CNI News

20 June 2023

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has always maintained political method in the effort to reach the goals of democracy, human rights and peace that Myanmar people want, which central executive committee of National League for Democracy (NLD) released a statement on 19th June, 2023.

It was described in the statement saying 'thank you' to those who sent 'birthday wish'messages for chairperson of NLD, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's 78th birthday on 19th June 2023.

NLD CEC's statement

" In the effort to reach the goals of democracy, human rights and peace which Myanmar people have always wanted, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has always maintained political method only.Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who is regarded as the public leader, and has won the affection and trust of the entire people up to now, and also is the leader of the winning party, is one of the most important persons who cannot be excluded in solving the problems of Myanmar. It is NLD's view.", the committe stated.

The statement of CEC is opposed to the path on which NUG, CRPH and PDF are walking and indirectly means that DASSK would accept armed path of NUG, PDF, Moreover while most of the people have a burning desire to topple down the Tatmadaw, the statement sort of is starting meeting and discussing  This statement seems to be starting the path of meeting and discussion, A political analyst said.

NLD's member of Hluttaw and NUG's defense minister U Yi Mon and PDF comrades

Having said that NLD government tried to form a government without solving the ballot dispute from 2020 general election, the Tatmadaw toppled down the NLD government and has declared a state of emergency. Then it arrested U Win Myint, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Dr.Zaw Myint Maung.

Some members of the CEC and Hluttaw formed the National Unity Government and People's Defense Force and are waging armed revolution to overthrow the Tatmadaw. DASSK and U Win Myint who have been arrested have been put in NUG.

CNI News
20 June 2023

In solving Myanmar political problems, a path that can be discussed with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will statrt arising, said in a statement released on 19th June by Central Executive Committee of National League for Democracy (NLD) which consist of exile former NLD members of Hluttaw.

It was described in the birthday wish messages for DASSK's 78th birthday on 19th June. "Up to now, DASSK who has been regarded as the public leader and won the affection and credibility of the entire people and also leader of the winning party, is one of the most important persons who cannot be excluded in the effort to solve Myanmar problems" said in the statement.of CEC.

people demanding democracy

"As we believe that in the effort to solve Myanmar political problems, it will not be a real possibility without talks with DASSK, we will collaborate with friend countries and partner elements from local and abroad to librate all political prisoners including DASSK who have been unjustly arrested" said in the statement.

The Tatmadaw toppled down the NLD government led by DASSK after having said that NLD tried to form a government without solving the ballot dispute in the 2020 general electioin and has declared a state of emergency. Then it arrested U Win Myint, DASSK and Dr.Zaw Myint Maung.

a revolutionary force fighting against the Tatmadaw

If DASSk and the Tatmadaw meet and discuss to solve the current political crisis, there will not be much possibility to make everything okay, and but only if a comprehensive discussion including those who represent the people and ethnic can be held, everything will be just fine. However,the Tatmadaw has no plan to take DASSK to political world again, said a political analyst.

CNI News
June 19, 2023

There are debates between ethnic elements and political circle relating to what kind of federalism should be chosen for Myanmar. Federalism is being applied in various forms in the world and it would be easy to apply the federalism which is being used by India, said U Ye, Myanmar politics analyst to CNI.  

" Our 2008 Constitution is pretty close to Indian constitution and its federalism. A federalism has three kinds and first kind is based on geography and the second is based on ethnic and third is integrated system. India uses integrated system.

Some states represent the name of an ethnic. Some states represent geographic or regional names. Myanmar's 2008 constitution is the same as that system. Some states represent the names of ethnics and some regions represent geographic regions. So, 2008 consitution of Myanmar is pretty close to that of India.

A workshop on Indian federalism that was held on 8th June 2023   

If the constitution is amended to be the same as the Indian style, it will be easy" he said. A workshop on federalism that is used in India was held from 6th to 8th June, where seven NCA signatories, SAC delegates and Indian delegates met.  

When the country is built as a federal union in the future, More rights than now should be given to ethnic people, said Li Paw Reh, Lisu National Development Party, to CNI.

" We will be more peaceful only when the central government will control a few important sectors and the rest authorities will be given to states and regions in the federal union that we will build in the future. Some want confederacy. But the federal union giving lots of authorities to states and regions will be more convenient, I think"  

A workshop on Indian federalism that was held on 8th June 2023   

Their ethnic armed group is studying federal systems and they have had preparations for the federal structure, sadi Daw Mya Yarzar Lin, chairperson of Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) to CNI.

"Our ethnic armed organizations have studied federal systems of Switzerland, Germany and USA. We have made prepararions taking out suitable facts that can match up with our country. There is a federal structure that our twelve EAOs have prepared.But we are still discussing about 23 facts" she said.

88 countries including USA, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain, India, Nipal and Sri lanka, are practising federalism in various forms.

CNI News

19 June 2023

SAC would assuredly hand over power to the winning party after holding a free and fair general election, said Sr.Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the State Administreation council. He said that when he met junior officers serving in various offices and departments
under the office of commander in chief (army). 

But he did not tell .when the election will be held.

Of the Five-Point Road Map of the State Administration Council, the last point is that 
"Upon accomplishing the provisions of the state of emergency, free and fair multiparty democratic elections will be held in line with the 2008 Constitution,and further work will be undertaken to hand over State duties to the winning party in accordance with democratic standards" which will be implemented without failure. So,SAC is carrying out for the State stability,peace and development." he said.

 The Tatmadaw helped shape the path to a multi-party democracy that is full of discipline which the people wanted, and a democracy government from the party that won
in the multi-party democracy election in 2010 came out and the Tatmadaw worked together with that government, he said.

In the second term of the democratic government that won in the 2015 general election, the Tatmadaw gave some advice to that government on what should be or what should be done according to its political experiences and but there was just a little effect, said chairman of SAC.

Although he told repeatedly the election needed to be free and fair in 2020 election, that party performed to win in the election in dishonest ways.  

The Tatmadaw demanded to solve the ballot discrepancies. But that party tried to take the State power by force without solving the ballot discrepancies.So, the Tatmadaw had to maintain the responsibilities of the State, said Sr.Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

What the Tatmadaw carried out like that is just to strengten multi-party democracy path and they would not deviated from that path, so they are exercising restraint according to the law and serving the State's duties in accord with the 2008 constitution, he added.

CNI News

19 June 2023

If a foreign army enter Myanmar, the entire people will take side with SAC, said U Sein Win, former member of Pyithu Hluttaw, to CNI.

During the current armed conflicts, revolutionary elemens are being supported by some foreign organizationss which is being watched by the public, he said.

" Which side do you think the people will take with if a foeign army enters the country? Now money and technology are being supported to revolutionary elements by some foreign countries which is being watched by the public. If an army especially such as US or UK enter the country, the entire people will take side with SAC. No matter how many better weapons you have, you can't beat their spirit. Among the ethnic, Bamars are very intelligent. They can courageously solve a problem that needs courage to solve” he said.

Demonstration against Myanmar Tatmadaw and the State Administration Council

The Tatmadaw toppled down the NLD government on 1st February, 2021, having said that NLD was trying to form a government without solving the vote list dispute and a state of emergency has been declared.

After that, revolutionary elements are waging spring revolution after forming People's Defense Force to topple down the Tatmadaw..Because international community does not support weapons and ammunitions to PDF, NUG is demanding international community to support PDF like providing Ukaraine by lots of countries with weapons and ammunitions
There is no reason why international forces will enter the country and in the Security Council the proposals will not be successful, U Than Soe Naing, Myanmar political analyst told CNI News.

the security forces patrolling in a city

" If the UN troops come in, the people will welcome it. But the proposals to send UN troops to Myanmar will not be successful because Russia and China are included in UN Security Council. Now about 30,000 to 50,000 Chinese troops are always near Myanmar border. These forces can reach Mandalay in a couple of days before internal forces come in" he said.

As Myanmar has two powerful neighbouring countries, China and India,there is no reason why international forces will come in, said some people. But some international organizations are providing PDF with non-military aids.

CNI News

19 June 2023

Because the number of agricultural workers has decreased in Myanmar, farmers and peasants are worried that their farming activities will be lost, said rice farmers to CNI.  

Because of low income and insufficient wages from agricultural work, the number of workers who deserted from agricultural business has increased and the labour force became low, which damaged farming activities, said U Maung Thein Hla, chairperson of Dhanyawati Agricultural Association, Marauk U Township, Rakhine State.

a peasant ploughing

" About 20 youths who own farms have gone abroad in the face of difficulties in summer. If the farmers are not supported with seed paddy or there are not any organizations that will lend money for inputs, we will not be able to farm well. Local youths can change work or go abroad as well. Due to insufficient labour, agricultural busness can be more damaged this year.When taking seeds out, human labor is more used. We can find it difficult to look for workers and wages may be high." he said.

To reduce the outflow of human resources, job opportunities need to created and the government needs to make foreign investments enter the country, said U Ye Htut, a political analyst to CNI.

"The youths had to go abroad to work due to the fact that they found it difficult to make a living. If they can make a profit in the agro-business, they will work in the agro=business again" said U Thein Aung, chairperson of Farmer Development Association, Ayeyarwady Region, to CNI.

a peasant splashing pesticide

"They will go on working if they make a profit. They don't have to go abroad to work. The other year, a farmer made a loss because rice prices went down. He was in debt. He had to sell an acre of his farmland" he said.

Income from agro-business waw not enough to buy food for a family, so youths had to go abroad to get jobs that more income can be earned, said farmers.

CNI News

17 June 2023

There are different opinions among military experts wondering if there is a competition between AA and SAC in administration when they perform reconstructional tasks at periods after Cyclone Mocha entered Rakhine State.

While AA and SAC are competing in reconstruction activities, after SAC restricted travlling in Rakhine State on 8th June, relation between the two sides has become tense, reviewed some people.

He thought that AA and SAC were performing traffic and camp matters with understanding in the past. Now they have come back to tense relation, said U Pe Than, a Rakhine politician to CNI." The action of SAC is nothing more than breaking the agreement with AA.

Ceasefire between AA and SAC is just for the sake of humanitarian aids. SAC's restriction of travelling is nothing more than banning international aids for cyclone-hit people. AA demanded not ban the aids, but the SAC didn't recognize it. We still bon't know if there will be give and take in the near future.If tensions were relaxed, Confidence building again can be ruined. Up to now we haven't heard any fighting between them." he said.

FNPNC is handing over donations to AA for the cyclone-hit peopl

According to the current situation,  there is no condition leading to the conflict, but if AA moves in the form of raising its flags in schools, there probably would be armed conflict between the two sides, U Thien Tun Oo, director of Grand Strategies Studies told CNI.

" Sometimes although a written order has been issued, it's hard to say surely whether implementation is performed on the ground. We have to watch the sutuation.We haven't seen anything leading to a bad situation for the time being. but if AA raised its flags in schools, armed conflicts probably would arise" he said.

SAC and AA are currently competing in administration, legislation and udiciary. There is no collaboration between SAC and AA at in Rakhine State at the time after the cyclone Mocha.The riler easily did not permit people from other regions to help IDPs, U Ye Tun, Myanmar politics analyst, told CNI.

SAC is handing over 70,000 lakh Kyats to cyclone-hit people    

" when the tatmadaw captured a military camp of armed Rohingya organization or AA, they found the foodstuff aided by UNHCR, they reported. They want to tell that they will perform humanitary aids. The government will carry out. They will help the refugee camps near to them.They are worried that the aids wiil reach the armed organization fighting against them. They seem to cut the food for the armed organization fighting against them." he said.    

The ceasefire between AA and the Tatmadaw was nearly two years long and but battles took place again in August 2022.But taking into account of the loss of the local, the community, the two sides agreed to cease battles on 26th November 2022.

CNI News

17 June 2023

Over 300,000 tourists entered Myanmar from January to May this year, U Aung Aye Han, deputy director general of ministry of hotel and tourism told CNI.

The tourists entered Myanmar through border gates and airlines and most of tourists are from China and Thailand, according to the ministry.

" Totally 319248 tourists entered. At a time like this in 2022, over 60,000 tourists only entered.Because people were worried about Covid-19 till 2022. Now that it is considered as a normal dicease, the number of tourists has increased." he said.

tourists on U Pain Bridge

But tourist arrival fell to zero percent in northern Shan State starting from May this year, said Northern Shan State Hotel Operator Association.

The reason why it fell like this is because tourists have not been allowed to enter the country through airlines, U Zaw Zaw, chairperson of Northern Shan State Hotel Operator Association told CNI.

" Tourism had risen to 100 percent for over a year here. Now that tourists don't come, hotel rooms are empty.Hotel business are badly affacted, especially small hotels  find it difficult to go on existing" he said.

Tourist arrival tend to decrease in the rainy esason, said the hotel operator association.
To make more tourists enter when it's open season, discussions about visas in addition to other tourism sectors are underway, said U Aung Aye Han.

  the Shwedagon Pagoda

"We are coordinating and having discussions with relevant ministries in relation to visa exemption that had been given in the past and visa on arrival. I hope tourism will be better in the coming open season in comparison with previous years." he said.

Most of the tourists who entered in the first months this year went to the landmarks such as Yangon, Mandalay, Inlay and Pagan. Short term travellers went to around Yangon and Bago only.

CNI News

17 June 2023

Ships are needed to trade inside Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project area that has been built from Sittwe in Rakhine State to Mizoran Province in India, said officials of Rakhine State Inductrial Entrepreneurs Association, to CNI.

The Kaladan River all-round project is one inside whose area ships go and come back to trade and but due to the lack of ships, trade activities are still not possible
to perform, said U Tin Aung Oo, chairperson of Rakhine State Industrial Entrepreneurs Association, to CNI.

 port bridge built opposie Paletwa

"For the India-Kaladan all-round project, opening ceremony has been held at Sittwe Port. But according to the current situation, trade has not been able to start because trade can start only when there are ships that go and come back as a regular service between Sittwe in Rakhine and Kolkata in India. The company that operated the port has said the port is ready. But for the time being it cannot operate. It's hard to say when the trade can start. It is important that we need to have shipping lines." he said.

Although there is no trade in the project area at present, over 2,500 tons of rice were exported to Bangladesh from Sittwe Port as the first batch, said U Tin Aung Oo.

Although Sittwe deep water port and Paletwa deep water port which consist of the project have been built already, because road and bridges to be built from Palatva to India have not been completely built, trade has not been able to operate, said U Khin Aung, from Paletwa Township Chamber of Commerce to CNI.

Kaladan river bridge (from Paletwa township to India) construction signboard

"We can't operate the trade in Paletwa.There is no India-Myanmar motorway. So ships can't go yet. There is a government-sponsored ship that leave on Saturday and come back on Sunday. That's all. The rest have no traffic.

The routes will also be good if it's politically stable. If it's politically stable, this road will have been built in a year or two. We hope we can count on this project very much becuase the goods will reach Paletwa only for the first time.Many people in Paletwa will get jobs. Lower class will be convenient to make a living. Guests will get here as well. But because it's not politically stable, you can't travel, you can't build road" he said.

India-Myanmar Kaladan all-round development project was started in 2011. Then, Sittwe Port was built and finished in 2017. It was open on 9th May 2023.