CNI News

2 Nov 2022

Acting President Duwa La Shila of the National Unity Government has called on the All Burma Student Democratic Front for continued support for the Spring Revolution as a pioneer of the revolutionary generations.

The acting president said in his video address on the 34th Anniversary of the founding of the ABSDF, which falls on 1st November that he was proud that the ABSDF had been able to stand steadfastly on the path of the people’s democracy revolution.

The acting president said, “We must study the past revolutionary experience to draw strength from best examples and learn lessons from mistakes. I am extremely proud that the ABSDF has been able to stand on the path of the people’s democracy revolution. I would like to urge the ABSDF to teach Spring Revolution new generations how to build strong military units with far-sightedness. The ABSDF has been able to offer assistance to and cooperate with the new generations of the Myanmar Spring Revolution in various sectors. I would like to call on the ABSDF for continued support for the Spring Revolution as a pioneer of the revolutionary generations.”

The 34th Anniversary Ceremony of the ABSDF in progress.

He added that the ABSDF has matured by its experience and ideology of armed struggle.

Spokesperson Comrade Aye Lwin of the ABSDF told the CNI, “The Spring Revolution plays an important role in in the fight against the military dictatorship. So, I would like to reiterate that we will join hands with all who have been participating in the Spring Revolution in the fight. We need to build unity among all revolutionary forces including the forces of the Spring Revolution to uproot the military dictatorship. We need support of the international community and necessary resources.”

Comrades from the ABSDF.

The ABSDF has built the bridge between the Bamar ethnic group and non-Bamar ethnic groups, said Chairman U Aung Moe Zaw of the Democratic Party for New Society.

He said, “With the entire country calling for federal democracy in the streets, I think comrades from the ABSDF paved the way for federal democracy more than 30 years ago.”

The ABSDF was founded on 1st November, 1988 by students, workers and youth who took part in the 8888 movement and left for border areas.

The ABSDF is a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement but supports the forces of the Spring Revolution to topple the military.

CNI News

1 Nov 2022

As Malaysia is preparing to hold the general election soon, documented or undocumented Myanmar migrants were asked to be more cautious wherever they go and not to talk Malaysian politics, Myanmar organizations in Malaysia told the CNI.

The organizations told the CNI that they had to ask Myanmar migrants to be more cautious because the general election will be held in Malaysia on 19th November and fighting may erupt between some rival political parties in some places.

An official from the Alliance of Chin Refugees told the CNI, “We should not express our opinions on Malaysian political parties wherever we go because different people support different political parties. We are not Malaysia citizens and we should not talk about Malaysian politics. If someone dislikes our opinions, they may hold grudges against us. It is important not to say who is a better minister for refugees or Myanmar migrants. At worksites, there are people from different countries.”

 Detained migrant workers in Malaysia.

“Malaysian citizens will choose the party they support. We must not create undesirable grudges against us. So, we must do our work. This is the election of Malaysian citizens, not ours,” he added.

Myanmar migrants were also asked to leave the place where brawls erupt between supporters of different political parties as soon as possible.

If they fail to leave the place in time, it is dangerous for undocumented migrants, the official told the CNI.

Arrests of migrants have been made on a daily basis since the parliament was dissolved and a fresh election was announced. More arrests of migrants are likely to be made when the elections are closer, Labour Activist U Babu Gyi, who has been helping Myanmar migrants, told the CNI.

Among migrants from different countries, Myanmar migrants make up the largest number of detainees in Malaysian detention centres and prisons. The second largest groups of detainees are Indonesians.

 Detained migrant workers in Malaysia.

U Babu Gyi told the CNI, “The Malaysian immigration chief announced that they would arrest illegal migrants every day. Arrests are made every day. The largest migrant group in detention centres are from Myanmar because they sneaked into Malaysia. I visited some prisons and detention centres at Thai-Malaysia border yesterday. They are full of Myanmar detainees. Some detainees were have to be moved to other states because prisons and detention centres there are very crowded. I think about 10,000 Myanmar migrants have been detained. It was a sorrowful scene. They need help. Some of them were crying.
It was announced that security will be tightened until the election is over.

As a result, Myanmar organizations in Malaysia are urging illegal Myanmar migrants to be more cautious.

CNI News

2 Nov 2022

India has raised the maximum support price for pigeon pea imported from Myanmar and other countries from more than US$ 800 to US$ 965 per ton.

Raising the MSPs of pulses and beans in India tends to increase prices in the Myanmar pulses and beans market, In-charge U Nay Win Soe of Aya Trade Centre told the CNI.

He said, “They set the maximum support price yearly. They have raised the MSP for pigeon pea this year. Normally, pulses and beans prices in Myanmar rise when the MSPs are raised. It will be beneficial for farmers in Myanmar.”

However, prices of pulses and beans in Myanmar have dropped and the market has been sluggish due to an instruction issued by the Department of Trade, which requires merchants to export value-added products from pulses and beans.

  Inspection of pulses and beans.

He told the CNI, “Pulses and beans prices have dropped recently. The Department of Trade issued an instruction to export value-added products from pulses and bean and prohibit the exports of raw pulses and beans. At least, we will need to process pulses and beans. So, the market has been sluggish. We haven’t discussed the matter with our Indian counterparts yet.”

As pulses and beans harvested in India have entered the market at present, the demand for Myanmar pulses and beans has shrunk. Therefore, the exports of pulses and beans from Myanmar dropped in October.

When pulses and beans stocks in India are low, prices in the Myanmar pulses and beans market are likely to rise. Currently, merchants are watching the situation due to the requirement to export value-added products.

CNI News

1 Nov 2022

The Lisu National Development Party (Crossbow Party) is preparing to contest the general election slated for 2023, Chairman U Shwe Min told the CNI.

However, the chairman was not sure whether elections will take place in constituencies where their people reside.

U Shwe Min said, “It mainly depends on the decisions of the Union Election Commission along with the security conditions. If the UCE decide election should take place in out areas, we will contest elections.

    An election campaign of the LNDP.

We still don’t know how the UEC will decide and how the UEC will hold the elections. What we know is that elections will be held in 2023 and the proportional representation system will be introduced. However, we still don’t know whether the elections will be held based on township or district systems. The commission has not informed us of anything officially. So, it is difficult for us to say anything exactly. The government and the UEC know what they will do. We are just getting ready for the elections.”

The LNDP will hold a party conference in December, 2022 to contest the elections to be held by the SAC.

The UEC announced that the PR system will be introduced in the upcoming elections.

There are fewer chances for ethnic minorities to get elected to the parliament, U Shwe Min said.

An election campaign of the LNDP.

He said, “As far as we know, the UEC will introduce the PR system in the upcoming elections. The system can prevent the party dictatorship or control but offer fewer chances for ethnic minority parties. We will win in our townships under the FPTP system because the townships are resided by our people. If the PR system is based on district, it is difficult for our ethnic minorities to get elected to the parliament."

The LNDP contested in the general elections held in November, 2020 and won two seats.

SAC Chairman Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing promised to hold a fresh general election in August, 2023 and to transfer power to the winning party.

CNI News

1 Nov 2022

The storm, which hit Rakhine State on 24th October destroyed about 90,000 acres of f Some 90,000 acres of farmland damaged by storm in Rakhine State armland in eight townships in Rakhine State, according to statistics collected by the All Rakhine State Peasants’ Union.

As a result, 3 million baskets of paddy were destroyed, U Kyaw Zan of the ARSPU told the CNI.

He said, “According to statistics collected by the ARSPU, about 90,000 acres of paddy fields, especially in Taungup, Myaybon, Minbya and Rathedaung were destroyed by the storm on 24th October. The storm also affected farmland in Ann, Kyaukphyu, Pauktaw and Ponnagyun. As a result, between 3 and 3.5 million baskets of paddy were destroyed.”

Due to salt water flooding caused by the storm damaged 20,000 acres of farmland in Taungup.

Salt water flooding in farms in Rakhine State.

As a result, farmers have suffered losses and they need salt-resistant paddy varieties for the upcoming cultivation season, a farmer from Taungup told the CNI.

He said, “In connection with assistance, we need fertilizers as farms were flooded by salt water. Farms were salty and acidified. So, it is difficult for use to grow crops in the upcoming cultivation season and we need fertilizers and salt-resistant paddy varieties. Then, we need chemicals to make soil suitable for cultivation.”

Farmers had to reduce cultivation acreage this year due to higher costs for inputs such as fertilizers, fuel and pesticides while crop yields are likely to fall as they could not use suvvisicent fertilizers. Moreover, farmers had to abandon their farms due to resumption of fighting in Rakhine State.

Farmers.

Under such circumstances, paddy yields are likely to drop in Rakhine State, according to activists for peasants.

As paddy cultivation acreage in the state fell from 850,000 acres last year to 750,000 acres this year, the state will be able to produce about 30 million baskets of paddy during the harvest, according to the peasant union.

As the paddy yield is just enough for local consumption, authorities are required to take systematic measures for self-sufficiency of paddy in the state, according to U Kyaw Zan.

He told the CNI, “If government plans are systematic, Rakhine State is likely to maintain self-sufficiency of rice. Farmers had to borrow money to cultivate paddy, they will not be able to keep the crop by themselves. They will have to sell the crop. If the paddy they harvested is transported by merchants to other main states and regions, local people will not have enough rice to eat.”

Normally, an acre of land in Rakhine state yields 60 baskets of paddy but it is estimated that only about 50 baskets will be yielded from an acre of farm this year due to falls in fertilizer use and droughts.

CNI News

1 Nov 2022

The Kawthaung-Ranong route or flights should be used instead of the Myawaddy-Mae Sot route in sending workers from Myanmar to Thailand under the MOU between the two countries, labour activists for Myanmar workers told the CNI.

Workers should not be sent from the Myawaddy-Mae Sot route because of the security situation along the route and taking alternative routes will be able to overcome such threats.

Labour Activist U Min Oo of the FED told the CNI, “Flights are the most convenient way to send workers to Thailand within a short time. If workers are to be sent from the Kawthaung-Ranong route, they will have to take domestic flights to Kawthaung and cross the border into Thailand by boat. So, the route is not as convenient as flights to send a large number of workers. The advantage of using the Myawaddy-Mae Sot route is that a large number of workers can be sent by cars from No (2) bridge. Currently only a few workers come from the Kawthaung-Ranong route. I think agencies can send workers from the route and it will not cost much more. However, they will have to use roads and the waterway and it is difficult to send a large number of workers.”

  Myanmar workers preparing to travel to Thailand under the MOU between the two countries.

Although agencies are sending workers by plane or from the Kawthaung-Ranong route, the number of workers who took the routes is fewer compared to that of the Myawaddy route.

If alternative routes are to be used, agencies are likely to charge more service fees from workers and the Myawaddy-Mae Sot route is the most appropriate route for sending workers, Labour Activist Ko Thar Gyi told the CNI.

He said, “The Myawaddy-Mae Sot route is the most convenient route because it is easy for authorities to check their documents. Agencies can also send the workers from the Kawthaung-Ranong route but the problem is that they will have to travel a long way to get to their worksites. We need to take this into consideration. The Myawaddy-Mae Sot route is much nearer to their worksites than the Kawthaung-Ranong route.”

Although the Myawaddy-Mae Sot route is the most convenient route for sending workers to Thailand, it is necessary to take extra heed than before due to the deteriorating security situation in the area, Ko Thar Gyi added.

He told the CNI, “Agencies need to take extra heed until their workers arrive in Myawaddy. If agencies carefully listen to conflict news and send workers to Thailand, it will be safer for them. Thailand authorities including immigration, labour and health officials have already arranged for the workers to come from Myawaddy. So, they need to take extra heed for unpredictable dangers along the route until they arrive in Myawaddy.”

A checkpoint for Myanmar workers in Thailand.

Fighting erupted along the Myawaddy-Kawkareik road section of the Asia Highway on 18th October and MOU workers were stranded due to temporary closures of the highway but the road was reopened on 21st October.

The Kawthoolei Army issued a statement on 26th October, prohibiting travels along the road section without its permission.

The statement warned of travelling along the road section due to escalation of military tensions between the junta and its forces.

Despite the tensions, some vehicles and agencies are still using the road to send workers to Thailand.

CNI News

30 Oct 2022

Myanmar will not pull out of the Association of Southeast Asian Countries, Chairman Dr Aye Maung of the Arakan Front Party.

He added that the State Administration Council will continue to point out the violations of the charter by the ASEAN.

Dr Aye Maung told the CNI, “In my opinion, Myanmar will not pull out of the ASEAN. It will continue to point out the violations of the charter by the ASEAN. If it pulled out of the regional body, the upcoming government would blame it for its decision. So, it will do nothing except pointing out the violation of the charter by the ASEAN. It will leave the upcoming elected government to decide the matter.”

The Special AMM on 27^th October, 2022 in progress.

As the Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Special AMM) was held without Myanmar in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 27th October, the country will not be bound by the outcomes of the Special AMM, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the SAC.

Political analyst U Than Soe Naing told the CNI, “The SAC will not quit the ASEAN because it was a rare chance for it to have joined the regional body. U Than Shwe had to try very hard to join the ASEAN. So, it will not quit the ASEAN.”

As quitting the ASEAN will have negative impacts on the union peace process, Myanmar is unlikely to quit the ASEAN, Spokesperson Col Saw Kyaw Nyunt of the Peace Process Steering Team told the CNI.

SAC Chairman Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing meets ASEAN Chairman Cambodian Prime Minister Hunsen

He said, “It is not geographically, culturally and politically pragmatic for Myanmar to leave the ASEAN under the current international situation. Leaving the ASEAN will have negative impacts on the union peace process. So, it is very unlikely.”

As the SAC did not implement the consensus effectively, the SAC chairman and the foreign minister were not invited to ASEAN meetings. Instead, the regional group has invited a non-political representative to its meetings.

CNI News

30 Oct 2022

Low gas pressures caused by blackouts have forced vehicles to queue a long time at CNG filling stations and drivers have to wait for one to two hours, U Myo Thant Kyu, a taxi driver, told the CNI.

He said, “In the past, we had to wait only 14 or 15 minutes. At present, we are not certain whether we will get filled even after waiting for a long time. In the past, we can drive the whole day after filling a 70-litre cylinder. Now, we can’t drive as long because the pressure is low. So, we see longer lines of vehicles."

Although long queues were sometimes seen at gas stations for a few days, the current delays have lasted for more than a month, according to drivers.

Having to wait a long time at gas stations, taxi drivers have a shorter time to transport passengers and their incomes have been dwindling, according to U Myo Thant Kyu.

A long queue of vehicles at filling stations.

He told the CNI, “We got as much as MMK 50,000 per day in the past even after we have paid the rental fees for the owners of the vehicles. At present, we are struggling to get MMK 10,000 for us.

In the past, drivers can fill gas 24 hours, gas stations are closed at 10.30 pm due to the 12 am curfew.

The longer queuing time and lower gas pressures were caused not only by blackouts but also to low supply of gas to stations, an official at the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise told the CNI.

A long queue of vehicles at filling stations.

He said, “We have generators for blackouts. When electricity is cut off, we can use them. However, we can use only two of the four generators we have. So, we have to see vehicles waiting for a long time and there are long lines of vehicles at stations. As the gas pressure is low, drivers cannot use them for a long time because gas supply is being provided from other sources like Chauk and Yadanar gas fields. If electricity is supplied regularly, the problem can be reduced.”

There are 41 gas stations in Yangon Region. There are six stations supplied by vehicles, 35 stations supplied by pipes and four stations for taxis and 31 gas stations for buses.

CNI News

29 Oct 2022

Airstrikes of the junta are destructive but cannot guarantee victory for it, said Defence Minister U Yee Mon of the National Unity Government.

However, he urged members of the People’s Defence Force to exercise caution for airstrikes during a radio program of the NUG on 26th October.

U Yee Mon said, “Although it is true that airstrikes are destructive, we understand that they are not decisive for military victory. Ours is a revolution associated with wisdom. We will be able to find ways and means to thwart enemy airstrikes by employing our wisdom.”

U Yee Mon and members of the PDF.

Then, he said that the military has been too weak to fight the revolutionary forces on the ground and resorting to airstrikes heavily and urged the PDF members to alert revolutionary awareness and wisdom to the highest level.

Launching airstrikes cannot guarantee the victory for the junta and revealed that it has weakened and depended heavily on the air power, Spokesperson Salai Timmy of the Chin Nationals Defence Force told the CNI.

He said, “I don’t think they still have enough strength to maneuver on the ground. The number of ground operations has decreased significantly. Depending heavily on wicked airstrikes has revealed the they have been weakened dramatically. Airstrikes do not play a decisive role in achieving victories. As their wicked airstrikes also violate international law, it is more evident that they are losing the war.”

 An air force exercise.

Since the junta staged a coup on 1st February, 2021, joint forces of ethnic armed organizations and the PDF have been fighting the military.

The military has been carrying out ground operations as well as airstrikes and raids.

Currently, armed clashes have erupted in Sagaing and Magway regions and Karen, Chin and Kayah states.