CNI News

26 Oct 2022

The KNU congress seemed to be delayed by internal rivalries in the central committee, Political Analyst U Than Soe Naing told the CNI.

When the balance tips in favour of a faction, the congress could be held, he added.

He said, “In my opinion, there are factions in the central committee and there are differences between the central committee and troops on the ground. Such issues at the grassroots level arise frequently. In the central committee, Mutu Say Poe faction and Naw Zipporah Sein faction are competing while brigades are doing what they want in areas under their control. Nerdah Mya, who was expelled from the central committee, emerged as a leader of a new faction during recent operations in cooperation with some KNLA troops. It is not surprising; the congress has been delayed under such circumstances. When the balance tips in favour of a faction, they will be able to hold the congress, I think.”

KNU troops. (KNU)

The 17th Congress of the KNU has been delayed repeatedly and was scheduled for 24th October.

The congress will be valid only when 75 percent of delegates attend it and it has been delayed because enough delegates fail to appear at it, according to sources close to the KNU.

The CNI contacted the officials of the KNU repeatedly but no one answered the phone.

The congress will elect new KNU leaders and decide whether to follow the NCA or to join with revolutionary forces recently formed after the coup.

The congress has been delayed for two years, Chairman Mahn Aung Pyi Soe of the Karen National Democratic Party told the CNI.

Weapons and ammunition seized by the KNU after a clash with the military. (KNU)

He said, “The congress has been delayed for two years. It is difficult for us to speculate. We don’t know what they will decide. Roughly speaking, they will elect the new EC. We don’t know what the standpoints of the new EC members are. It is too early to say something with certainty.”

The congress must be held every four years under the constitution of the KNU but it has been delayed by COVID-19 and the political crisis caused by the coup.

The KNU is a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.

On the other hand, the KNU is protecting the forces of the Spring Revolution from humanitarian grounds and fighting the military in cooperation with them.

CNI News

26 Oct 2022

Although the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee has called on neighbouring countries of Myanmar for an end to forced repatriation of Myanmar nationals, the calls have fallen on deaf ears, labour activists told the CNI.

Searches for and arrests of Myanmar nationals have been intensified in Thailand and Malaysia, where large numbers of Myanmar nationals are working or taking shelter. Some of detained Myanmar nationals were those who had applied for refugee cards from the UNHCR and were waiting to go to a third country, Labour Activist Ko Thar Gyi told the CNI.

He said, “As evidence for application for refugee cards and preparations for going to a third country, the UNHCR issued an A-4 paper stating a few links for them. However, those receipts are not enough. We cannot take them out by bribing. Officials from the UNHCR must come and call on authorities for their release. Officials from the UNHCR in Thailand rarely take such measures. This indicates that the UN cannot help people who took part in the civil disobedience movement and people who are waiting to go to a third country. We cannot blame the host country because authorities are required to detain all undocumented migrants according to their applicable laws. The UNHCR should question itself whether the A-4 paper they issued for refugees is really effective.”

 Repatriated Myanmar nationals at a Malaysian airport.

The UNHCR called on neighbouring countries of Myanmar not to repatriate Myanmar nationals in their countries.

However, a large number of Myanmar migrants are being detained in camps and detention facilities. Among them were migrants who had already received or applied for refugee status. However, UN officials in Thailand rarely visit detention facilities for their release and many of them face forced repatriation, Ko Kyan Kyaung, an activist for Myanmar refugees in Malaysia, told the CNI.

He said, “The UNHCR does not have much leverage in Malaysia to seek help from lawyers and courts. The UN office has rarely offered assistance for people in camps and detention facilities. It does not have a mandate to help people in camps and the Malaysian government is mainly responsible for them. So, authorities repatriate in accordance with the Malaysian immigration law because they cannot hold them in camps for a long time. The government will continue to repatriate them because UNHCR officials rarely visit the camps.”

 Myanmar nationals being repatriated.

The UNHCR should take effective measures on the ground rather than issuing statements, Executive Director U Htoo Chit of the Foundation for Education and Development told the CNI.

He said, “The UNHCR should take effective measures rather than issuing statements and should regularly visit Thai immigration detention facilities. Repatriating illegal workers causes no problem. If migrants who took part in the civil disobedience movement were repatriated, their lives would be in danger. The UNHCR has given emergency phone numbers. However, no one answered the phones. If the UNHCR holds negotiations with Thai authorities, they are likely to take the requests seriously. So, I think the UNHCR should hold negotiations with Thai authorities properly.”

Currently, crackdowns on illegal Myanmar migrants have been intensified and they are arrested on a daily basis in neighbouring Thailand and Malaysia.

Therefore, undocumented Myanmar nationals should be aware of the situation at worksites as well as outside workplaces.

As searches for and arrests of illegal migrants, those who intend to sneak into the neighbouring countries should not come at the moment, activists urged.

CNI News

25 Oct 2022

The reshuffling of the Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of China is unlikely to have an impact on Myanmar, Dr Hla Kyaw Zaw, a Chinese-Myanmar affairs analyst, told the CNI.

The party congress of the CPD concluded on 22nd October 2022 and party officials were reshuffled during the congress and Xi Jinping was elected for the third five-year term in office.

Although some leaders of the party were reshuffled during the congress, this will have impacts on Myanmar, Dr Hla Kyaw Zaw told the CNI.

   Former seven members of the polit bureau standing committee.

She told the CNI, “I don’t think the reshuffle will have significant impacts on Myanmar because the policies of the party do not change. Another factor is that some party leaders were reshuffled, the government has not been reformed. The new government will be formed in March next year. So, there will be no significant changes. The congress concluded yesterday. In his congress address, Xi Jinping did not say any significant changes in international relations. He said as usual like the development of China, which will share its prosperity with the world. Nothing is new. He talked about peace, development and democracy.”

China will work in its interest and Myanmar will have to continue to fight for peace and to uproot military dictatorship that hinders economic development, she added.

As the CPC congress decided its policies for the party and the country, this will not have impacts on Myanmar, U Than Soe Naing, a political analyst, told the CNI.

     Members of the NUG and the PDF fighting against the military.

He told the CNI, “There will be no changes. Whoever is in office in Myanmar, they will try to exert influence on it. I haven’t seen any group in Myanmar that can change this.”

Three brotherhood alliances including the ULA/AA, the PSLF/TNLA and the MNDAA sent congratulations for the success of the congress of the CPC.

The congress elected Xi Jinping for the next five-year term as the general secretary and 24 members of the Polit Bureau including seven standing members by excluding Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang and Wang Hunning and Han Zheng.

As China can exert influence on crisis- conflict-ridden Myanmar, many are closely watching whether the reshuffled polit bureau will adopt a new approach on Myanmar.

CNI News

25 Oct 2022

The Rakhine State Chamber of Commerce and Industry has sought permissions from authorities to transport medicines to Rakhine State as stocks are very low in pharmacies in most townships in the state.

Currently, Rakhine State is currently short of medicines for chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, a medicine trader told the CNI.

He said, “In the past, we can transport medicines with the permission of the chief minister. Some companies sought permission from the chief minister and transport medicines for us. Later, this was restricted. Now, medicine stocks are very low. We are now short of medicines for chronic diseases like diabetes. So, we sought help from the Rakhine State Chamber of Commerce and Industry.”

Medicines from Yangon and Mandalay are distributed to Sittwe and merchants from the state capital redistribute them to other towns.

A pharmacy in Yangon. (CNI)

Currently, transportation of medicines to Sittwe as well as to other towns in Rakhine State has been restricted, according to medicine merchants and pharmacies.

He would raise the issue with the Rakhine State Government after studying the situation on the ground, Chairman U Tin Aung Oo of the Rakhine State Chamber of Commerce and Industry told the CNI.

He told the CNI, “Medicine distributing companies and wholesale pharmacies told me last week that their stocks were very low. I will collect their requests and submit them to authorities after studying the situation on the ground. I will seek help from the state government.”
Due to restrictions on medicine transportation, companies that have won tender to supply medicines to hospitals have faced difficulties.

Currently, pharmacies in Rakhine State sell limited quantities of medicines to prevent medicine prices from rising.

CNI News

25 Oct 2022

Searches and arrests have recently been intensified in Mae Sot border town, where a large number of Myanmar nationals live and work, labour activists for Myanmar workers told the CNI.

Authorities are searching for illegal migrants and workers in factories and workshops, Myanmar labour activists told the CNI.

Ko Thar Gyi, a labour activist for Myanmar workers, told the CNI, “A large number of migrants were arrested in Tak Province on 18th October. Authorities searched and arrested illegal migrants in factories, workshops and the living quarters. They detained more than 640 people on 19th October alone. And searches and arrests continued on 2-th, 21st and 22nd October. Arrests have been intensified and security has been tightened along the border with Myawady. They search people walking outside for their documents. Security has been tightened since shootouts at the border town in Myanmar.

 Thai authorities detaining Myanmar migrants.

During the period from 19th to 22nd October, Thai authorities arrested more than 1,000 people, most of whom are Myanmar migrants. Ko Thar Gyi told the CNI that authorities are making arrangements to send them back to Myanmar from No. (2) friendship bridge without taking legal action against them.

Authorities may be arresting Myanmar migrants for some other reasons, labour activist U Min Oo for the FED told the CNI.

He told the CNI, “Four or five days ago, a US lawmaker appealed to neighbouring countries, especially Thailand not to send people who fled from Myanmar to their country because they might face danger in Myanmar. Since then, crackdowns on migrants started. We don’t know why. Usually, they arrest workers when a new law has been enacted. We don’t know why they arrested migrants despite the appeal.

 Thai authorities searching pedestrians.

There are millions of Myanmar workers in Thailand and some of them are illegal migrant workers.

Intensified searches and arrests in the entire Thailand have posed more difficulties for Myanmar migrants, according to labour activists.

Ko Thar Gyi told the CNI, “Authorities released workers with required documents and arrested undocumented ones. Those who are waiting to go to a third country by holding refugee cards issued by the UNHCR, it is necessary for the refugee organization to offer assistance because authorities sometimes detain people with UNHCR cards.”

As the crackdown has been intensified in the entire Thailand, Myanmar workers should be more cautious and those who are trying to sneak into Thailand may be arrested due to the heightened security at the border, the activists have warned.

CNI News

23 Oct 2022

The blacklisting of Myanmar by the Financial Action Task Force should be tackled by the Central Bank of Myanmar and relevant financial institutions, according to Myanmar economic observers.

An anonymous economic observer told the CNI that the regime should rebuild the trust on the banking system and prevent the illegal flow of foreign currencies.

He said, “The central bank alone cannot do anything. There are bodies responsible for illegal flow of illegal money. The body is under the control of the Myanmar police force. Illegal trade must be prevented by the Ministry of Commerce. There are many criteria. First, all money must flow through official channels or through the banking systems.

The FATF blacklisted Myanmar over the concerns about casinos and cross border smuggling, according to official close to the FATF.

Some businessmen and economists said that the restrictions on the businesses and trade were forced companies to turn to illegal trade even though they do not want to violate money laundering laws. Restrictions on foreign currencies force them to turn to illegal trade. They should also need to regulate casinos according to the law, he told the CNI.

The blacklisting may have an impact on the financial sector of the country and hamper foreign investment, according to businessmen.

On the other hand, the SAC will reduce on the reliance on US dollar and will depend more on Russia, Political Analyst U Ye Tun told the CNI.

He said, “As they were frequently taken action for the use of US$, they will decouple from it and try to join other currencies like the Ruble and Yuan. This will make the SAC to think they are right to join to the other currency systems.”

CNI News

23 Oct 2022

The blacklisting of Myanmar by the Financial Action Task Force amounts to an attempt to eliminate the military dictatorship, General Secretary U Sai Leik of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy told the CNI.

He added that the move was just a political pressure on the country and it is necessary to watch the situation whether it is beneficial for the public.

U Sai Leik told the CNI, “It is a political pressure on the junta but also an attempt to eliminate the military dictatorship or to know whether the junta can control the country. We will have to wait and see the impacts and benefits of it.”

While Myanmar is facing political instabilities and economic fall, the FATF listed Myanmar in its blacklist on 21^st October.

The FATK meeting.

The blacklisting will have negative effects not only on the public but also on companies who are engaged in foreign trade, EAO leader Col Khun Okkar told the CNI.

He said, “The entire system is almost collapsing including the economic, education and health and other sectors. Now, they are being punished for the collapse of the financial sector. For the political collapse, it is necessary to impose economic sanctions. What are they doing? Everything is leading to total collapse. When we are blacklicked, it will take a long time to remove it from the list. We need to change everything including the political, administrative and every system. We will have to change the entire system.

Myanmar was blacklisted at the meeting of over 200 countries on 21^st October in Paris by the Chairman of the FATF of Singapore.

The decision placed Myanmar at the same place as North Korea and Iran.

CNI News

22 Oct 2022

Low quality and stock of Vigna mungo in India may increase the demand for the crop, according to pulses and bean merchants.

Although Vigna mungo is currently being harvested in India, the quality of the crop is low due to bad weather conditions. Therefore, India is likely to import high quality Vigna mungo from Myanmar in large volumes, Head of Ayeyar Trade Centre U Nay Win Soe told the CNI.

He said, “Vigna mungo harvested in India is of low quality due to unpredictable rains. Millers do not like their Vigna mungo. They need high quality crop. At the same time, their stock is dwindling. They will have to turn to Vigna mungo from Myanmar. I think they will import the crop from Myanmar in the coming months.”

A scene of New Dehli.

Moreover, the prices of pulses and beans have risen in the Indian market recently.

The prices of Myanmar Vigna mungo are likely to rise amid the growing Indian demand, U Thant Zin, a pulses and bean market observer told the CNI.

He said, “The prices of pulses and beans have risen in India recently. The prices of 100 kg have risen by between Rupee 50 to 100. It was also estimated that the prices of pulses and beans would increase in the Chinai market because the stock is very low. The quality of newly harvested Vigna mungo is very low. They need high quality Vigna mungo. So, the prices of high quality Vigna mungo are likely to rise.”
Currently, the prices of Vigna mungo in the Myanmar market stand at MMK 60,000 per basket.

  Myanmar Vigna mungo.

Without changes in pulses and beans import policies of India, the Myanmar export policy and local exchange rates, the prices of pulses and beans will continue to rise and hit MMK 65,000 per basket, according to merchants and market researchers.

Although the demand for Myanmar pulses and beans is growing, the exports of pulses and beans have been delayed by restrictions of the Central Bank of Myanmar on foreign exchange earnings.

During the six-month period from 1st April to 7th October, Myanmar exported 800,000 tons of pulses and beans worth more than US$ 655 million, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Commerce.

CNI News

22 Oct 2022

Low quality and stock of Vigna mungo in India may increase the demand for the crop, according to pulses and bean merchants.

Although Vigna mungo is currently being harvested in India, the quality of the crop is low due to bad weather conditions. Therefore, India is likely to import high quality Vigna mungo from Myanmar in large volumes, Head of Ayeyar Trade Centre U Nay Win Soe told the CNI.

He said, “Vigna mungo harvested in India is of low quality due to unpredictable rains. Millers do not like their Vigna mungo. They need high quality crop. At the same time, their stock is dwindling. They will have to turn to Vigna mungo from Myanmar. I think they will import the crop from Myanmar in the coming months.”

A scene of New Dehli.

Moreover, the prices of pulses and beans have risen in the Indian market recently.

The prices of Myanmar Vigna mungo are likely to rise amid the growing Indian demand, U Thant Zin, a pulses and bean market observer told the CNI.

He said, “The prices of pulses and beans have risen in India recently. The prices of 100 kg have risen by between Rupee 50 to 100. It was also estimated that the prices of pulses and beans would increase in the Chinai market because the stock is very low. The quality of newly harvested Vigna mungo is very low. They need high quality Vigna mungo. So, the prices of high quality Vigna mungo are likely to rise.”
Currently, the prices of Vigna mungo in the Myanmar market stand at MMK 60,000 per basket.

  Myanmar Vigna mungo.

Without changes in pulses and beans import policies of India, the Myanmar export policy and local exchange rates, the prices of pulses and beans will continue to rise and hit MMK 65,000 per basket, according to merchants and market researchers.

Although the demand for Myanmar pulses and beans is growing, the exports of pulses and beans have been delayed by restrictions of the Central Bank of Myanmar on foreign exchange earnings.

During the six-month period from 1st April to 7th October, Myanmar exported 800,000 tons of pulses and beans worth more than US$ 655 million, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Commerce.