CNI News 

10 Sept 2022 

The total strength of 16 armed groups active in Kayah State has increased to more than 15,000, according to a statement of the Progressive Kareni People’s Force released on 10th September. 

The majority of the 16 armed groups were formed after the military staged a coup against the civilian government. 

Those groups claimed to have 7,000 members while the Karenni Progressive Party/ Karenni Army, claimed to have a strength of 2,000 troops.

The Tatmadaw has deployed only 7,500 troops in the state, according to the PKPF.

CNI News

10 Sept 2022

The military activities of the Restoration Council of Shan State/ Shan State Army have been dormant in Northern Shan State, according to local residents.

The RCSS withdrew its troops from Northern Shan State but it is still active in Southern Shan State and there were some armed conflicts involving it recently, U Min Naung, a resident of Kyaukme told the CNI.

RCSS troops. (Tai Freedom)

He said, “The RCSS withdrew its troops from Northern Shan State and returned to areas under its control in Eastern Shan State. It did not withdraw form Northern and Southern Shan permanently. They involved in some clashes in Southern Shan State. So, there were some complaints about them like conscription, territorial control and taxation at the border between Southern and Eastern Shan State. They are penetrating into Southern Shan State. However, we heard nothing about them in Northern Shan State.

Clashes broke out between the RCSS and the Shan State Progressive Party/SSA near Loihorn mountain in Kyethi Township as of 1st June 2021 but the RCSS withdrew its troops from the area during the second week of July.

Similarly, military activities of the RCSS were not seen in some townships in Southern Shan State including Mongyai and Lechar, a resident of Mongyai told the CNI.

Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing meets Gen Yawd Serk.

He said, “I think there are no RCSS troops in our area including Mongyai, Lechar and Kyethi but I am not sure. I don’t know whether they are still active in other townships. I think they have returned to Eastern Shan State.”
The RCSS has temporarily stopped recruitment since 3rd September, 2022.

The temporary halt of recruitment is commendable but it should also stop levying taxes and hold peace talks with other Shan armed organizations instead of the Tatmadaw, a Shan politician said.

The RCSS is an ethnic armed organization and signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.

CNI News

10 Sept 2022

A Thai employer has sought compensations of Baht 4,000 (about MMK 400,000) from each of 15 Myanmar workers who went to work in Thailand under the MOU between the two governments but decided to quit their jobs if they were forced to do the tasks that were not stated in their job descriptions, the migrant workers told the CNI.

Under their employment contracts, they were responsible for manufacturing finished rubber products but the employer forced then to do everything he wanted including clearing bushes and bricklaying, Ko Chit Soe Oo, one of the workers, told the CNI.

He said, “We came here to work through the Yaung War Oo Agency. We informed the agency before we arrived here for one month that we were forced to do tasks that were not stated in our job descriptions. The agency said that we had to do everything the employer asked within the compound of the factory. The employer asked us to do everything from clearing bushes to bricklaying. When we didn’t have much work to do, the employer told us to clean the storage facilities, which were very dirty and foul smelling. When we arrived at the factory, the employer gave us only a pair of boots and didn’t provide any other protection. So, we told the employer that we could no longer work for him. Then, the employer consulted with the agency and told us that we would be allowed to quit our job immediately and give us resignation letters if we each compensate Baht 4,000.”

 Myanmar workers who paid Baht 4,000 each to the employer to quit their jobs.

As they had to handle chemicals and had to do tasks that were not stated in their job descriptions, each of them paid Baht 4,000 compensations and quit their jobs after working for only one and a half months.

So, the 15 workers had to pay Baht 60,000 in total and quit their jobs but they were expelled from the factory and were not brought back to the highway terminal.

The failure of the Myanmar overseas employment agency to offer help to the workers and the treatment of Thai employer on them amounted to exploitation of the workers, Ko Thar Gyi, a labour activist for Myanmar workers in Thailand, told the CNI.

 Myanmar workers leaving the factory with their belongings.

He said, “The workers didn’t have to pay compensations for their resignation letters under the provision of the MOU. Under the provisions of the MOU, neither the employer nor the agency cannot impose compensations on the workers. It was a violation of the MOU. And the existing labour law also stipulate that workers must be employed at the jobs stated in the employment contract. So, the workers asked for help from us because it was not of their fault but of the agency and the employer. As the agency arranged for workers to sign employment contracts with the employer, it was the responsibility of the agency to check whether the workers were employed at tasks stated in their job descriptions. The agency cannot say it didn’t know the real situation. It is a violation of the labour law.”

The CNI contacted the Yaung War Oo Agency but it was not able to make a comment as its responsible officials had gone abroad.

Myanmar workers clear bushes, which is not stated in their job descriptions.

He told the CNI, “Our country has been sending tens of thousands of workers to Thailand and we don’t know who were sending them. It is necessary for a managing director of the agency to officially tell us its position. They said their boss was travelling abroad.”

Ko Thar Gyi told the CNI that action would be taken in accordance with the law over the issue of seeking Baht 4,000 for resignation letters.

“We will sue the factory in cooperation with a labour organization called Sawadican. If we sue the factory, the agents from Thailand and Myanmar will be accomplices spontaneously.”

There were many cases in which Myanmar workers who worked in Thailand under the MOU were not employed in jobs stated in the employment contract.

CNI News

9 Sept 2022

Action would be taken against illegal gold miners in the confluence area in Kachin State, Social Affairs Minister U Win Ye Tun of the Kachin State Administration Council told the CNI.

No licenses were issued for the gold mines and the issue would be tackled in accordance with policy of the government.

U Win Ye Tun said, “We have never issued licenses to them. The government issued licenses only for legal gold mine. The issue must be tackled in accordance with the policy of the government. There are illegal mining and panning for gold. In such cases, action is taken in accordance with the law by detaining them.”

Current gold mining in the confluence area has moved from the manageable level to the commercial scale by using machinery, a member of the Tanphe confluence local protestors group told the CNI.

Gold mining in the confluence area.

He said, “They recently built fences around their gold mines and security guards were employed. As they built fences, local residents cannot know what is happening inside and how worse the situation is inside. One thing that is sure is that they are mining gold with the use of backhoes.”

In the past, they panned for gold traditionally at the manageable level but some businessmen rent the land and mine gold on a commercial scale.

Therefore, local residents made complaints to local authorities but they were indifferent to those complaints. Gold mining can damage the environment in the long-term and even destroy the livelihoods of local residents.

The Kachin State Government officially approved 58 small-scale gold-mining sites for 18 companies and two mining sites for poor local residents in six townships in Kachin State including Waingmaw, Machanbaw, Sumprabum, Shinbweyan, Momauk and Shwegu on 20 February, 2020.

However, it is unclear how many mining sites were approved for how many companies at present.

CNI News

9 Sept 2022

As the constitution stipulates that no foreign troops shall be permitted to be deployed in the territory of the union, it is impossible to violate the provision, said SAC Chairman Snr Gen Min Augn Hlaing.

He made the comment during an interview with the RIA news agency when he visited Russia from 4th to 8th September to attend the Eastern Economic Forum.

Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing said, “Our constitution does not permit the deployment of foreign troops. It is impossible to go beyond the constitution. We will have to find the ways and means to best cooperate within the framework of the constitution. We are not permitted to accept the deployment of foreign troops. I discovered that there are many opportunities to cooperate.”

A journalist from the RIA news agency interviews Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

He added that Myanmar and Russia have been cooperating in the defence sector for more than two decades and plans are underway to expand the cooperation.

He said, “Myanmar and Russian have been cooperating in the defence sector for more than two decades. Our cooperation is gaining huge momentum and has reached a very high point. Military equipment of Russia is of high standards and contributes a lot to the national defence of our country. We like them very much. Plans are underway to expand the cooperation.”

As the SAC chairman said, the constitution prohibits deployment of foreign troops in Myanmar, Political Analyst U Ye Tun told the CNI.

Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing meets Russian President Putin.

U Ye Tun said, “He had flattered the Russian leader by saying the latter was a global leader who guides the stability of the world. So, the journalist might have asked him whether he would allow Russia to set up a navy base in Myanmar. His answer is correct. If he had said he would permit the deployment, this would have been a problem because the constitution prohibits deployment of foreign troops in Myanmar.

Section 42(b) of the constitution stipulates that no foreign troops shall be permitted to be deployed in the territory of the union.

There were attempts of some powerful countries to establish a navy base on Coco Island, according to some analysts.

CNI News

9 Sept 2022

The Thanaka market in Sagaing and Magway regions, the two regions where Thanaka trees are mainly grown, has almost collapsed due to instabilities and transport problems, the Myanmar Thanaka Planters and Producers Association told the CNI.

Moreover, both the supply and demand of raw Thanaka pieces have dramatically dropped in other states and regions as well. Only a few people buy raw pieces of Thanaka even though they are sold at cheaper prices, U Myo Win Thant, an information officer of the MTPPA, told the CNI.

He said, “The Thanaka market is struggling in Sagaing and Magway and has almost collapsed due to unfavourable conditions. The demand has dropped and it is difficult for Thanaka sellers to travel from town to town to sell pieces of Thanaka for security reasons. In the past, the Thanaka market thrived in the two regions because there were many festivals, where visitors bought Thamaka pieces. Sellers did not need to go to other towns to sell Thanaka as brokers from other towns like Yezagyo, Pakokku, Myaing and Ayadaw came to buy it. The sales of Thanaka have dropped by a high percentage.”

The demand for raw Thanaka pieces has dropped because users prefer products made of Thanaka and a piece of Thanaka can be used for a long time.

Raw Thanaka pieces are rarely sold in markets and they are mainly sold in festivals to visitors. As there are no festivals at the moment, the Thanaka market has evaporated.

A Thanaka shop.

Ma Moe (changed name), a Thanaka seller in Shwebo, said, “It is difficult to buy Thanaka because it is mainly grown in villages, where security situation has deteriorated. We have to closely watch the situation. Sometimes, we have to retreat on the way because the situation worsens. As transportation is difficult, the sales have dropped. In the past, there were many festivals, where pilgrims buy Thanaka. Now, people rarely travel and the sales have dropped.”

Raw Thanaka pieces produced in Sagaing and Magway are transported to Ayeyarwady and Yangon regions and Rakhine State. At present, the demand for Thanaka from the regions and the state has dropped.

U Myo Win Thant told the CNI, “The sales of Thanaka in Rakhine State, Ayeyarwady region and Yangon region have dropped by 40 percent, 30 percent and 50 percent respectively. There should be a strong Thanaka market. Moreover, people are not able to spend as much money as before. In the past, people bought raw pieces of Thanaka competitively. Now, the demand has dropped.

The Thanaka market can revive if the regions are peaceful and stable. However, it is difficult to restore peace and stability in the regions.

The price of a 6-inch-long and 2-inch-wide piece of Thanaka ranges between MMK 2,000 and MMK 4,000 depending on its types.

There are about 300,000 acres of Thanaka in Magway and the trees are also extensively grown in Sagaing.

CNI News

9 Sept 2022

A decisive final battle to eliminate the Tatmadaw will be launched within one year, said Acting President Duwa Lashi La of the National Unity Government.

He made the comment in his state of the union address on the first anniversary of the declaration of the people’s resistance war on 7th September.

Acting President Duwa Lashi La said, “Utmost efforts are being accelerated to achieve more comprehensive political, military and international relations results within the upcoming year. The military dictatorship is fading away in all its aspects. The final battle to wipe out the fascist instinct is coming sooner or later. I warn the terrorist junta to make themselves ready for the public justice as of today.”

  Demonstrations for democracy. (The Frontier Myanmar)

He called on the international community to provide sufficient technical, weaponry and financial assistance to the people who are fighting for democracy, human rights, equality and freedom.

Conditions are ripe for the realization of the objectives of the Spring Revolution in 2023, Political Analyst U Than Soe Naing told the CNI.

U Than Soe Naing said, “Conditions are ripe for the realization of the objective to wipe out and bury the junta. In wiping out the junta, it is fair to say that the year 2023 will be crucial to launch counter offensives by the cooperation of ethnic armed groups and people defence forces and to achieve the final victory of the Spring Revolution. The entire people are looking forward to it.”

Members of the NUG cabinet.

The acting president said that there were many areas where military and administrative affairs were effectively controlled by the resistance forces of EAOs and the PDF and judicial bodies were formed in 24 townships to administer justice, according to the acting president of the NUG.

The acting president also added that the NUG had formed more than 300 units in more than 250 out of 330 townships in the entire country.

However, some political observers said that as the NUG had not been able to place all PDFs under its command and had not succeeded in forming alliance with all EAOs, whether it was able to launch the final battle for victory was an open question.

CNI News

8 Sept 2022

Shanni civil society organizations strongly condemned the killing of Shanni Abbot U Gandhama, who was presiding the monastery in Naungpat Village in Banmauk Township in Sagaing Region by an allied force of the Kachin Independence Army and the People Defence Force, according to a statement released by the CSOs on 8th September.

The allied force abducted the presiding monk from the monastery on 4th September before brutally killing and burying him near Nantsa Village, according to the statement.

The joint statement of the 28 CSOs said that forcing the abbot to disown his monkhood and brutal overnight killing of him without respecting the International Humanitarian Law and the law of the rights of persons with disabilities amounted to committing war crimes.

Sai Kzang Aung after being released.

The allied force of the KIA and the PDF abducted and tortured Sai Kzang Aung, the in-charge of Shanni literature and culture for Banmauk Township (South), arrested the presiding monk U Thuriya, a figure of Shanni literature and culture, from Kyaungle Village, assassinated Patron U Pe Than of the Shanni Literature and Culture Committee in Haungpar Village in Hpakant Township and abducted and killed Sai Yay Kyaw of the Huangpar Village Shanni Literature and Culture Committee, according to the statement.

The statement of Shanni SCOs.

The statement also said that the act of armed bullying, intimidation and killing with the aim of eliminating the culture and literature, which is the lifeblood for the existence of a people by the allied force of the KIA and the PDF blatantly violate the rights of indigenous people of the United Nations.

The 28 Shanni CSOs said the NUG, the KIA and the PDF are responsible and accountable for the incidents.

CNI News

8 Sept 2022

Sugar mills are buying sugarcane from farmers at MMK 90,000 per ton for 2022-2023 harvesting season, according to farmers.

Sugar mills announced last month that they would buy sugarcane from farmers at MMK 80,000 per ton but they raised the purchasing prices to encourage farmers to expand sugarcane cultivation amid rising domestic sugar prices, U Maung Swe, a sugarcane farmer in Sagaing Region, told the CNI.

He said, “Sugarcane purchasing prices have risen by MMK 10,000 to MMK 90,000 per ton. Sugar mills are raising the purchasing prices as much as they can to encourage farmers to expand sugarcane cultivation amid rising domestic sugar prices.”

Mong Yal sugar mill and Ngweyaypale sugar mill in Shan State (North) announced that they would purchase sugarcane from farmers at MMK 90,000 per ton, Great Wall Waymar sugar mill has not announced their purchasing prices officially.

Great Wall-Waymar sugar mill has already signed purchasing contracts with farmers in Sagaing Region when sugarcane prices were at MMK 80,000 per ton. Therefore, farmers are planning to ask for the mill to pay them MMK 90,000 per ton for their sugarcane, according to a farmer in Katha.

Workers carrying sugarcane. (Getty Images)

He said, “We have signed purchasing contracts with Great Wall at MMK 80,000 per ton. As purchasing prices of other mills have risen to MMK 90,000 per ton, we will ask for MMK 90,000 per ton from Great Wall. I think they will agree. It is said that the mill will pay us MMK 90,000 per ton. However, the mill has not officially announced their decision,” he told the CNI.

Last year, farmers received MMK 65,000 per ton for their sugarcane but sugarcane prices have surged this year due to rising prices of inputs and sugar.

Sugar mills are offering advance payments to encourage farmers to expand sugarcane cultivation, farmer U Maung Swe told the CNI.

He said, “They are developing plans for advance payments. It is said that they will give MMK 300,000 and fertilizer worth MMK 100,000 for an acre of sugarcane. Farmers will expand sugarcane cultivation when they get advance payments.”

Sugarcane is mainly grown in Sagaing Region and Shan State (North) and there are a few sugarcane plantations in Mandalay and Bago regions. Myanmar produces 500,000 tons of sugarcane every year. Sugar prices have risen to their record heights this year due to low domestic stock and lack of imports from other countries.

Sugar prices rose from K 1,000 per viss last year to K 2,200 per viss this year.