【331-335】 Fears Increase After Attack on Indian Dairy Farmer

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AS IT IS

UN Rights Chief Criticizes Bosnian Serb Rejection of Report on 1995 Massacre

August 17, 2018

A woman visits a grave of her family members in the memorial center Potocari near Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, after the court proceedings of former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic, Nov. 22, 2017.

The parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s self-governing Serb Republic has voted to reject a 2004 report on the Srebrenica massacre.

The United Nations human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein has publicly criticized the decision. He said it will likely harm efforts to improve relations between Serbians in Bosnia and Muslim Bosnians, or Bosniaks.

The two groups fought a war against each other that lasted from 1992 to 1995. The war divided the country into two ethnically-based regions, the Serb Republic and the Bosniak-Croat Federation.

Relations between the two regions have been tense since the war ended. This tension has created barriers to Bosnia and Herzegovina joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.

Ravina Shamdasani is a representative for the U.N. human rights office. On Friday she announced the chief’s warning that rejecting the Srebrenica report would only create greater division in the country ahead of its general election in October.

The report describes the events in the weeks after the Bosnian Serbs captured the formerly U.N.-protected town of Srebrenica in July 1995. The report found that the Serbs killed as many as 8,000 Muslim Bosniaks during that time.

Two war crimes courts, The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice, ruled that the killings qualified asgenocide. But Serbs in Bosnia and neighboring Serbia reject the rulings.

The Serb Republic’s parliament had accepted the findings after the report was released in 2004. But members of the governing body voted to revoke that earlier decision on Tuesday. An official rejection of the report is expected in the coming days.

Serb Republic President Milorad Dodik helped start the move in parliament to reject the report. Some experts say it is the latest issue Serb ruling parties have used to gain support among voters before elections on October 7.

Ravina Shamdasani said that Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein is asking the Serb Republic to reconsider its decision.

“The High Commissioner fears that tensions, divisions and mistrust already perpetuated by some public and political officials and media organizations in Bosnia could be aggravated by this decision,” she said.

On Wednesday, the United States Department of State called the vote “a step in the wrong direction.”

I’m Pete Musto.

The Reuters news service reported this story. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

We want to hear from you. What effect do you think the lawmakers’ decision will have? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

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Words in This Story

massacre – n. the violent killing of many people

region(s) – n. a part of a country or of the world that is different or separate from other parts in some way

qualified as – v. had all the necessary qualities to be thought of or described in a particular way

revoke – v. to officially cancel the power or effect of something

perpetuate(d) – v. to cause something that should be stopped, such as a mistaken idea or a bad situation, to continue

aggravate(d) – v. to make an injury or problem more serious or severe

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AS IT IS

As Asian Currencies Lose Value, Can Governments Avoid a Crisis?

August 17, 2018

The exchange rate of Vietnam's currency has fallen against the U.S. dollar. Several other Asian currencies have seen their value decrease this year.

Many of Asia’s currencies are losing value against the United States dollar this year.

But experts say governments are managing the losses better than they did in the past.

The currencies of China, India, Indonesia and Myanmar all have lost value since January of 2018. The Indian rupee was at a record low against the U.S. dollar in June. And the Chinese yuan lost 3.2 percent in the first half of the year.

Economists say there are many reasons for this, including possible contagion from financial problems in Turkey. They also say investors are worried about the effects of the trade dispute between the United States and China.

Next week, China will face additional U.S. tariffs on $16 billion-worth of Chinese products.

Song Seng Wun is an economist with investment bank CIMB in Singapore. He said, “It’s just basically that everything we’ve worried about now and then sort of converged.”

Why are Asian currencies losing value?

Experts say there is no single reason currency exchange values are lower in Asia. Rising oil prices may have affected the Indian rupee for example. Myanmar has had large growth in imported products.

In Vietnam, Bao Viet Securities, a financial business, said Vietnam’s currency has lost value because the value of the currencies of neighboring countries have gone down.

But it is the fall of Turkey’s lira and the possibility that it could bring down other currencies that has caused problems in Asian currency markets, Song said.

The continuing trade dispute between the U.S. and China is another reason for the currency problems.

Some media reports have said that the U.S.-China trade war has caused investors in India to move away from local stocks and similar assets.

Maxfield Brown is an expert with the business services company Dezan Shira & Associates. He spoke about the exchange value of Vietnam’s currency.

“I think there’s a number of reasons why it could be going down,” he said.

Brown said Vietnamese officials are frightened about recent U.S. and Chinese actions and everyone is being cautious.

Learning from mistakes in the past

Financial officials of some Asian governments have answered market uncertainty by raising interest rates. Raising rates usually increases the exchange value of a currency.

Indonesia has raised important interest rates four times in three months. India and the Philippines have also raised rates.

Asian countries are keeping more foreign currency in their banks and trying to lessen national debts, said Marie Diron. She is a director of Moody’s Investor Services in Singapore.

She said actions like raising rates help to control falls in currency values.

In Vietnam, government officials learned from bad currency decisions in the past and now their answers are “measured,” Brown said.

The French investment bank Narixis said Friday that China will likely take measures to support the economy. These actions should also help calm international financial markets.

Most economists agree this is not a time of crisis. Asian currency falls are not a threat to the world’s economy, Song said.

I’m Susan Shand.

This story was reported by VOA’s Ralph Jennings and adapted for Learning English by Susan Shand. It was edited by Mario Ritter.

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Words in This Story

currency – n. the money used by a country

contagion – n. a financial crisis that moves from one country to another

converge – v. to all meet together

cautious – adj. careful, uncertain

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AS IT IS

Oil, Gas Deal with Philippines Could Help China Politically

August 18, 2018

Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte as they attend the welcome ceremony at Yanqi Lake during the Belt and Road Forum, in Beijing, China, Monday, May 15, 2017. (Roman Pilipey/Pool Photo via AP)

Experts say a plan for China and the Philippines to jointly explore oil and gas in the South China Sea could help China politically.

The foreign affairs secretary for the Philippines, Alan Peter Cayetano, spoke to reporters about the proposal last month.

Cayetano said a first version of the agreement for the joint exploration plans was expected to be completed by September, CNN Philippines reported.

Philippine media has reported that Cayetano said China is open to sharing oil and gas resources. The plan would give the Philippines 60 percent of revenue from possible oil or gas discoveries. China would receive 40 percent.

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano gestures during a news conference on the South China Sea on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018, in suburban Taguig city east of Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Some experts say they would not be surprised if China agreed to such a joint exploration deal. They say it could win China political influence with the Philippines and other countries that have claims to the South China Sea.

China claims most of the South China Sea, an important waterway through which trillions of dollars in trade passes each year.

The area is believed to hold oil and natural gas. The Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia also have claims to the sea.

The Philippines and other claimants have criticized China for turning undersea landforms in the South China Sea into artificial islands. China has built military structures and put equipment on some of them.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has criticized China’s expansion in the disputed waters. But he has also been careful not to push the issue too far because he seeks closer ties and aid from China.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures during his third State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives in Quezon city, metropolitan Manila, Philippines Monday July 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

In a speech Tuesday, Duterte said it was “wrong” for China to claim airspace over newly-built islands in the South China Sea.

“You cannot create an island, it’s man-made, and you say that the air above these artificial islands is yours,” he said. “That is wrong because those waters are what we consider international sea.” He added that “the right of innocent passage is guaranteed. It does not need any permission to sail through the open seas.”

The Associated Press reported that the Philippines also has expressed concern to China over a rising number of Chinese radio messages. These messages have warned Philippine ships to stay away from some of the islands.

China has repeatedly said it has the right to build on and defend areas it considers its own territory.

Alan Chong is an associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. He says a 60-40 joint exploration deal with the Philippines could help China in several ways.

It could signal to other Southeast Asian nations that China “is willing to be a different kind of aid-giver,” Chong said. He added that the oil deal could improve China’s image in countries where it is developing infrastructure as part of its $1 trillion, 5-year-old Belt and Road project.

In this Sept.23, 2015 photo provided by Renato Etac, Chinese Coast Guard members approach Filipino fishermen as they confront them off Scarborough Shoal at South China Sea, in northwestern Philippines. (Renato Etac via AP)

Chong said he thinks the deal could be a way for China to help Duterte at home. “Because he’s facing a lot of criticism from his own countrymen about selling out to China,” he said.

Carl Thayer is a Southeast Asia expert with the University of New South Wales in Australia. He says he also thinks the deal makes sense for China. “By agreeing to a lesser portion, China seeks to disarm domestic opposition by Filipinos,” he said.

Thayer said such a deal might also cause other nations to take more conciliatorypositions in the South China Sea dispute, as Duterte has done.

But another expert believes some people in the Philippines would want Duterte to push for an even bigger share than 60 percent. Maria Ela Atienza is a political science professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

“This plan for the government has received a lot of criticisms,” she told VOA. “Because others would argue if these areas are in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, that belongs to the Philippines and it should not be shared,” she added.

I'm Bryan Lynn. And I'm Alice Bryant.

Ralph Jennings reported this story for VOA News. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English, with additional information coming from the Associated Press and Reuters. Mario Ritter was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Words in This Story

revenue – n. amounts of money received by a government or company

artificial – adj. not natural, but made by people

infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) needed for an area to operate

portion – n. a part of something

domestic – adj. inside one country and not international

conciliatory – adj. intended to gain goodwill or favor

exclusive – adj. not shared with another person, organization or country

zone – n. an area where a particular thing happens

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AS IT IS

Some Elderly Koreans Uncertain About Separated Family Reunion

August 18, 2018

North Korean Joo Jae Eun, right, hugs with his South Korean brother Joo Jae-hui in a bid farewell after the Separated Family Reunion Meeting at Diamond Mountain resort in North Korea, Monday, Oct. 26, 2015. (Kim Do-hoon/Yonhap via AP)

After World War II, many Korean families who were North or South of the line that divided the two countries were separated.

The Korean War more than 60 years ago made meeting nearly impossible.

And now some separated families in South Korea say they are not sure they want to take part in next week’s inter-Korean reunions.

The reunion for separated families will take place from August 20 to 26 in the North’s Kumgang mountain resort. The reunion is one of many cooperation and exchange programs meant to aid relations between the two countries. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to the meetings at an inter-Korean summit in April.

Fewer families members remain

This year, fewer than 100 family members from both sides will take part.

Some people are in their 80s and their family members have died.

Baik Seong-yeon is 84 years-old. She learned that her brothers and sisters in North Korea had already died after she was chosen to join the reunion for separated families.

Baik will meet with the spouses of her late brother and sister, and with a niece from the North Korean side of her family. She does not expect an emotional meeting because she does not know them.

“As I have not met them before, I do not have a personal attachment, but I think that we are blood-related,” said Baik.

Years of division

Baik was born in Sunchon in the South Pyongan Province in North Korea. She fled to the South to escape the fighting during the war. She left behind her parents and siblings.

For the last 70 years, she, along with millions of others families that were separated during the fighting, was not permitted to return or contact her family. Both North and South Korea restrict communication with the other side.

The official family reunions began in the year 2000 when the South Korean government offered ways to aid the North. The offers included economic assistance, in an effort to improve relations.

But the meetings have not been held often because of tensions over the North’s nuclear tests and other actions. These include an incident in which North Korea fired artillery at a South Korean border island in 2010.

So far the program has reunited only a small number of the more than 57,000 South Koreans who are registered to take part. The most recent family reunion was held three years ago.

Losing touch with family members

War survivors like 90-year-old Kang Hwa-ja, are weak and suffering from decreasing mental abilities. She lives with her daughter in Incheon and needs assistance to walk.

Kang’s daughter Kim Yeon-sook said she did not ask to take part in this year’s reunion. She was surprised when she was chosen. When she learned all her close relatives were dead, she was unsure if she should go.

“As they are not her direct brother or sister, there will be an emotional gap,” said Kim, who will go with her mother to meet the son and daughter of Kang's brother.

Kang Hwa-ja, Baik Seong-yeon and other aging survivors have decided to go so they can learn how their relatives lived and died in the North. They say they consider it a chance to say goodbye.

“When we meet, we will talk about what happened in the past. It probably will be the first and the last time,” said Baik.

I’m Susan Shand.

This story was reported by VOA’s Brian Padden. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

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Words in This Story

reunion – n. rejoining two things or people or groups

resort – n. a place for a vacation or holiday

spouse – n. a husband or a wife

niece – n. the daughter of a brother or sister

sibling – n. a brother or sister

gap – n. an unfilled space

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AS IT IS

Fears Increase After Attack on Indian Dairy Farmer

August 18, 2018

Rakbar Khan was walking his two cows home to Kolgaon village when he was attacked last month in the Indian state, Rajasthan. The attackers were a group of suspected cow vigilantes. Khan later died in the hospital of his injuries.

Groups of Hindus calling themselves “cow protectors” attack people they suspect of killing cows or eating cow meat. Hindus consider the cow to be a holy animal. Rakbar Khan is Muslim.

Many Muslims in northern India are dairy farmers, and they fear their traditional work is now under threat.

The deadly incidents have increased since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rose to power. A major goal of the party has been cow protection. Critics say the party is using cow protection laws to attack Muslims, Dalits and Christians.

The victim’s family says Khan took a loan to buy the cows. The father of seven children planned to sell cow milk. The families in Kolgaon village have raised animals for generations.

“He had five cows which had stopped giving milk,” says his cousin Mohammad Akbar. “He thought two more cows would provide milk for his kids and he could also sell some in the market to support his family.”

Poorer people in the village buy cows because they cost a lot less than buffaloes. “Four cows give 60 kilograms of milk. People sell it and the money looks after their daily needs,” said Fazruddin Khan, a village leader.

There are about 1,500 cattle and 5,000 people in Kolgaon. Village leaders say fear of attack has led people to stop buying cows.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the killing of Rakbar Khan. But that has not eased fears. Kolgaon village borders Rajasthan state where cow vigilantes have been very active.

Cow vigilantes have carried out 60 attacks across India since 2010. They are most common in northern India. Almost all the attacks took place after the BJP rose to power in 2014, reported data research website IndiaSpend.

Twenty-eight of those 60 people were killed, the website reported. And, almost all of the dead were Muslims. Dalits have also been targeted.

The BJP has distanced itself from such groups and condemned the attacks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly criticized cow vigilantism and called on state governments to punish those who incite violence “in the name of cow protection.”

In a recent interview for the Times of India newspaper, Modi said that his government is committed to protecting the life and liberty of every citizen.

Khan’s death has shocked both Hindus and Muslims in the village they have shared peacefully for generations. “We are like brothers,” said Har Lal, the former village council head.

Political experts wonder why officials are not doing more to stop the cow vigilantes. They say the vigilantes are causing a sense of insecurity among the country’s Muslims, who represent about 14 percent of India’s population.

“There is a certain climate that has been created, that certain kinds of crime, people will get away with,” said political expert Neerja Chowdhury in New Delhi.

In Khan’s case, the public has questioned police actions following the attack. The officers took Khan’s cows to a shelter before getting him to a hospital. He laid, wounded, on the ground for three hours.

I’m Dorothy Gundy.

Anjana Pasricha reported this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

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