Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Worsening conflict

The military junta clearly faces its toughest challenge in the strategic provinces where long-running ethnic insurgencies have intensified and the Tatmadaw has increasingly lost territorial control

Myanmar’s military junta has clearly bitten more than it can chew. Apart from a massive surge in multiple armed insurgencies in border provinces dominated by ethnic minorities, the generals are now faced with armed resistance in the Burman heartland, where an initially peaceful movement for the restoration of democracy has turned violent following brutal repression. Nothing illustrated this better than a former Miss Myanmar, dressed in military fatigues with a rifle, announcing her decision to join the People’s Defence Force, the armed wing of the National Unity Government.

The military junta clearly faces its toughest challenge in the strategic provinces where long-running ethnic insurgencies have intensified and the Tatmadaw has increasingly lost territorial control. In desperation, the generals have ordered air strikes on rebel targets but these have caused much collateral damage and a hardening of positions. On October 23, the Burmese air force bombed the anniversary celebration of the Kachin Independence Organisation, killing at least 60 people and injuring around 400 others.

Intense fighting between Burmese troops and the separatist Arakan Army since the breakdown of a tenuous ceasefire in July has led to a dramatic loss of effective control by Myanmar’s military junta over Rakhine. In September, the AA’s deputy commander, Nyo Twan Awng, called for “a final decisive war for building the state of the Arakan”. This was no hollow publicity stunt: the AA now boasts of effective control over two-thirds of Rakhine and a substantial portion of neighbouring Chin state. Founded in 2009, the AA now has nearly 30,000 well-armed troops, including at least 6,000 in areas controlled by its allies in Kayin, Kachin, and Shan provinces. More than 100 Burmese troops have died and sixty of their camps overrun since fresh fighting erupted. But the Tatmadaw has failed to retake lost ground despite additional deployment of land forces and airpower. Besides Kachin and Rakhine, the Tatmadaw has lost control over territories in Karen and Shan states. The United Wa State Army controls a huge area in eastern Shan. The military junta has avoided a confrontation with the UWSA that has more than 20,000 fighters and even the latest anti-aircraft batteries.

The AA has taken over, partly or fully, a number of smaller townships and could even take control of Maungdaw. If that happens, the Arakan Army United League of Arakan will control the trade route to Bangladesh. The rebel group appears keen to deal directly with Bangladesh to settle the issue of the return of Rohingya Muslims. The AA-ULA is willing to support the repatriation process not just to gain the support of the Rohingya but also to earn international goodwill. Can Dhaka, upset with Burmese shelling on border villages, afford to turn its back on the AA-ULA overtures?

Similarly, India may find it difficult to operationalise the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport project without the support of the AA-ULA. Work on the KMMT was frequently disrupted by the AA-ULA in retaliation against Indian military operations against the AA’s covert bases in Mizoram. But now it appears that the AA-ULA are inclined to deal with India. The Narendra Modi government, which has preferred to wait and watch in Myanmar for fear of driving the military junta into Chinese embrace, will have to rethink its Myanmar policy that has avoided direct support or covert engagement with non-State actors since 1997.Prior to that, India not only supported rebel groups like the Kachin Independence Army with weapons but also backed the movement for democracy.

But neither can India afford a fresh influx of refugees into Mizoram and Manipur; nor can it wait endlessly to operationalise the KMMT corridor. China has the Burmese military junta under its control. Beijing has played its cards well with the AA-ULA. India will be left playing catch-up, as in Afghanistan, unless it recognises the changing ground realities in Myanmar.

Subir Bhaumik is a former BBC correspondent

Source: The Telegraph, 15/11/22

IIM Bangalore joins hands with Assam Govt to launch CM’s Young Professional Programme

It will be a blend of academic and district-based work with a staggered academic program spanning 40 days in Guwahati (i.e. off-campus programme).

The Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM Bangalore) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Assam to jointly operate the ‘Chief Minister’s Young Professional Programme’ (CMYPP).

The Chief Minister’s Young Professional Programme has been designed by IIM Bangalore and anchored by the school’s Office of Executive Education Programmes. This programme is meant for early career individuals with a post-graduate degree in any field and willing to work in the district. It will be a blend of academic and district-based work with a staggered academic program spanning 40 days in Guwahati (i.e. off-campus programme).The first batch of CMYPP will see more than 65 professionals being recruited jointly by the Assam Government and IIM Bangalore. Upon successful completion of the two-year programme, the participants will be awarded a certificate in public policy and management by IIM Bangalore.

Further details regarding the application process and remuneration will soon be announced in the coming weeks. The details will be available at the official IIM Bangalore website — iimb.ac.in.

‘This is a unique initiative where highly skilled people will get an opportunity to contribute at the grassroots level as well as gain academic expertise from a prestigious institute like IIM Bangalore. Endeavours such as these will open the doors of the government to talented people. More detailed announcements relating to this programme will be made shortly. My thanks to the team of IIM Bangalore for partnering with us,” Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, said.

Edited by Deeksha Teri

Source: Indian Express, 14/11/22

How we can make the digital space safer for all, particularly women

What could be helpful is to elevate the public discourse around technology-facilitated abuse. There is a need to focus on safety tools and features across platforms

India has one of the youngest youth demographics in the world (27 per cent are Gen Z while 34 per cent are Millennials) and among the most active online. As online interactions increase, more and more content is created and shared among people, helping them form new and wonderful connections. Sometimes, however, these interactions also make them vulnerable to harm.

Women are often particularly vulnerable. “What should I do, I can’t tell my family!” is a common refrain, heard from young women across the country when they grapple with the fallout of their private pictures being leaked online — sometimes from a hacked account, other times because of a soured relationship. In a culture where mobile phones sell because of the quality of their cameras, it should be no surprise that young men and women are exploring new ways to express their sexuality and navigate relationships, including through the taking and sharing of intimate images. However, it is increasingly evident that these new social norms have created new forms of abuse, as intimate images are being used to blackmail, shame, coerce, and control. Women are usually the victims.

Often, crimes that disproportionately impact women devolve into mass panic and lead to an all too predictable top-down discourse around the need to “protect our sisters and daughters”. This reaction, however well intentioned, will end up denying women their freedom and agency by their so-called “protectors”, many of whom are simply telling women to go offline, to be ashamed of expressing themselves, to stay in their lane.

Fortunately, leading academics — many of them women — are spearheading research around the topic, so that we may more accurately discuss and grapple with the evolution of technology-facilitated abuse, including intimate image abuse. Industry, too, has a role to play. If platform providers could be more responsive to the concerns and experiences of women then, to some extent, better design can help mitigate such issues.

A simple example is that of “unwanted contact”, one of the reasons why women avoid online spaces. This could mean design choices that help women stay in control of who they engage with, thereby reducing unwanted messages or advances. It could also mean leveraging open source technology that detects and blurs lewd images so that women don’t need to see unsolicited pictures. Therefore, focussing on safety tools and features — across the spectrum of websites and apps — could bring forward more ideas for creating a safer internet experience.

Various parliament committees in India have held meetings to discuss the issue of online safety of women over the years, and part of the government’s motivation in notifying the new IT rules had been rooted in the growing concern regarding the safety and security of users, particularly women and children. These are very good tangible steps. With the IT Act coming up for a rehaul, there is an opportunity to discuss in detail the nature of technology-facilitated abuse, capturing what this means, understanding how cases impact individuals as well as communities, the language needed to capture such offences and the punishment — penalties, jail or even rehabilitation programmes for perpetrators. This could be the start of an era of evidence-based discussion. Already, we know that crimes against women are the top category in India’s crime statistics, with cyber crimes a few rungs lower on the scale. Where the two intersect is where we need to focus if we are to make online space safe.

Despite these efforts, it is clear that women in India won’t feel safe online anytime soon unless society lets them. What could be helpful here is to elevate the public discourse around technology-facilitated abuse.

Written by Mahima Kaul

Source: Indian Express, 15/11/22

The writer is Director, APAC Public Policy, Bumble.

Monday, November 14, 2022

Quote of the Day November 14, 2022

“The season of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of success.”
Paramahansa Yogananda

“असफलता का मौसम, सफलता के बीज बोने के लिए सर्वश्रेष्ठ समय होता है।”
परमहंस योगानंद

E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022

The Indian Government issued notification on E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, which will come to effect from next financial year.

What is E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022?

The E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 was published by the Ministry of Environment, forest and climate change on November 2, 2022.
The new rules will come to effect from April 1, 2023.
They will apply to all businesses and individuals involved in manufacturing, sales, transfer, purchase, refurbishing, dismantling, recycling and processing of e-waste or electrical and electronic equipment.
Under the new rules, the number of items that have been categorized as e-waste has been increased from 21 to 106.
It includes all electrical devices and radiotherapy equipment, nuclear medicine equipment and accessories, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), electric toys, air conditioners, microwaves, tablets, washing machine, refrigerator, iPad and others.
This includes electronic components, consumables, parts and spares that make the electronic products operational.
The new rules are not applicable for waste batteries, which are covered under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022.
It is also not applicable for packaging plastics, which are covered under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
It also does not apply for micro enterprises and radio-active wastes, which are covered under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 and Atomic Energy Act, 1962 respectively.

What are the key features of the rules?

The rules restrict the use of hazardous substances for manufacturing electrical and electronic equipment. This comes in response to the deaths caused by exposure to radioactive materials.
Manufacturers of electronic equipment are mandated to reduce the use of lead, mercury, cadmium and other others that can harm human health and environment.
These materials can adversely affect brain, heart, liver, kidneys and skeletal system. It also causes harmful effects on neurological and reproductive systems.
Under the new rules, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will conduct random sampling of electrical and electronic equipment placed in the market to monitor and verify compliance of reduced use of hazardous substances.
Manufacturers are required to use technologies and methods that make the end product recyclable. They are also required to ensure the compatibility of components or parts developed by different manufacturers. This will minimise the generation of e-wastes.
Imports or sales of new electrical and electronic equipment are allowed only if they comply with the government regulations. If the product does not comply with the rules, the manufacturer must withdraw all samples from the market.
It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to collect e-wastes generated during the manufacturing process and ensure that they are recycled or disposed as per the rules.

Current Affairs-November 13, 2022

INDIA

– PM Modi inaugurates Ramagundam Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd in Telangana

– PM inaugurates onshore facilities of ONGC’s U-field in KG (Krishna Godavari) basin block in AP

– Public Service Broadcasting Day celebrated on Nov 12

– National Legal Services Authority observes Legal Services Day on Nov 9

– UGC notifies new regulations on PhD degrees; students completing 4-year undergraduate course eligible for direct admission

– Rajasthani writers Madhu Kankariya (2021), Madhav Hada (2022) awarded Bihari Puraskar in Udaipur

– Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls: 98% voter turnout at world’s highest polling booth (15,256 ft) in Lahaul & Spiti district

– 7th edition of Indo-French air exercise Garuda VII culminates in Jodhpur

– Padma Shri awardee mathematician R. L. Kashyap dies at 84

ECONOMY & CORPORATE

– MSCI includes 6 Indian stocks in its index

WORLD

– India, Cambodia sign four MoUs in areas of culture, wildlife and health following meeting between Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Cambodia’s PM Hun Sen in capital Phnom Penh

– Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agrees in principle to admit East Timor as the group’s 11th member at summit in Phnom Penh

– 9th ASEAN-India Summit organised in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Indian delegation led by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar

– World Pneumonia Day observed on Nov 12

– Father of modern election science, Sir David Butler, dies at 98 in UK; co-invented the swingometer, a graphics device used to show the shift of votes from one party to another

– China launches cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-5 for its Tiangong space station

– Fifth edition of Paris Peace Forum held; theme: “Riding out the multicrisis”

SPORTS

– Asian Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan: India return with 12 medals: 4 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze

– Greg Barclay of New Zealand re-elected as ICC (International Cricket Council) Chairman for two-year term

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