CNI News

7 September 2023

In the border trade with Bangladesh, water products are allowed to export to Bangladesh through the Sittwe border trade camp only, which makes the traders in Maungdaw difficult reportedly. 

Aiming to carry out trade activities in an orderly manner and to develop trade, in the border trade with Bangladesh, water products and agricultural products are only allowed to be exported through the Sittwe Trade Station, said in a statement released by the trade department. 

A variety of freshwater and saltwater fish, and agricultural products - rice, broken rice, various kinds of pea and bean, sesame, peanut and onion have been allowed to export at the Sittwe Trade Station only starting from 4th September, 2023, said in the statement.

The traders who are mainly exporting freshwater carp, and workers in Maungdaw have found it difficult because the traders are not allowed to export water products including freshwater carp to Bangladesh through Maungdaw reportedly. 

When the products are exported through Sittwe, because it takes long, the quality of water products declines and the price also declines, said U Thein Maung, a trader from Maungdaw in Rakhine State, to CNI News.

Commodities are being carried at the Rakhine-Bangladesh border trade

" The department doesn't issue new license anymore for the products that are included in the statement starting from 4th September. The rest products are being exported. The products mentioned in the statement will be exported through Sittwe but not through Maungdaw. Especially water products were being mainly exported through Maungdaw. Now that these products are not allowed to export through Maungdaw, the workers and others all have been in crisis. Fish is a kind of perishable products and it takes 45 minutes or one hour if you go to Bangladesh from Maungdaw by boat, but from Sittwe, it may take about 24 hours. Because it takes too long, the water products' quality declines. And then, the prices also fall down. To be the best is to export water products through Maungdaw rather than other products. If you go from Sittwe, you can't sell at a higher price." said U Thein Maung.

Export of goods to Bangladesh through Sittwe is almost non-existent reportedly. Because export of goods throufg Sittwe is taking too time, quality declining, costlier and prices declining, traders are exporting their goods through Taungup and Maungdaw reportedly. If water products were exported through Sittwe, the trader may make a loss without making a profit, said the traders from Maungdaw.

So, the statement probably released to export water products and agricultural products through Sittwe in order to increase freight in Sittwe and the traders in Maungdaw have presented to the relevant authorities to allow them to export water products through Maungdaw, said U San Aung, a trader from Maungdaw, to CNI News.

" Sittwe is the capital of Rakhine State, but of the ports in the state, at its port, flow of goods became almost non-existent. Agricultural products such as ginger are exported through Taungup.If the goods are exported through Taungup, truck fare is low. Export of goods was conducted a lot through Maungdaw. The flow of goods became non-exsitent at Sittwe. The traders in Sittwe might be able to present to State Government or relevant senior official about it. The traders in Maungdaw are discussing. Because they are freshwater and saltwater fish exporters, they talked about it with the fisheries department so as to be able export water products through Maungdaw. They are planning to present in black and white. We have asked the fisheries department for help." said U San Aung.

At present, the rest of the goods previously permitted are being exported at Maungdaw border trade camp reportedly.

CNI News

7 September 2023

As the Union Election Commission (UEC) is making preparations to make the voters vote by the electronic voting machine, there are questions among the political parties whether he electronic voting machine is free from error or not. 

UEC met with some political parties and introduced the electronic voting machine and Experimental voting was conducted.

Because the voting machine is not connected to internet, it will not be hacked. And it is convenient because it works with batteries if the electricity is out of order or at the places where the electricity is not available, said U Thet Zaw who attended the discussion, to CNI News. 

 U Thein Soe, chairman of the UEC

" The electronic voting machine was produced by local experts. They have said that they have experimented it by tens of thousands times. But, to tell you frankly, there are still questions about responsibility and accountability. It can works with battery if the electricity is not available. That's not bad. It can be used not only in urban area but also in rural area." said U Thet Zaw.

Voting machines are low cost and can be widely used throughout the country, and voting results can be counted at once, said U Thet Zaw.

As the answer comes out immediately with just one click of the voting machine button, voting is easy and it is easier rather than printing by stamp used in previous elections, said Mahn Aung Pyi Soe, chairman of the Karen National Democratic Party, to CNI News.

The UEC is explaining to political parties about the voting machine that will be used in the election

" They said that it is produced by MicroMyanmar. If the result produced by the machine contains no lies or technologically created tricks, we can say that it is fair. A voter cannot press the button two times. What you press first is your vote from which a party's logo will come out. You have no rights to press second time." said Mahn Aung Pyi Soe.

The meeting with the UEC on 5th September, 2023 was attended by the leaders from 36 political parties. The UEC showed its preparations relating to voting systems that will be used in the coming general election. 

The State Administration Council has said that it will hold a general election after taking the census throughout the country in 2024.

CNI News

6 September 2023

When Myanmar nationals in Thailand ,come to the Myanmar Embassy to make passports in person without having to make appointments, the embassy needs to release the number of people to be daily accepted, those who are helping in the affairs of migrant workers told CNI News.
Although being able to apply for passports in person without having to make appointments is good for Myanmar migrant workers, there are still advantages and disadvantages, pointed out the people helping migrant workers.

" You can apply for the passport without making appointment, that is very good. But here we have to ask the department which has released that making appointment isn't needed anymore. Is it able to serve all the applicants daily? Is it able to issue slips to the applicants to come back and take the passport books in two weeks or 15 days. We have to watch it. There are several million people who have held Myanmar passports in Thailand. And there are over 600,000 Myanmar nationals whose visas will expire in November. When the people can apply for passports in person, why doesn't the embassy designate the number of people? Myanmar Embassy to Thailand should release an announcement how many passport books will be issued each day. Is it the cost in accordance with the amount designated by the existing law?  They should be announced." said Ko Thar Gyi, one of the people helping the migrant workers.

In front of the Myanmar Embassy

Because the number of appointees went very few recently in the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok, the embassy has suspended making appointment starting from 2nd September, 2023.

 So, those who want to apply for new passports for job and Myanmar nationals whose passports will expire on the end of June 2024 can come and make passports in person without taking appointments, released the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok. 

Being able to apply for passports in person without taking appointments may be a bit difficult for Myanmar migrant workers who are working at the places that are distant from Bangkok, said U Aung Kyaw, an official from the Labor Rights Foundation, to CNI News.

" Now that those who want to apply for passports can come and perform in person without taking appointments, Myanmar migrant workers who are working at the places that are distant from Bangkok .may find it a little difficult to travel. But they don't have to wait for 6 to 9 months. In the past, the workers applied through brokers. It is a situation in which the workers don't have to pay extra money. Brokers' involvement may decline, I think. But the role of brokers will not die out at all. Several million Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand will involve with brokers, I think." said U Aung Kyaw.

Migrant workers who have registered in the name list have been allowed to stay and work until the end of September in Thailand and Myanmar authorities are performing to enable Myanmar MoU workers to renew their passports in Myawady and Kawthaung with one stop service.

CNI News

6 September 2023

Although Bangladesh has offered to buy Myanmar sugar because it wants to meet its domestic demand, Myanmar can export the sugar to Bangladesh only next year, according to the Myanmar Sugar & Cane Related Products Association. 

If the sugar is exported to Bangladesh next year, only excess amount than the domestic consumption can be exported, said U Win Htay, vice chairman of the Myanmar Sugar and Cane Related Products Association, to CNI News.

Bags of sugar are being carried

" Although Bangladesh has offered to buy sugar from Myanmar, Myanmar can sell only next year. Because Vietnam also wants to buy Myanmar sugar, they are sending letters here. But the Myanmar side can't sell. We need to have enough sugar for the domestic consumption as well. And the sugar price is a bit high.

 
Another thing , next year, sugar mills will also increase. We can increase selling a lot in the market. But we can export the sugar only when we have extra than the domestic consumption. We still don't know the amount they will buy." said U Win Htay.

It would be less likely to be able to sell if foreign countries wanted to buy 20,000 tons of sugar each month, he added.

" For example, Vietnam wants to buy 10,000 tons a month and so does another country. If 20,000 tons are wanted from abroad, we don't have that amount to sell. But the production will increase. And domestic consumption will also increase. We have take to that into account." said U Win Htay.

After meeting the domestic demand, excess sugar is exported to Vietnam and the Philippines. 

Domestic sugar consumption is about 350,000 tons, and over 70,000 tons is being exported, said the Myanmar Sugar and Cane Related Products Association.
 
This year, the sugar price is 110,000 kyats per ton. So, peasants will grow more sugar cane and if the sugar is exported more than before, peasants will be able to sell sugar cane at a higher price, said U Maung Swe, a sugar cane peasant, to CNI News.

While storing sugar bags.

" This year, peasants grow more sugar cane. Sugar mills also provide loans. The yield this year increases than last year. The price of sugar cane is 110,000 kyats per ton, so peasant will grow on more acres in the coming year. The yield will increase by 30 to 40 percent. If the yield really increase, the sugar must be exported.  All the sugar produced in Myanmar cannot consumed domestically. If the sugar is exported, its price will be higher. If the price is higher, sugar mills buy sugar cane from peasants at a higher price. So, it is more convenient for peasants." said U Maung Swe.

Because Bangladesh wanted to buy Myanmar sugar, there was a discussion between Bangladesh and the Myanmar Sugar and Cane Related Products Association in August reportedly. 

The sugar exporting period has come to an end. Sugar cane cultivation will probably increase in the coming year and production of sugar will probably increase. 

So, Myanmar sugar will probably be exported more, according to the Myanmar Sugar and Cane Related Products Association.

CNI News

September 5, 2023

The Arakan Liberation Party reunification is underway, Col.Khaing Kyaw Hlaing from the ALP told CNI News. 

However, they have not been able to implement the reunification at present, he said. 

" We were able to get to a dialogue path with Bamar government with whom we were fighting against ceaselessly. We can have a dialogue among organizations separated from one party, I assume. We are trying to unite in one party every day." said Col. Khaing Kyaw Hlaing.

The group led by Khaing Ye Khaing, chairman, and Daw Saw Mya Raza Lin released a statement in January 2022 that the group led by Khaing Soe Naing Aung, vice chairman, had been expelled from the party because that group was trying to found a new party. 

Daw Saw Mya Raza Lin and her force

Again, the path that the group led by Khaing Ye Khaing wanted to go was different from the one that the group led by Daw Saw Mya Raza Lin wanted to go, that they said after which the party were split into two in March 2023.

At present, the party was split into three and they are the group led by Khaing Soe Naing Aung, the group led by Khaing Ye Khaing and the group led by Daw Saw Mya Raza Lin.

" We often get in touch with one another. Yesterday, I talked about the paty with Khaing Min Soe, commander in chief from the group led by Khaing Ye Khaing. In the same way, I talk with Daw Saw Mya Raza Lin occasionally. We can't go on like this." said Col. Khaing Kyaw Hlaing to CNI News.

U Khaing Ye Khaing and his force

Col. Khaing Kyaw Hlaing is from the group led by U Khaing Soe Aung. 

When CNI asked Daw Saw Mya Raza Lin about the ALP that is split into three groups, she told CNI that she had no comment.

 The ALP has signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) on 15th October, 2015 together with seven other ethnic armed organization and currently, the ALP is having peace talks with the State Administration Council.

CNI News

5 September 2023

When Myanmar nationals in Malaysia apply for passports, the appointment system has changed starting from 4th September, 2023, which Myanmar Embassy in Kuala Lumpur stated. 

In the pass when Myanmar nationals renewed their passports or applied for new ones, they had to go to the embassy in person on the appointment day. 

According to the system that has been changed, they have to take QR code online without having to go in person to take an appointment. New system is better and reliable, said Ma Chit Thae living in Malaysia, to CNI News.

" Some people have to come from distant places. Coming by car takes them 4 to 6 hours to get to the embassy. If undocumented, they are worried to be checked on the way. If QR code is used, Myanmar nationals can easily register from the places where they live. Difficulty is nothing particular. Even taxi rental software and delivery software can be easily used here. It's not very difficult to use QR code. Some restaurants in Malaysia don't keep menu cards. They put a QR code on the table. So, it will be convenient." said Ma Chit Thae.

WWW.melk.org can be accessed by mobile phone or computer to take a QR code online. A person who want to renew or apply for a new passport must fill in the information he wants to carry out about the service of the consulate, stated the embassy. 

Myanmar peoplee waiting in line to make passports

Moreover, the embassy will send the message to the mobile phone that is registered the day when he will come to the embassy and release the information real time on its social network pages.

Although the system change like this was more convenient than before, the role of brokers would not die out, said Hmwar Michael, one of the people helping in the affairs of Myanmar nationals, to CNI News.

" If the people whose passports are going to expire soon were served quickly and the people whose passports has a lot of time to expire were served a few months later, it would be more convenient. Because, as you know, our nationalities can do nothing without brokers. They think that only if the broker fill their name and their father's name, it will be correct. So, if they take the QR codes, they will ask the brokers. While taking the token online in the past, whenever you tried to take the token, you would find the list was always full. You had to wait a lot of time. It was inconvenient." said Mwar Michael.

In the past, when a person applied for the passport, he had to make an appointment in person after which he had to wait several months, to get the passport, pointed out Myanmar people in Malaysia. Moreover, Myanmar Embassy raised the fines for the passport loss or damage from 330 to 480 ringgits starting from the end of July when a new passport is applied.

CNI News

5 September 2023

The Union Election Commission (UEC) and political parties will meet and discuss about the matters relating to the voting system reportedly. 
Leaders of some political parties have arrived to discuss the voting system for the coming general election and she heard that 36 political parties have been invited, said Daw Cho Cho Kyaw Nyein from the Federal Democratic Party, to CNI News.

" I know some guests have come. But to the best of my knowledge, the leaders who have been invited will come to the office of Yangon Region Government tomorrow. The people will vote by machine in the coming general election, I think. They will show how to use the machine. It is said that the machine will be used to prevent the vote fraud." she said.

Moreover, she said that UEC and political parties would discuss about not only the voting system but also proportional representation election system.

While the UEC meeting with political parties

Only political parties that have got registered have been invited to the discussion between the UEC and political parties, said U Ko Ko Gyi, chairman of the People's Party (PP), to CNI Myanmar. 

" The parties that have got registered. We haven't got registered. When the UEC scrutinize a political party to allow it to register, the party has at least 15 people who want to found the party. We have submitted 17 people. They must scrutinize the 17 people. We have registered for over five months. New Registration Law has been released for over seven months." said U Ko Ko Gyi.

Political Parties Registration Laws and Regulations were released on 31st January, 2023 and the UEC stated that political parties must register within 60 days. 

According to the Section.3 of the Political Parties Registration Law, 14 parties have applied to register and according to the Section.25 of the Political Parties Registration Law, there are 50 parties that have applied for continued establishment and registration as political parties reportedly.

CNI News

4 September 2023

The Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement is a historic agreement which was approved by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and it will never be void, said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the State Administration Council.

He said as stated above at the meeting (3/2023) of the SAC on 1st September, 2023.

" The government, the Hluttaw, the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations magnificently signed the NCA before the diplomats from China, India, Japan, Thailand, and local witnesses on 15th October, 2015 and it is a historic agreement that was approved by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw. It will never be void and I signed it from the government side as the Commander in Chief of Defense Services" said Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

A senior official of an ethnic armed organization talked about the NCA in an undocumented manner, meaninglessly and recklessly, but the Tatmadaw would go on performing the peace processes, firmly standing on the NCA, he added. 

Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing at a meeting of the SAC

Moreover, the NCA's 8th anniversary ceremony that will fall on 15th October, 2023 will be held practically, meaningfully and seriously, said chairman of the SAC.

Because the NCA had been void, they didn't have to follow it anymore, said Pado Sawta Do Hmu, general secretary of the Karen National Union (KNU) at a news conference on 10th August, 2023.

The signing ceremony of the NCA

The NCA was signed by the KNU, the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), KNU/KNLA Peace Council, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF), the Chin National Front (CNF) and the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO) on 15th October, 2023.

After that, the New Mon State Party and the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU) signed the NCA on 13th February, 2018. The NCA was signed before the diplomats from China, India, Japan, UN, and local witnesses and it was approved by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw.

CNI News

4 September 2023

Relevant agencies need to sent the workers that have signed the contract to foreign countries in time and only after they have been sent, new call letters for work will be received, said U Myint Naung, Union Labor Minister. 

He said that while he met with officials from the Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation on 30th August, 2023.

A licensed agency must follow and carry out the directions of the department and if it doesn't comply, it will be taken action against, said U Win Myint, director of Lucky Overseas Employment Agency, to CNI News.

"Now, an agency signed the contract with first batch of workers and second one and third one and fourth one. In fact, first batch must be sent first. But the agency sent the third batch first or fourth or two. So, the minister ordered not to be like this. The workers who have signed the contract must be sent within 90 days. But within 60 days in the past. If you can't send the workers within 90 days, it will be recorded by the department. If you are late again, you must sign." he said.

 Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation (MOEAF)

Agencies need to send the workers within 90 days and if they cannot send the workers in time, the workers might complain. When the agencies send the workers, if the employer and the workplace are the same, sending the workers within 90 days is suitable. But it is different from each other, there are some difficulties, said an overseas employment agency to CNI News.

" When we sign the contracts with the employers from Thailand, we sign with A boss and with B boss and with C boss. But B boss calls the workers more quickly. At this situation, B must go after A and C must go after B. They have said like that. But A takes over 90 days. Only after this problem has been solved, the workers for B and C must be sent. This policy has been laid down." he said.

This case must be discussed on detail, said an official from MOEAF. Moreover, agencies need to go and solve disagreements between the employers and employees, injuries at workplace and deaths in relevant countries within 30 days, said the Union Minister.
 
If above-mentioned problems took place, agencies must go there as soon as they heard to solve the problems, pointed out the agencies.