CNI News

13 Jan 2023

As the gap between the rich and the poor has widen in Myanmar, a proper market economy and opportunities should be created, Myanmar economic observers said.

Economic observers pointed out that the middle class in Myanmar has been disappearing and only the rich and the poor have survived.

Although the gap between the rich and the poor has been in existence in Myanmar for a long time, the gap has been widening recently. To deal with the issue, it is necessary to crate job opportunities because the grassroots will be able to lead convenient lives only when better market opportunities can be created, Entrepreneur U Aung Paye Sone told the CNI.

Two women walking in Yangon.

He said, "Frankly speaking, the gap is widening. Workers are staging demonstrations to get raise their basic salaries from MMK 4,800 to 6,000 per day. Workers who have to work eight hours a day are fighting very hard to get MMK 6,000 daily. At the same time, there is a class who can spend MMK 6 million a night. To narrow such a gap, we cannot make the rich poor, we must make the poor rich. What can we do to raise the wages to workers to MMK 10,000 a day. To do so, factories must be able to carry out their daily operations and better market access must be created. Then, better opportunities for workers will emerge."

The impact of the widening gap between the rich and the poor on the society is immense and crimes will be rampant, forcing the outflow of investment from the country, an economic observer told the CNI.
He said, "Our country has failed to build a welfare state, which narrows the gap between the rich and the poor. Every country has to build a welfare state and tries to maximise the number of the middle class, whose spending will increase gradually and narrow the gap. It is not good for the country because a rich man in a grassroots wards is very dangerous. Similarly, the grassroots are getting poorer and poorer because job opportunities cannot be created and crimes have been rampant. As a result, investment and manufacturing projects will leave the country. The people will invest in other countries. It is learnts from news that Myanmar is one of the top-10 countries that buy property in Thailand. Investment has flown out of the country."

Inside the Myanmar Plaza.

Although the government has been granting loans to small and medium business to create jobs for the poor, it is still necessary to encourage the garment industry, which can create job opportunities for the country, entrepreneurs said.

Similarly, the junta is required to take measures to reopen garment factories that have been closed for various reasons, they said.

To attract investment again to the country, it is essential to end the conflicts in the country, according to entrepreneurs and political observers.

CNI News

12 Jan 2023

Chairman of State Administration Council Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing said that the economic growth of Myanmar hit 8 percent in the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

He made the claim when he met with the chairman of the Nay Pyi Taw council and chief ministers of states and regions and chairmen of self-administered zones and regions on 6th January.

He said that the economy fell by 5.9 percent in the 2022-2021 fiscal year under the NLD government but rebounded by 2.4 percent during the first half of the 2021-2022 fiscal year and continued to grow by 3.4 percent during the second half.

As economic growth is calculated based on data from all sectors including big and small businesses, the economy of the country may have gained growth, but difficulties faced by the public due to the economic crisis have not eased, an economist who requested anonymity due to security told the CNI.

Trucks exporting commodities to China.

He said, "The GDP may have risen because they did not announce any economic data. In the past, the Ministry of Planning and Commerce announced the data. Now, they did not announced any data and said the economy was growing. It may be true or not because the DGP is calculated for the entire country. The rich may have been richer. Government revenues may have increased because of commodities like natural gas. The GDP is calculated for the entire country including the private and the public sectors. It is impossible for outsiders to know the details. However, the welfare of the public has deteriorated. The situation of the grassroots has not improved. So, the GDP does not support the general public."

The SAC chairman attributed the economic growth to encouragement given to local businesses and utilization of water resourses, land resources, agriculture, livestock and forestry sectors and human resources.

Calculated based on the trading sectors like oil and gas, rice and fishery products, the economy grew in the fiscal year but there were no growth in the manufacturing sector, economic and banking experts U Thet Zaw said.

Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing and SAC officials.

He told the CNI, "I am not sure whether they were talking only about trade. Actually, economic growth depends on the manufacturing sector. I think they calculated based on the agriculture and livestock sector which contributed to trade surplus. However, trade did not hit the level during the term of the former president U Thein Sein. Rice exports exceeded the volume of the term of the former president but exports of other commodities did not reached the level of the former president. The main factor may be the revenues from the oil and gas sector. The CMP sector may be contributing to some extent to the economis. I did not see any other sectors that contributed to the economic growth."

Due to the current political instabilities, Myanmar has faced skyrocketing prices of basic commodities and fuel while unemployment rates are rising sharply.

Moreover, prolong blackouts and volatile foreign exchange rates have hampered the operations of small and medium businesses, forcing some of them to suspend their businesses.

The economic growth rate cited by the SAC chairman was calculated based on economic data in 2021, when the economy of the country was badly battered by COVID-19 and political changes. Therefore, entrepreneurs and economic observers pointed out that it is still necessary to make efforts to improve the economic situation to the pre-endemic level.

CNI News

12 Jan 2023

The latest airstrikes against the Chin National Front headquarters amounted to warnings against cooperation with the Spring Revolution, Political Observer U Than Soe Naing told the CNI.

Recently, the junta bombed the central outposts of the PSLF/TNLA to warn against cooperation with the PDFs, he added.

He told the CNI, " The junta is putting military pressure on the CNF to stop cooperation with the Spring Revolution led by the NUG and to deal with them. Such airstrikes were also launched on the central outpost of the TNLA in Namhasm recently. Then, junta troops said they made a mistake and withdrew. They launched fierce airstrikes there for three days before withdrawing. The airstrikes aimed to prevent the three brotherhood organizations from joining the Spring Revolution."

A map showing the airstrikes of the junta against the CNF headquarters on 10th January, 2023. (CHRO)

The junta launched airstrikes against the Victoria Headquarters of the CNF in Thantlang Township in Chin State at the border between Myanmar and India at about 4 pm on 10th January, killing five members of the CNF and injuring others.

As it was impossible to hold political negotiations between the two sides, armed conflicts have escalated, Director U Thein Tun Oo of the Strategic Studies told the CNI.

He said, "Both sides have been engaged in armed conflicts. It is clear that there are engagements in armed conflicts because it is impossible to hold negotiations. In addition, it is not strange that engagements continue when one side opens the way for talks but the other side cannot take the way. Inviting to peace talks and opening the way aim to avoid such incidents and restore national reconciliation. Peace cannot be restored unilaterally. It depends on the will of all stakeholders. EAOs do not want to take the path because they misunderstand it and such engagements will erupt.

Zero-sum games without seeking political dialogue will inflict damage to the public, Political Observer U Ye Tun told the CNI.

Airstrikes against the CNF headquarters on 10th January, 2023.

He said, "The junta is trying to solve the political issues through political dialogue not only with signatories to the NCA but also with the non-signatories like the UWSA. The NUG and the PDF rejected dialogue by seeking zero-sum games. As they have been in existence for a while, they don't have the same view with some EAOs. Meanwhile, some other EAOs are supporting them. So, the junta considers such EAOs as enemies and launches airstrikes. As long as they engage in zero-sum gains, the public and the country will suffer."

The Chin Joint Defence Committee said it never trusted the junta and never engaged in dialogue with the junta, a spokesperson to the CJDC told the CNI.

He said, "We have never engaged in political dialogue with the junta. They will do what they have to do. We never trust their statements and announcements. We were not shocked about the airstrikes."

The CNF is a Chin ethnic armed organization that signed the NCA.

However, it has cooperated with LDF or CDG in fighting against the junta after political changes since 1st February, 2021.

CNI News

12 Jan 2023

Ethnic communities have been urged to put pressure on the UNHCR for crackdowns on some ethnic communities from Myanmar in Malaysia, some of them told the CNI.

Although Malaysian authorities did not target ethnic communities, the raided the office of a Chin ethnic community to detain undocumented migrants recently.

Pressured should be applied on the UNHCR to hold talks with relevant authorities not to repeat such incidents, an anonymous UNHCR-card holding member of an ethnic community told the CNI.

Malaysian police raid offices of organizations offering assistance for Myanmar migrant workers.

He said, "As we are staying here with UNHCR cards, we have no other option than putting puressure on the UNHCR. All of us including undocumented migrants will be safe if the UNHCR can hold effective negotiations with the immigration or the police. So, we are putting pressures on the UN and planning to increase pressure on it. The UNHCR has promised to try their best to hold talks with the immigration and the Ministry of Home Affairs. All our organizations including NGOs must apply pressure on the UNHCR. If the UN body can hold talks with the Malaysian government successfully, we will all be safe without being arrested."

Currently, the UNHCR has rarely offered assistance to ethnic refugees except issuing UN refugee cards for them, according to some ethnic communities in Malaysia.

Therefore, ethnic community leaders have been urged not to be indifferent when members of other ethnic communities are detained and it is time for them to take the matter seriously, some ethnic communities said.

Director General U Nyi Nyi Lwin of the Centre for Arakan Refugees told the CNI, "It is ethnic communities that have to deal with the problems of migrant workers. When they arrive in Malaysia, they come to the communities.

Malaysian police raid offices of organizations offering assistance for Myanmar migrant workers.

When they are ill, the come the communities, which have to offer assistance to migrant workers from childbirths to deaths and funerals. The UNHCR can do nothing for them except issuing refugee cards. We collect membership fees form our community members and issue identity cards. However, we use the funds for protection of them including health, social affairs and education. It costs a lot of money to help them here. Ethnic communities from Myanmar in Malaysia have failed to fully cooperate, hold talks and share information among themselves and the UNHCR has not worked with ethnic communities as closely as before. Taking all these into consideration, the situation is worrisome. All ethnic communities are required to cooperate and hold talks with the government."

Ethnic refugees from Myanmar in Malaysia have to rely on the UNHCR and ethnic communities, which have been cooperating with the UN body and refugees have to apply for UNHCR cards by using identity cards issued by relevant ethnic communities.

If crackdowns on ethnic communities continue, members of migrant ethnic communities from Myanmar will face difficulties in every aspect of their life, according to the ethnic communities.

CNI News

11 Jan 2023

Chairman of State Administration Council Snr Gen Min Aung Hland said it is necessary to end the ongoing violence and armed conflicts.

Without stability of the state, there will be a long way for building a union based on democracy and federal system and national development, the SAC chairman said in his message to Kachin State Day, which falls on 10th January.

The Kachin State Day ceremony. (Shwe Min-fb)

Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing said, "To achieve success in peace processes, stakeholders and relevant organizations need to uphold the correct attitudes and the common desire for the sake of the State. The government on its part manages control of all measures without harming the peace processes. Everybody knows if the country cannot restore peace and stability, it will be far from the future tasks to build the Union based on the democratic system and federalism and development undertakings of the State. As such, I would like to notify all of you about reducing and stopping current terror acts and armed struggling lines."

Currently, armed conflicts have erupted in Myanmar, causing deaths, displacement and arson attacks on houses.

The military junta must stop fighting and treating the people as enemies, Chairman Khun Myint Tun of the Pa-O National Federal Council told the CNI.

NUG leader and PDFs.

He said, "The main cause of the Myanmar crisis is the prolong military dictatorship and the immediate cause is the coup by the military. It also neglects the will of the people in the 2020 elections. And then, it has treated the people as enemies and attacked them brutally. So, we will have to eliminate the military dictatorship from the country. To resolve the immediate cause, the junta must stop fighting, treating the people like enemies and torturing and killing them."

The military ousted the government of the National League for Democracy after accusing it of forming a new government without settling the voters' list disputes igniting protests and armed resistance.
The conflicts have displaced more than 2 million people in the entire country, according to the ISP Myanmar.

CNI News

11 Jan 2023

The Myanmar embassy in Bangkok, Thailand has been accused of mismanagement of appointment tokens for passport renewals of Myanmar migrant workers, labour activists in Thailand pointed out.

On 7th January, when the embassy issued appointment tokens for passport renewals, thousands of migrant workers were forced to queue for a long time and some of them fainted.

As a result, the embassy has been accused of poor management of passport renewals for migrant workers, Labour Activist Ko Thar Gyi in Thailand told the CNI.

He said, "The process of passport renewals is completely inefficient. It causes delays and wastes the time of migrant workers, resulting in a lot of troubles for them. If embassy authorities are doing what they want, they will not be helping migrant workers and will be creating burdens for them. They need to think about it properly. Even if workers can make appointments successfully, it is not certain whether they will get their passports renewed because embassies frequently run out of passport documents. Embassy authorities are required to issue renewed passport smoothly to workers. Recently, thousands of migrant workers had to queue for a long time in front of the embassy. Something has been wrong. Frankly speaking, the passport renewal process of the embassy is completely wrong."

A Myanmar migrant worker who fainted while waiting in a queue to renew passports.

Following the chaos in arranging appointment tokens for renewals of passports that expired in 2022, the embassy announced that it would issue appointment tokens for each expiry month every Saturday.

Migrant workers are likely to face more difficulties as issuing appointment tokens only one day a week will cause further delays and some factories and workshops do not permit leaves for their workers on Saturdays, labour activists based in Thailand said.

Labour Activist U Ba Yi of the Migrant Workers Rights Network told the CNI, "As there are millions of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand, it is impossible for them to get their passports renewed in a timely manner. The situation will be going from bad to worse. We can see that their management is very poor. As border gates have been closed, it is impossible for migrant workers to return to Myanmar and renew their passports. We don't want to blame the embassy for collecting money from migrant workers. However, it would be convenient for migrant workers if the embassy issued their renewed passports within a few days."

Appointment tokens for passport renewals have been issued only at the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok.

It is convenient for Myanmar migrant workers who live and work near Bangkok and embassy authorities are required to take those who live and work in small towns away from Bangkok into consideration, Labour Activist U Min Oo of the Foundation for Education and Development told the CNI.

Migrant workers waiting in a queue to renew their passports.

He said, "Embassy authorities have failed to take Myanmar migrant workers who live and work in small towns away from Bangkok. We have already pointed out this again and again. How can a worker from a small town come and line in a queue in Bangkok. If they manage to get appointment tokens, they will have to come to Bangkok again to renew their passports. Costs for the travels pose difficulty for them. In renewing passports, authorities need to take both governments into consideration. Thai authorities will allow Myanmar workers to renew work permits and visas only when their passports are valid for at least one more year. If their passports are valid less than six-month, it is impossible for Thai authorities to allow workers to renew their work permits and visas in accordance with the law."

Therefore, authorities in the Myanmar embassy should set up temporary centres in other places to issue appointment tokens and renew the passports of Myanmar migrant workers, labour activists based in Thailand said.

More, they urged the embassy to make some request to Thai authorities over the issue of migrant workers whose passports expired in 2022.

The embassy issued appointment tokens to a total of 6142 migrant workers as of 7th January, according to a press release of the embassy.

CNI News

10 Jan 2023

The onion demand for exports to China and Thailand has grown recently, according to onion merchants.

The demand has grown due to reopening of border gates in Muse and the Myawaddy-Kawkareik road, which is a major route to trade with Thailand, Onion Merchant U Hla Thaung from the Pakokku Merchants and Brokers Association told the CNI.

Workers putting onions into bags.

He said, "Onion exports to China are likely to resume and border trade with Thailand will reopen soon. So, some merchants are storing onions for border trade. I think merchants are buying onions for border trade with China."

As the demand for onions has grown, onion prices are likely to stay at the current level, according to onion merchants.

Due to export demands, onion prices are likely to stay at MMK 2,000 per viss, according to an onion merchant.

An onion brokerage house.

He told the CNI, "Onion prices are likely to stand at about MMK 2,000 per viss. Some merchants offered MMK 2,100 per viss at my brokerage firm today."

Onion yields dropped this year because transportation of fertilizers was banned during the cultivation season.

As transportation of fertilizers has been permitted during the current cultivation season and total acreage of onions is likely to expand, according to onion merchants.

However, fertilizer prices have risen by MMK 30,000 per bag to MMK 180,000 per bag, according to onion farmers in Pakokku Township.

CNI News

10 Jan 2023

Malaysia seems to be rounding up illegal migrants to pave the way for recruiting new workers, Myanmar communities in Malaysia told the CNI.

As crackdowns on illegal migrants have intensified after the Malaysian home minister announced at a press conference recently that the country was planning to recruit 600,000 new workers from 15 countries, such speculations have arisen, U Babu Gyi, who has been helping Myanmar migrants in Malaysia told the CNI.

He said, "When the home minister was asked by a reporter how he planned to tackle the issue of illegal migrant workers, he replied that the news conference was not intended for the issue of illegal migrant workers. It seemed that authorities did not take illegal migrants into consideration. So, they did not make any announcements over the issue and did not have any plans to issue permits for them. They are just planning to recruit new workers. So, crackdowns on illegal migrants have intensified. I think they are rounding up illegal migrants to recruit new workers."

 Malaysian authorities scrutinize illegal migrants.

On 6th January alone, Malaysia rounded up more than a thousand illegal migrants including Myanmar nationals.

If authorities are rounding up undocumented migrants to recruit new workers, crackdowns on them are likely to intensify further, Myanmar communities in Malaysia told the CNI.

Malaysian authorities have rounded up illegal migrants repeatedly not only in factories and workshops but also in quarters where a large number of them live.

Therefore, it is necessary for illegal migrants and ethnic refugees to exercise caution when going out, Director General U Nyi Nyi Lwin of the Centre for Arakan Refugees told the CNI.

Malaysian authorities launch crackdowns on illegal migrants.

He said, "They need to exercise caution when they go out. They should not be drunk and involved in brawls because they are illegal migrants. They should not make any noise. They should also need to be honest with local residents and respect their traditions. If they annoy local residents, authorities will have to take action against them. They should stay humbly and silently at least for six months while it is difficult to assess the situation."

Although the home minister said the country was planning to recruit new workers from 15 countries, he did not state any specific countries. Therefore, it is important for Myanmar nationals who intend to work in Malaysia not to fall victim to swindlers, according to Myanmar communities in Malaysia.

Those who intend to work in Malaysia and who are already in the country are required to read news about Malaysia thoroughly, they advised.

CNI News

10 Jan 2023

As fighting in Myanmar has become more intense, the year 2023 may culminate in a decisive year, Political Observer Dr Hla Kyaw Zaw told the CNI.

At the same time, the Myanmar military is likely to escalate its offensives before the rainy season and the public will face more troubles, she added.

She said, "Armed conflicts have erupted across the country. The KNU and allies raided battalion headquarters in Kyarinseikkyi. Protests broke out in Hpakant yesterday. The KIA will launch offensives. The military is fighting with Ta'ang and Kokant and has been very busy fighting EAOs. And the fighting capabilities of the military are desperate. They do not have competent commanders as they made peace deals with EAOs for 20 years. The military is deteriorating and suffered casualties significantly. The military will intensify its offensives. If they cannot fight on the ground, they will use airstrikes. The public will suffer more troubles. However, the junta will suffer losses dramatically. This year may lead to a decisive year even if it is not a decisive year."

 An armed force of the Spring Revolution.

The National Unity Government said at the press conference on review and future tasks of people's resistance on 7th October that the year 2023 is the decisive year for the victory of the Spring Revolution."

The year 2023 is unlikely to be a decisive year militarily, Director U Thein Tun Oo of the Strategic Studies told the CNI.

He said, "There are two factors. From the military point of view, it is completely impossible. They are trying to keep up their morale. From 2021 to the beginning of 2023, they have risen up against the military for about one and a half years unsuccessfully. They have chosen violent means. What is worse is that they are choosing terrorist acts. Armed struggle cannot be decisive. On the other hand, they can disrupt elections and claim victory politically. They cannot win militarily. They will disrupt elections and claim victory. They cannot defeat the junta militarily."

NUG Defence Minister U Yee Mon and PDFs.

The junta ousted the National League for Democracy government on 1st February, 2021 after accusing it of forming a new government without settling voters' list disputes and protests and armed conflicts have erupted in the country.

Currently, the junta troops and the allies of EAOs and PDFs are fighting in Karen State, Kayah (Karenni) State, Chin State, Sagaing Region and Magway Region.