CNI News
13 July 2024

Khit Thit Media will be prosecuted under existing laws for broadcasting false information about Yoma Bank, the bank officially announced on 11th July 2024.

The media broadcast pieces of news stating directors of Yoma Bank were inspected regarding money laundering and they were detained, which was performed with an unscrupulous intent by the media, said in the bank's announcement.

The media carried out to hurt the public interests while there were instabilities and the bank would prosecute those who distributed false information under the existing laws, said in the statement released by the bank.

Yoma Bank, Ayeyarwady Bank, SMEs Development Bank, UAB Bank, Myanmar Metro Bank, Construction, Housing and Infra-structure Development Bank were found to have lent housing loans more than amount designated by the Central Bank of Myanmar, said the State Administration Council (SAC) and then they were taken action against on 1st July.

While seeing the reporting by Khit Thit Media

After that, the public is so worried that they are withdrawing their deposits, so the banks are issuing the money in a limited amount. And then, secretary, associate secretary of the SAC, Union Home Minister, Central Bank and Deputy PM met with patrons and chairpersons of the state-owned and private banks in Naypyidaw on 10th July.

As Myanmar was practicing the market economy, the Central Bank and private banks could perform freely. But violations of the rules and regulations could hurt the country's economic policies.

So, the government had to take decent action. Moreover, the people should not withdraw their deposits unnecessarily and they should not be worried about rumors; the SAC wanted banks to comprehensively use card and e-Banking systems, said Lt-Gen Aung Lin dwe, secretary of the SAC.

CNI News

12 July 2024

The Ministry of Labor has said that working abroad with passports for visit (PVs) would be controlled and if it wanted to do so, it would need to relax the age limit, pointed out some people. 

Because of sending youths to work abroad with an age limit and ban on changing Passport for Job (PJ) into Passport for Visit (PV), PV holders left for a neighboring country and are working there. 

If working abroad with PV was controlled, permission to go abroad with an age limit should be relaxed, which agencies demanded the ministry. However, the ministry refused it, an official from an overseas employment agency told CNI News.

" They (authorities) are tightening everyone. They are also tightening agencies so much. Since they limited age of the people who would work abroad, there has been a decrease in the number of people who come to agencies to work abroad. Because of an age limit, PV 
holders go abroad to work. Some go abroad through illegal channels. They also know that. So, they are limiting. Youths obviously will leave the country in any way. Agencies presented the authorities that some youths had to make preparations for years to go to Japan as 
skilled workers and most of them are 23 to 32 years old since before the order to limit age came out. They had to study Japanese for years. We requested the authorities to allow the youths, but they rejected that." he said.

Those who are waiting in line to apply for passports

Although agencies presented to relax the permission to go abroad with an age limit, the Ministry of Labor replied that it had no plan to relax that. Because the government departments are tightening the permission to go abroad one after another, there might be a sharp increase in the number of people who illegally sneak out. So, roles of brokers and human traffickers probably will be bigger.

" We always urged those who would go abroad since many years ago to go officially. By going officially, they can be safe and fully enjoy their rights. We strongly urged them not to go unofficially. But at present, we can't tell them like that. I'd like to tell all the young generation to make a decision only after studying properly with their own intelligence." he added.

At present, there have been a large number of people who leave for foreign countries in various ways while there has been a decrease in the number of people who will leave for foreign countries due to an age limit and other strictures reportedly. 

Moreover, although overseas employment agencies have got demand letters from foreign countries, due to labor shortage, sending workers abroad could be reduced in the future, according to overseas employment agencies.

CNI News
12 July 2024

The Kokang force (the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army) has attacked the places where are outside the Kokang region and expanded the territory, which Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, leader of the Information Team of the State Administration Council stated on 9th July, 2024.

The MNDAA was making efforts to get the Kokang Special Region-1 and performed discussions with the National Unity Government (NUG) and it said what the NUG said kind of, he said.

" The MNDAA has attempted for so-called getting the Kokang Special Region-1. They met with the terrorist group NUG and showed their territory. Moreover, they have attacked the places outside the Kokang region and expanded the territory. They said what the NUG said.

They recruited minors. They arrested all the other ethnic workers including Bamar in the Kokang region and forced them to fight against the Myanmar Tatmadaw. They also closed the schools." said Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun.

The MNDAA captured Laukkai, Kon Kyan, Theinni, Mongko, Phaungsai, Chin Shwe Haw and Kunglong Townships in northern Shan State in the end of last year during Operation-1027 waged by the Three Brotherhood (AA, TNLA and MNDAA). At present, the MNDAA and its allies are attacking Lashio City and the battles are breaking out between the MNDAA joint forces and the Myanmar Tatmadaw.

Territory disputes were taking place in northern Shan State and it would take a long time to solve the issues, U Kyi Myint, a Myanmar political commentator, told CNI News.

"There are territorial issues in northern Shan State. Wa wants to expand the territory. There are also territorial disputes between the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP). There are many problems. It will take a long time to solve the problems even after democracy is won. Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun will tell according to military and political stratagems and exercise psychological warfare, so what he says can't be taken for granted. EAOs will have to solve their problems by negotiating and discussing." he said.

Because of the battles between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the MNDAA joint forces within Lashio Township at present, several ten thousand locals are fleeing to safety.

According to the 2008 Constitution, Laukkai and Kon Kyan Townships were designated as the Kokang Self-Administered Zone Special Region-1.

CNI News

12 July 2024

The Ministry of Labor has said that working abroad with passports for visit (PVs) would be controlled and if it wanted to do so, it would need to relax the age limit, pointed out some people.

Because of sending youths to work abroad with an age limit and ban on changing Passport for Job (PJ) into Passport for Visit (PV), PV holders left for a neighboring country and are working there.

If working abroad with PV was controlled, permission to go abroad with an age limit should be relaxed, which agencies demanded the ministry. However, the ministry refused it, an official from an overseas employment agency told CNI News.

" They (authorities) are tightening everyone. They are also tightening agencies so much. Since they limited age of the people who would work abroad, there has been a decrease in the number of people who come to agencies to work abroad. Because of an age limit, PV holders go abroad to work. Some go abroad through illegal channels. They also know that. So, they are limiting. Youths obviously will leave the country in any way. Agencies presented the authorities that some youths had to make preparations for years to go to Japan as skilled workers and most of them are 23 to 32 years old since before the order to limit age came out. They had to study Japanese for years. We requested the authorities to allow the youths, but they rejected that." he said.

Those who are waiting in line to apply for passports

Although agencies presented to relax the permission to go abroad with an age limit, the Ministry of Labor replied that it had no plan to relax that. Because the government departments are tightening the permission to go abroad one after another, there might be a sharp increase in the number of people who illegally sneak out. So, roles of brokers and human traffickers probably will be bigger.

" We always urged those who would go abroad since many years ago to go officially. By going officially, they can be safe and fully enjoy their rights. We strongly urged them not to go unofficially. But at present, we can't tell them like that. I'd like to tell all the young generation to make a decision only after studying properly with their own intelligence." he added.

At present, there have been a large number of people who leave for foreign countries in various ways while there has been a decrease in the number of people who will leave for foreign countries due to an age limit and other strictures reportedly.

Moreover, although overseas employment agencies have got demand letters from foreign countries, due to labor shortage, sending workers abroad could be reduced in the future, according to overseas employment agencies.

CNI News

11 July 2024

Although private banks could perform separately and freely, because some of them violated rules and regulations and encroached the country's economic policies, they were taken decent action against, said Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dwe, secretary of the State Administration Council (SAC). 

He said the above when patrons and chairpersons from private banks and secretary, associate secretary of the SAC, Union Home Minister, Central Bank of Myanmar and Deputy PM discussed matters relating to banking industry.

Private banks were responsible to protect the interests of depositors while they must perform for the stability, security and integrity of financial system. So, the government, the Central Bank and private banks must cooperate, said Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dwe.

While top officials of the SAC were meeting with bankers on 10th July 2024

The needs of private banks were met by the national government and the Central Bank while private banks must abide by the rules and regulations in accordance with international norms; in carrying out business activities, monopoly and price speculation must be prevented because they could hurt the public interests; in the same way, if violations of existing rules and regulation as well as any legitimate procedure hurt the national government's finance and property, culprits would be taken action against in accordance with relevant existing laws, he said.

"Because our country is using a market economy system, the Central Bank and private banks can perform separately and freely. But because violations of the rules and regulations are encroaching the economic policies of the State, the national government is taking decent actions." said Lt-Gen Aung Lin Dwe, secretary of the SAC. 

Moreover, it was necessary for the people so as not to make unnecessary withdrawals of large sums of money because they were too much worried about pieces of news coming from rumors as well as private banks were wanted to take serious action in order to widely use the card and e-Banking systems, he added.

While seeing private banks that have been taken action against

Yoma Bank, Myanmar Citizens Bank, Ayeyarwady Bank, SMEs Development Bank, UAB Bank, Myanmar Metro Bank and Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Development Bank were taken action against by the SAC on 1st July because they were found to have lent housing loans more than amount designated by the Central Bank of Myanmar. 

After that the people became excessively concerned and because they are making withdrawals from their bank deposits, banks only are issuing limited amounts of money.

Because of the lack of trust among the public, it was very important to the SAC to regain the public trust, and only if public trust is gained, would social economy and banking systems be strengthened again, pointed out business people.

CNI News

10 July 2024

There are reviews among political and economic circles regarding whether the trade that has stopped and stability could be revived through the visit of Vice Sr-Gen Soe Win, vice chairman of the State Administration Council to China, who attended the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Vice chairman of the SAC Vice Sr-Gen Soe Win met and discussed with Ms.Shen Yueyuethe, President of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on 7th July 2024.

During the meeting of the two delegations, the conditions the are being carried out in order to improve the relationship of relatives (Sino-Myanmar relationship) based on the five principles of peaceful coexistence, partner relation between the two countries and improvement of all round strategic cooperation were discussed.

Because armed groups attacked Lashio, northern Shan State, while seeing a very long convoy of locals who fled to safety

The stability of the border areas of the two countries, cooperation for the full security of projects, illegal border crossing, elimination of online gambling and anti-drug activities were discussed in the meeting reportedly.

Because the TNLA and the MNDAA are attacking the Myanmar Tatmadaw in northern Shan State at present, the border trade with China has stopped.

Vice Sr-Gen Soe Win's visit to China was to attend the meeting of the SCO and could not impact on the battles in northern Shan State so much, a political commentator told CNI News.

" Because Myanmar is a member of the SCO, U Thein Sein went and attended the meeting. He and Chinese top officials spoke in a diplomatic manner. There was nothing more than that. It's difficult to reach agreements because there is no Hluttaw. There is nobody to approve." he said.

While seeing Vice Sr-Gen Soe Win and Ms.Yueyue on  7th July 2024

Myanmar's instability benefited China, U Li Paw Reh, chairman of the Lisu National Development Party (Dulei Party), told CNI News. 

" When Myanmar is unstable, China can take advantage of getting mineral and natural resources from Myanmar. China can extract Myanmar timber by car a lot. During the rule of law, they can't do so." he said.

Because of armed conflict in northern Shan State, it was impossible to resume the border trade with China, said a border trade entrepreneur.

Due to armed conflicts breaking out along the China-Myanmar border, the border trade has stopped and most locals are fleeing to safety.

CNI News

10 July 2024

The Shanni Nationalities Army (SNA) donated bags of rice and portable boxes of edible oil to the flood victims from the villages along the Chindwin River in Homalin Township, Homalin District, upper Sagaing Region on 9th July 2024 reportedly.

The SNA went and donated 1,000 bags of rice and 500 boxes of edible oil to the flood victims from 100 villages in Homalin Township.

Because of the flooding of the Chindwin River and Uru Creek within Sagaing Region at present, the people from Homalin and Khamti Townships have been flood victims.

CNI News

10 July 2024 

The Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP) purposely was disturbing the part-two of Operation-1027 that was being implemented in northern Shan State, which the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) accused the SSPP in its statement that was released on 8th July 2024. 

The TNLA has been implementing the part two of Operation-1027 with the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Arakan Army (AA) since 25th June 2024.

As a deliberate order of some central leaders, the SSPP troops were disturbing the part two of Operation-1027 in various ways, which was strongly denounced by the TNLA  that demanded to stop those actions, said in the statement released by the TNLA.

When the operation supervisory team was on the way to the Foothills Camp near Naung Pain to supervise on 5th July, it was attacked near the Naung Pain branch line by the SSPP troops and a first class military officer and the commander of Battalion-434 and the commander of the Battalion-577 and three troops were killed, said in the statement.

While seeing the statement accusing the SSPP that was released by the TNLA

When the TNLA attacked the military camps of the Myanmar Tatmadaw in Thibaw and Kyaukme Townships as the part two of Operation-1027 that started on 25th June, the Myanmar Tatmadaw handed over some of its military camps to the SSPP before it lost control of them and the SSPP forces transported the Myanmar Tatmadaw troops and opened routes, the TNLA accused the SSPP.

Although the northern alliance (MNDAA, TNLA, AA) attempted to persuade the SSPP to fight against the Myanmar Tatmadaw through holding meeting with the SSPP leaders before the part two of Operation-1027 was launched, the SSPP leaders replied that it was not ready to participate, said in the statement released by the TNLA.

However, the SSPP denied the TNLA's accusation and said it didn't disturb Operation-1027.

While seeing the letter sent to the UWSA by the SSPP

Because the TNLA entered and carried out military activities in Namkham, Thibaw, Muse, Kyaukme and Nawnghkio Townships that have been controlled by the SSPP, territorial and administration disputes between the two sides and the two EAOs disarmed and forced to move troops each other.

So, the SSPP sent a request letter to the Commander in Chief of the UWSA to restrain the actions of the TNLA on 6th July 2024.

The TNLA and the SSPP are allies and members of the FPNCC (Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee) led by the UWSA.

CNI News

10 June 2024

The Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP/SSA) sent a letter requesting to restrain the actions of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) to the Commander in Chief of the United Wa State Army (UWSA/UWSP) U Zhao Zhongdang reportedly. 

The letter on which vice chairman (1) of the SSPP/SSA signed was sent to U Zhao Zhongdang.

The TNLA forces attacked the SSPP four times on 5th July, 2024, so the battles broke out between the two sides, said in the letter.

The SSPP wanted to have mutual respect and support relation with the TNLA like the relation between the SSPP and the UWSA, so the SSPP specially need the help of the UWSA, said in the letter. So, the the SSPP requested the UWSA in order to restrain the TNLA as necessary, said in the letter.

While seeing the letter sent to the Commander in Chief of the UWSA by the SSPP

The TNLA attacked the military camps of the SSPP in Kyaukme and Nawnghkio Townships and a few battles broke out between the two sides. Moreover, the TNLA disarmed the SSPP troops in Namkham Township and forced the troops to move.

And then, the SSPP disarmed the TNLA/PDF joint forces that were active in Thibaw Township and forced the forces to move on 7th July and the SSPP disarmed the TNLA forces that arrived in Manhero Town, Muse Township on 6th July and forced the TNLA troops to move.

There are territorial and administration disputes between the two EAOs in northern Shan State as well as military tension.