people i mean being helped you know and will be until weve already spoken a lot in this program about rock kind state about the persecution that the rohingya have faced at the hands of man mars military but id like you to give our viewers a Bigger Picture of what exactly is playing out in iraq i say because you have the continued persecution thats been reported of the rink but then you also have other ethnic groups that are involved in the violence that is going on there how dire is the situation and who exactly is being affected. Well it is a very very difficult situation wrecked hine state and most of the voters in Rakhine State are not going to be able to vote in this election because the election for their areas have been cancelled it will only be in the sort of southernmost districts of Rakhine State where the election will probably still be held i mean we have the rohingya approximately 600000. 00 of them are estimated to still be in Rakhine State we know that at least 130000. 00 of them are locked down and what is essentially internment camps where they are unable to leave those areas theyre stripped of their livelihoods they Lack Basic Services and certainly theyre not allowed the right to vote but then you know thats the rohingya but that the Ethnic Rakhine who are the other Major Ethnic Group in the country are now in involved through a Ethnic Armed Organization there are common army in very very fierce fighting with the berms military its probably the most serious fighting going on anywhere in the country right now and what you have is attacks by the military on civilians youve had shelling of villages youve had use of landmines and i e ds you know weve had abductions of people by the our common army including 3 l. D. Candidates so it is a very dire situation i mean we see that crimes against humanity are being committed not only against the rohingya but also against the recommend people by the vermes military its its really rather amazing that you know the Myanmar Military has managed to commit crimes against both ethnic groups in record and state and you know this is an area where the people are were unified in 2015 and supporting a party that was not the n. L. B. And that party won the state elections. But it was not allowed to become chief minister and thats going to be an issue again this year is even if ethnic parties win in their actual states or the National Government whoever wins that and most people believe that will be the end of the are the ones who appoint a century the chief minister or the governor of that state or province tune there have been many Rights Groups that have called upon the government in myanmar to allow rohingya candidates to run for office that have called on the government to allow for rohingya to be able to vote of course we all know thats not happening now were you at any point in the process hopeful that things might change or is this playing out as you had expected it to play out. For now tomorrow election 2020 alexis and there is. Going to be going ahead i think for the 2025 is depends on how International Pressure you do really walking International Community really care about as a whole burma including other minorities in burma you know as crucial is not really a good. A good thing for not really important for International Community because of the earth do you support hindu Union Election Commission Races commission and theyre moving ahead including the u. S. U. K. And you and other countries this is really really disturbing you know so is depends on how much International Community will Pay Attention one thing and secondly. Is not only rohingya tight election when banning the routine yes the ethnic you know method the minorities will suffer much will because 1500000 people are. Bar from election this is very important point when you look at as a whole election in burma so i think is deeper and. Our new government. Feel pressure from International Law and funding issue in in a few share there is should be a condition that with out. You know this is not a kind of week we have we have we have seen a 2020 election is not free and fair at all and International Community should focus on without any minority of schools and there is no such thing they can somewhat fund in you e. C. And this would not acknowledge human new government whenever come up after these 2 or 3 days after that this is not this government is not. Not happy at a kind of late. You know recognition they should not give because this is totally flawed election they come up learn from their 22 and turn im sorry interrupted i want to go to nikki cause i want to expand on the point that youre making if thats ok. You know last year on some suits she appeared in the International Court of justice and denied the charges that have been leveled against me and more for perpetrating a genocide as the gambia alleges. And thats something that made him some soup cheese reputation suffer even more in the International Community is diminished it even more but in but enemy and more itself thats something thats bolstered her popularity has it not. Yeah thats the 1. 00 and 1. 00 evidence that we have seen and also look one of the need to think is that shes defending the human rights violation the the finding the perpetrator and why washington so thats thats thats the nature of being why she lose her face in International Law and also in number are so international and media investigated generally reveal the interest in the athlete and and also others and also the perpetrator like that to sort of do in that way justify and again up a trigger so these kinds of revealing the truth story when what people think price and i guess what ive seen the Civil Society back less echo of guns that were meant and even how for the best kinds of i mean i yeah i feel like you know that kind of being. A true and investigative journalist in investigating you know i mean d a Group Document being human rights violations. Russia again. And the government now and also people sometimes people dont trust in him right or can i reach into him right back and documentation but they cannot but 9. By the builders and. International apartment as well so i reckon there are people and im thinking like not rank she doing that one question that the military perpetrator thats right people in them are now considering i mean i kind of a supreme being for hire against you. I mean but i still dislike all International Law. Breaking International Law and i also musing. In domestic within the country as well still i want to turn our viewers attention to Something Else thats been going on for several years and memoir which is the spread of hate speech particularly through social media. Channels i mean this has been a serious problem dating back several years at this point and apparently its a problem again in this election cycle that hate speech is spreading against certain ethnic groups there throughout the country now there are platforms like facebook that have said that they are clamping down that the problem is getting under control from your Vantage Point is that the case or is it again a huge problem and is it once again dangerous for different minorities. Well i think that facebook of charge has put a lot more resources in this time around they got caught flatfooted several years back by the hate Speech Campaign that came out against the rohingya and really. You know theres a great deal of harm done through the facebook platform you know the whole issue went all the way up to Mark Zuckerberg so this is a real priority for facebook to try to get it right and and for all intents and purposes facebook is the social media medium that is what matters in myanmar and so what were talking about hate speech its all about them getting it right and we are seeing them try to do more but you know theyre playing a game of whack a mole to be honest i mean theyre trying to take hate speech off the platform but more of it comes up certainly the. Union solidarity and Development Party the u. S. D. P. Which is the major party backed by the military has been saying racist things against the rohingya and has been denigrating muslims in general throughout the entire country the actual head of that party the u. S. D. P. Party has said some of these things on the record and so its quite clear that there is a current of discrimination and hate being particularly protected against the muslim people who are in myanmar and the government has said nothing about it. Thats the shocking thing theyve sort of left at the facebook to deal with it but the reality is that the government itself doesnt want to say anything and doesnt want to do anything to stop the hate Speech Campaign from Going Forward to and you know a lot of analysts have said that this election is another important test for me and more as it is making its transition away from military rule do you believe that that mean more is actually making a transition away from military rule. I dont think so because i cant see that civilian government led by ourselves would see is really. A practice in democracy there is no science freedom of media there and even a spade media is not allowing opposition and you not to highlight things the state media has control in many ways and you know also all there is. One thing is lets have a look on the issue how can add democratic transition can will wear what you know or what made the road to rolling up or about 1000000 population us till in bangladesh where they belong you know where all you got belongs to burma and if flatus do there it is normal sized thing government is doing to bring bad them to give them they are right where you know living in our kind of state time immemorial and 600000 rohingya you know or at death right to what a right to be a member of parliament and we cannot see any think policy towards rohingya and minorities been shared in under and only government turn of course many are telling that on rolling and then the government is cutting my apologies to we only im sorry i dont interrupt you i just we only have about a minute left and i want to ask one more question about the military to nikki before we end the show nikki in me and more its the military that essentially still controls the levers of power is that correct. You know some call is correct because the. Provided was special i mean a lot of power to the military but every Republican Party who grew up and got that wasnt. Sure of the political power with the military well electic have to share with the military but i look upon her with the military as well i mean a 91 did you win the election. 75 percent all i mean majorities the at the poly one of the early things and i mean i talked with the political editors so they let the devil like the shell they are political pop that the political howl with the naked democratic on the democratic side of this thats a kinds of where. Most of the time the i mean our what and where at this constitution its good everybody elected government will share with girl. Power with the military all right weve run out of time so were going to have to leave it there thanks so much to all our guests nikki diamond to ken and Phil Robertson and thank you too for watching you can see the program again any time by visiting our website aljazeera dot com and for further discussion go to our Facebook Page thats facebook dot com forward slash a. J. Inside story you can also join the conversation on twitter our handle is at a. J. Inside story for me and the whole team here i for now. From fossil fuels to modern day renewable as societies develop the energy demands increase requiring Innovative Solutions to meet such tomorrows as a Global Power Development of the Basement Company nebraska power is uniquely positioned to deliver against these developments we provide Business Growth promote social economic benefits and provide innovative safe and environmentally sound Energy Solutions for a future generation brush fire nearing future energy. 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Really understand the differences in the similarities the cultures across the world so much of what we do to the news and Current Affairs that matter to you. President elect joe biden pledges to bring a divided United States together and make history with his running mate comma set to be the 1st female Vice President. What a testament it is to joes character that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country and select a woman as his bias. That i have our oracle