CNI News

24 Sept 2022

Persons with disabilities in Myanmar are concerned about their safety and basic needs due to COVID-19 and the political crisis, Assistant Officer U Aung Thu of the Shwe Mintha Foundation told the CNI.

Persons with disabilities should not go out alone nor wear jewellery because it is dangerous for them, he added.

U Aung Thu told the CNI, “There are many problems for safety because one of my younger brothers in our office was robbed of his gold ring and phone on his return home at about 8 pm. He was even hit and beaten. We are not safe. We are more worried about our safety than others because we cannot run away easily and we cannot defend ourselves. We are extremely worried about our safety. However, we are not the only group that is not safe. No one is safe at the moment.”

A person with disabilities preparing snacks.

Currently, the foundation is organizing training courses on cooking and beverages for the livelihood of the people with disabilities.

In the past, persons with disabilities were not worried about their living and were able to get jobs as well as cash assistance but many businesses were shut down due to COVID-19. As a result, they no longer find jobs and face hard times for their livelihoods.

Rising prices of foodstuffs and consumer goods hurt people from all strata of life but they hit harder on persons with disabilities, Vice Chairman U Ko Ko Maung of Soneseeyar Association for Persons with Disabilities in Hlaingtharyar told the CNI.

 A person with disabilities using a computer.

He said, “The situation hit persons with disabilities harder. They face hardship in every aspect of their lives including basic needs and health. As they can’t afford food for themselves, how can they take care of their health? So, some persons with disabilities work outdoors but they have to struggle harder than others.”

Currently, the association cannot provide food sufficiently as the number of donors has decreased gradually.

Therefore, there are more than 2 million persons with disabilities in Myanmar, according to the 2014 household census.

CNI News

23 Sept 2022

As the number of illegal migrants who sneaked into Malaysia from southern Thailand has increased, authorities have tightened security along the border, Myanmar organizations in Malaysia told the CNI.

Majority of the illegal migrants who sneaked through the border were Myanmar nationals. A senior immigration officer inspected the border on 15^th September and issued orders to tighten security there.

Ma Cho TheI, who has been helping Myanmar workers in Malaysia, told the CNI, “Myanmar nationals went to Thailand by using visit visas and illegally entered Malaysia from the Thai border. They could enter Malaysia by bus or through the waterway. No government wants to accept illegal migrants in their country.”

Some Myanmar citizens illegally entered Malaysia via Kawthaung-Ranong road and from 10 to 50 Myanmar nationals sneaked into Malaysia every day by hired vehicles.

General Secretary U Chit Kaung of the Social Assistance Association for Myanmar Migrant Workers in Malaysia told the CNI that the border, which was previously manned with the police, is now guarded by the police and the military.

“The border was previously manned by the police. Now, they reinforce security by deploying the military together with the police. I think they assigned the military to guard the border. The military arrested illegal workers and handed them over to the police, who filed cases against them before transferring them to the immigration. Although they have deployed the military, they do not shoot at illegal migrants. In Malaysia, the majority of people fear the military. So, they stop when the military orders them to stop. If Myanmar illegal migrants do not understand the situation and try to flee, the military may shoot at them. So, I would like to advise Myanmar nationals not to flee if they cannot escape and let the military arrest them. They may shoot at illegal migrants who try to escape. Under the Malaysian law, the police can shoot at suspects who attack them at the scene. As they shot and killed their nationals, they will not hesitate to shoot at illegal migrants.  If Myanmar illegal migrants do not understand the situation, they may get into trouble.

Recently, Myanmar migrant workers who sneaked into Malaysia include those who went to the country for the first time as well as those who overstayed in the country previously and were sent back to Myanmar after having their fingerprints taken. Such workers have been denied entry to the country.

Some illegal migrants were arrested while there were some others who managed to avoid being detained but they were being accused of bribing brokers and authorities, Ma Cho Thel told the CNI.

“It is difficult to earn a living in Myanmar. So, they have economic hardship. Some people returned to Myanmar after working in Thailand or Malaysia but they found themselves in difficulty finding a job. They want to come back to Malaysia because of the political situation and rising commodity prices in Myanmar. However, some of them had returned to Myanmar after paying fines and having their fingerprints taken. Malaysian authorities have denied entry to such people. So, they came to Malaysia illegally. As a result, Malaysian authorities have tightened security along the border,” she said.

At present, Malaysian authorities are rounding up illegal workers not only along the border but also in the entire country and the security measures may be in place until the end of the year, according to Myanmar organizations in Malaysia.

CNI News

23 Sept 2022

Deputy general staff officer Lt-Col Khun Tun Shwe of the Pa-O National Organization told the CNI that it had dealt with the issues over the killing of five members of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization/Pa-O National Liberation Army.

The PNO/PNA arrested and killed five PNLO/PNLA members from Warpyone Village, Pinmoon Village-tract, Pinlaung Township in Pa-O Self-Administered Zone in Shan State South.
Lt-Col Khun Tun Shwe told the CNI, “Everything has been dealt with. We have fulfilled everything necessary to their satisfaction. As both sides have discussed military and social issues, we are in good relations with each other.”

He added that both sides agreed to handle issues responsibly through liaison offices in the future.

A soldier from the PNLO/PNLA.

The PNO is working with all organizations to protect the Pa-O Self-administered Zone from armed conflicts, Lt-Col Khun Tun Shwe said.

He said, “We live in peace and try to maintain stability in our region and protect residents from armed conflicts together with all organizations through negotiation. We are trying to protect our people from the destruction of war.”

The PNLO/PNLA is a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and active in Hsehsai, Hopong, Mawkmai in Shan State (South).
The PNO/PNA is an ethnic armed group that signed a peace agreement with the Tatmadaw in 1991. The Tatmadaw allowed the group to establish a self-administered zone in Special Region–6.

In 2010, the group changed its name to the PNO/PNA and registered a political party called the PNO with the Union Election Commission.

CNI News

23 Sept 2022

Local residents get into trouble in all aspects of life including supplies of basic needs due to restrictions imposed in northern parts of Rakhine State because of the clashes and military escalations between the Tatmadaw and the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army, according to people in the state.

Imposing such restrictions implied that authorities considered well-being of the public and the AA is synonymous, Ko Zaw Tun, a resident of Mrauk-U, told the CNI.

“They have set up checkpoints everywhere in Mrauk-U and search every car, cycle and pedestrian. Every aspect of life including livelihoods and supplies of basic needs has been disrupted.

It seems that there is no way we can get out of the troubles. Neither side is likely to take a step back and they cannot defeat the other side as well. So, they are trying to undermine the supporting base of the other side. I think they have adopted such strategies and make trouble for the public. The public has been forced into a situation in which they have nothing to lose because they cannot go to their work, they cannot do their business and they cannot lead happy lives at home with their families. These are everyday problems of public life. The main problem for residents is that transportation is disrupted and that they conduct searches in places that have nothing to do with them. They should stop doing whatever they want in wards and reopen trading routes.”

As INGOs/NGOs were banned from travelling to and distributing aid in six townships in northern Rakhine State, there were shortages of food, Director U Khaing Kaung San of Wunlet Foundation told the CNI.

“We don’t know what will happen at the end of the month. People are living on aids they received last month. Civil society organizations can no longer provide aid and have to offer assistance to IDPs in towns. They can provide aid to IDPs only when they receive donations. It is very difficult for them to invite donations in the area. In the past, CSOs went to towns to get donations but now they are stopped on their way to towns. Diaspora community donated cash for people in Rakhine State alone but the community now has to send donations to other parts of the country as conflicts have spread elsewhere. We cannot rely on such donations in the long run. We will be able to offer effective assistance to people in the areas only with the cooperation of international humanitarian organizations, CSOs and organizations that can distribute aid to the needy systematically.”

As IDP camps have faced severe shortages of everything including medicines and clothing, AA Spokesperson U Khaing Thukha in his press briefing on 19th September appealed to INGOs, NGOs, CSOs and individuals to provide humanitarian aids to IDPs.

Currently, commodity prices in Rakhine State have almost doubled due to the restrictions, local residents in Rakhine State told the CNI.

Ko Maung Maung Tun, a resident of Maungdaw, said, “People in northern and southern Maungdaw are not allowed to travel outside our communities. We have faced severe shortages of food. The military has blocked all roads for about a month. We are not allowed to carry rice, cooking oil and foodstuffs. IDPs from war-torn areas are not allowed to go outside their shelter. We are now living on what other people who still have something to share give us. Commodity prices have skyrocketed. There are a lot of commodities that we cannot buy even if we have money. Aid workers are not allowed to travel. We want to import rice and edible oil to our areas. The public is being tortured.”

At present, clashes have broken out between the military and the AA in Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U in Rakhine State and Paletwa in Chin State, according to reports of the news outlets based in Rakhine State.

The number of IDPs has also increased to more than 10,000 due to the clashes, according to statistics of CSOs.

The IDPs are taking shelter in existing IDP camps as well as in monasteries and schools, CSOs reported.

CNI News

23 Sept 2022

About 500 local residents were trapped in the intense fighting between Karenne armed groups and the Tatmadaw in Moebye near the border of Shan State (South) and Kayah State, Ko Banya of Karenni Human Rights Group told the CNI.

Since 8th September,clashes have broken out between the Tatmadaw and joint forces of the Karenni Defence Force, Karenni Army and the People’s Defence Force in Kayah State.

Residents of the town were taking shelter in their relatives’ houses and in Loikaw.

Ko Banya told the CNI, “At least four or five hundred people are still trapped in the town. When fighting started on 8th September, many people left the town. Then, the clashes halted on 12th September and resumed on 15th September. The revolutionary forces asked the residents to evacuate but there are about 500 people still trapped in four or five wards in the town.”

 IDPs from Moebye (Network for protection of Karenni State IDPs)

Civilians were killed and injured in the fighting and more than 4,000 residents were displaced.

The internally displaced persons from Moebye are taking shelter in relatives’ homes and monasteries, U Than Soe, Patron (1) of the Shwe Loikaw (Kayah) Charity told the CNI.

He said, “Some residents moved to Loikaw and Phekhon. Some people asked for our help to move out. We went to them and transported them to places they requested.

More than 100 houses were destroyed and two men and three children were killed.

IDPs from Moebye (Network for protection of Karenni State IDPs)

Ko Banya said, “As the military has been killing its own people brutally and it can be said that it is the military that killed the largest number of its own people in the world. I think the military will be held legally accountable for all these crimes one day. Everyone is trying to hold the military accountable.”

Since the military takeover on 1st February, 2022, fighting has broken out between the military and joint forces of the Karenni National Defence Force, the Karenni Army, Moebye People’s Defence Force, Pekhon Defence Force and the Karenni Revolutionary Union.

More than 163600 were displaced and at least 436 houses were destroyed during the clashes, according to the latest statistics of the ISP-Myanmar.

CNI News

22 Sept 2022

As fighting has broken out in areas where monsoon paddy is mainly grown in Rakhine, local residents have fled from their regions, abandoning their farms, paddy yields may drop this year, farmers told the CNI.

Although monsoon paddy is grown in the entire country, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Buthidaung, Rathedaung and Kyuaktaw are the main townships where paddy is grown. However, military tensions between the United League of Arakan/ Arakan Army and the Tatmadaw are running high in the areas and local residents have fled their homes.

A Rakhine farmer.

U Min Oo, a farmer from Rakhine State, told the CNI, “It is time for farmers who grew monsoon paddy to feed fertilizers to their crops but they have been displaced by armed conflicts and cannot take care of the crops. So, paddy yields may drop during the harvest. It was necessary for them to irrigate their farms and use pesticides but they were displaced and left the farm. It is sure that the yields will decrease.”

Farmers in the state had faced shortages of inputs even before the armed conflicts and the situation worsened when armed conflicts resumed, according to local residents.
Currently, it costs MMK 700,000 to buy a barrel of diesel and local residents are worried about blockades of roads and waterways as the fighting has escalated, farmer U Aung Kyaw Mya told the CNI.

He said, “We have difficulty carrying fertilisers, diesel and paddy. It is the side effects of the war, which have enormous impacts on farmers and the public. If the fighting expands, farmers will not be able to do their farming activities properly and will have a bad harvest.”

IDPs in Rakhine State.

As the paddy harvested in the state is consumed mainly in Rakhine State, falling crop yields will have an enormous impact on local residents and farmers, U Min Oo told the CNI.

“This will have a direct impact. Farmers were able to cultivate only about half of their land and about 50 percent of the cultivated farm were destroyed by droughts. And then, we could not feed enough fertilizer for our crops. Again, we had to leave ourselves when we were displaced. So, rice prices will be doubled next year. Rakhine State may not even have self-sufficiency of rice next year,” he said.

In 2017-18, farmers in Rakhine State suffered losses due to fighting between the Tatmadaw and the AA and were not able to repay agricultural loans.

CNI News

22 Sept 2022

As the number of people who travel from one place to another has dramatically decreased, highway bus services are struggling for survival, Ko Myo Aung, a ticket-seller from Sun Group Highway Bus Service at Aung Mingalar Highway Bus Terminal, told the CNI.

Ticket sales have dropped since the first wave of COVID-19 and the public has recently avoided road transportation due to political instabilities, forcing highway services to fight for continued existence.

Ko Myo Aung said, “We can sell very few tickets each day. Only about three passengers come to buy tickets. Before the pandemic and the political crisis, we could sell 30 to 40 tickets every day at this time of the year. The pandemic and the crisis have changed everything.

Some highway bus services have suspended their operations since oil prices have skyrocketed, according to owners of passenger transportation services.

Domestic tourists in Bagan (GETTY IMAGES)

To overcome the problem, highway passenger services transported goods from one town to another but the freight service has also come to a halt recently, an official from the Golden Globe Highway Bus Service at the Aung San Stadium told the CNI.

He said, “In the past, we earned MMK 1 million to MMK 1.2 million for transporting goods on a route. Now, goods for transport have dried up. Every highway bus service, including those at the top, is struggling to survive the crisis. we are trying to survive in such a situation.”

As transportation services were forced to reduce the number of vehicles, some drivers lost their jobs, according to the official from the Golden Globe Highway Bus Service.

He said, “As we ply between Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi, we accept all the goods to be transported from Yangon to Mandalay and Taunggyi. Now, we can operate only one bus for the route.”

People rarely travel recently due to the declaration of a state of emergency, resurgence of COVID-19 and spread of armed conflicts in many regions and states.

As a result, highway passenger bus services are struggling for their survival.

CNI News

21 Sept 2022

Russian investment should be attracted to the garment industry to create job opportunities for Myanmar nationals, said local entrepreneurs and economists.

A Myanmar delegation led by SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attended the East Asian Economic Forum held in Russia on 7th September, 2022 and invited Russian businessmen to invest in Myanmar.

Economic observer U Aung Pyae Sone told the CNI that he hoped that Russian companies would invest in the garment sector, which can create job opportunities for a strong workforce in Myanmar.

He said, “Our country has a large number of workers. They have to go to work in other countries like Malaysia. The minimum wage is set at MMK 4,800 a day. If other countries set up factories in Myanmar, our workers can get MMK 6,000 to 8,000. However, Russian investors are not interested in establishing factories and they are looking forward to investing in the mining and oil and gas sectors.”

  A garment factory worker.

Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and an agreement to cooperate in the nuclear sector was signed during the visit.

He invited Russian companies to invest in many sectors including oil and gas, construction, hotels and tourism and discussed imports of fuel oil from Russia, launching direct flights between the two countries.

An economist, who did not want to be named, said Russian companies are interested in investing in the oil and gas sector in Myanmar.

He told the CNI, “I don’t think they will invest in the manufacturing sector. Myanmar invited them to invest in the oil and gas sector. Exports from the garment sector head to the US, Europe and Japan, which imposed sanctions on Russia. So, it is difficult for Russia to export garments to other countries.”

Currently, Myanmar has faced political instabilities and has not adopted precise foreign investment policies. So, it is difficult to attract new investment while existing foreign investors are leaving Myanmar.

Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing and President Putin

U Aung Pyae Sone said, “The government should offer tax exemption for five or ten years for investors who set up factories. Another factor is that it must also adopt stable policies. The most serious impediment for attracting foreign investment in Myanmar is that it does not have stable policies for factories that are important for the economy. We should be able to give protection for factories by adopting precise policies. Only then, will the number of factories increase in Myanmar and Myanmar workers will get jobs and their wages will increase. So, the government should adopt precise policies to attract foreign investment in the manufacturing sector.”

The SAC has invited foreign companies in the grain export and energy sectors.

Economic observers expect that oil and gas companies, mining companies and hotel and tour companies from Russia will invest in Myanmar.

CNI News

20 Sept 2022

The United League of Arakan/AA might have said that it was endeavouring to establish an Arakha government to boost the morale of its people, Col Khun Okkar, an EAO leader, told the CNI.

He said he did not want to make any remarks on the comment but explained that the leader of the AA once said they were fighting for the confederation status.

Col Khun Okkar told the CNI, “It was the comment they made and I don’t want to make any remarks on that. They once officially said they were fighting for confederation status. They might have changed tone to achieve higher status than confederation, I am not sure. However, they might have tried to boost the morale of their people during the military escalation. It is difficult to make remarks on the comment.”

ULA/AA Spokesperson Khaing Thu Kha said they empathized with Bengali refugees, who were forced to flee to Bangladesh en masse and urged the government of Bangladesh, the UN and world powers to stand together with the AA by offering full support to solve the problems.

AA Spokesperson U Khaing Thukha at the press briefing on 19^th September, 2022.

 He said that the ULA/AA was endeavouring to establish an Arakha government at a press briefing on 19th September.

Col Khun Okkar said, “That is not new. When an ethnic group or an organization has some strength, they tend to aim higher. About 30 years ago, the Karenni National Progressive Party and the Karen National Union used to chant such slogans. Then, chairman druglord Khun Sa even talked about the independence of Shan State. Taking a glimpse at the history, one can see that some organizations and ethnic groups used to make such comments. Nowadays, some organizations are taking the same trend again.``

In 2019, AA Commander-in-Chief Maj-Gen Tun Myat Naing said that they aimd to achieve the self-administration status similar to that Wa Self-Administered Region in Shan State.

Currently, the ULA/AA is enjoying a widespread support of the people and fighting has broken out between the AA and the Tatmadaw.