CNI News

26 July 2022

The execution of Ko Jimmy, Ko Phyo Zeyar Thaw, Ko Hla Myo Aung and Ko  Aung Thuya Zaw were carried out not for personal grudges but for committing killings and explosions, Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, the head of SAC information team, said.

Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun made the comment at the 18th press briefing of the SAC held in Nay Pyi Taw at 1 pm today (26th July).

Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun said, “To do justice for the people and the country, those who cruelly killed innocent people were sentenced to death by courts of laws at various levels on behalf of the victims by allowing them to defend themselves in accordance with law. Moreover, they were sentenced to death based on sound evidence. We knew that there would be criticisms and condemnations although the cases were handled in accordance with the law of the country. However, authorities had to carry out executions for stability, the rule of law and security of the country. They were executed not out of personal grudges as some people accused. They were executed in accordance with the law.”

Ko Jimmy and Ko Phyo Zeyar Thaw.

Ko Jimmy, Ko Phyo Zeyar Thaw, Ko Hla Myo Aung and Ko Aung Thuya Zaw were arrested in October and November, 2021.

They were accused of killing administrators, teachers and civilions and launching attack against government buildings and security forces and sentenced to death under Section 49 (a), 50 (i) and 50 (j) of the Anti-terrorism Law on 21st January, 2022.

Paragraph 1019 of the Burma Jail Manual.

The SAC announced on 25th July, 2022 that the four had been executed in Insein Prison.

Local and international organizations condemned the decision.

Although their families asked authorities for their bodies, the families were not allowed to retrieve the bodies over worries about protests.

According to paragraph 660 of the Burma jail manual, the body shall remain suspended for half an hour and shall then be examined by the medical officer. It shall not be taken down until the medical officer declares life to be extinct. The bodies of the executed criminals shall be buried unless claimed by relatives or friends. When the body is claimed by relatives or friends and there are no special reasons for refusal (see paragraph 1019), it shall be carried outside the main gate and there delivered over to them.

Paragraph 1019 of the Burma Jail Manual.

Under paragraph 1019 of the jail manual, the body of any prisoner, who has died or who has been executed, in jail, shall be made over to the relatives or friends of the deceased, if claimed by them, unless there are special reason to the contrary, e.g , the prisoner is died of any infectious disease ,or, in the case of a prisoner who has been executed, if there are grounds for supposing that the prisoner’s funeral will be made the occasion for a demonstration.

CNI News

26 July 2022

A Rakhine youth accused of his fingerprints being found at the murder scene of a Thai citizen woudl stand trial without bail as he could not afford it, labour in charge Ko Thein Tun, a worker advocate from the MWRN who has been helping the accused in the case, told the CNI.

The young Rakhine man, who was one of some 400 workers trying to illegally enter Thailand to go work in Malaysia, has been accused of his fingerprints being found on the saron around the neck of the victim.

The young man stood trial on 18 July and other two witnesses, the police officer who handles the case and he were questioned by the court on 19 he is likely to be vindicated innocent, according to Ko Thein Tun.

“It is true that Aung Ko Win’s fingerprints were found at the scene but the police have already admitted that fingerprints alone cannot prove the crime. So, the case is tilting in our favour. We would have had the bail for him if we could afford it. It cost a lot of money to try to release him on bail and we decided to let him stand trial in custody. It is possible to try to release him on bail but we couldn’t afford the money. So, we discussed with his lawyers to let him stand trial from the police trial. He is likely to win the case but we cannot say exactly as the court hasn’t made its decision, but he is likely to win.”

Daw Than Kyi May, the mother of the accused, said that she was glad that her son was likely to be acquitted from the case and she wanted her son to be released as early as possible.

“Aung Ko Win cannot be accused of the murder because he didn’t do it. I know only that. The most important thing is his release. I believe that my son would not commit the crime. And there are many people who know that he was not involved in the crime. Moreover, he has denied that he was involved in the crime. It was a relief for me but I won’t be happy as long as he is in my house. I am waiting for his return,” she said.

A lawyer has been defending the accused at cheap fees while legal advisors as well as authorities are offering assistance, he is determined to stand with the accused until he is acquitted, said Ko Thein Tun.

However, he admitted that they need some money to help the accused in the case.

Ko Thein Tun said, “ We are moving towards the positive end. We hope that he will be OK. Our community is trying as much as we can as there are so many Myanmar migrant workers here. They lend as much assistance as they can. On 18th and 19th July, I went to meet with Aung Ko Win at the court. He felt very confident. He said that he wanted to be released as he had told the court that he was not involved in the case.”

The body of the victim was found on 31st March and Thai authorities detained 400 Myanmar migrant workers who were trying to cross the border to Malaysia.

Currently, some workers were repatriated except the young man whose fingerprints were found in the scene and eye-witnesses but a Chin ethnic, one of the detainees died of ill health in the custody.

CNI News

26 July 2022

Although Thailand has allowed Myanmar merchants to export corn to Thailand until the end of August under tax exemption, Myanmar merchants are unlikely to export all the remaining corn to Thailand within the exemption period as they still have huge volumes of corn in their hands, according to traders and exporters.

Due to shortages of trucks and high transportation charges, it was unlikely to export all the remaining corn stock to Thailand within one month, Ko Sai Kham of the Golden Sky Co., Ltd told the CNI.

He said, “ Currently, on one can export corn to Thailand. If they continue to store corn in warehouses, they will suffer losses. If they export corn to Thailand, they suffer losses, too. If they wait for the time they will be profitable, corn will be destroyed by pests. They are in a deadlock. Thailand will close border gates for corn on 31 August. We have only one month’s time to export corn to Thailand. Then, there will be no corn importers. Some exporters said they gained K 40,000 profit per bag while others said they get only K 5,000 to K 6,000 profit per bag. If we can export corn to Thailand, we are facing the problem of shortages of trucks and high transportation costs before the end of August.”

 A Border trade zone in the Myanmar-Thai border

It was learnt that world corn prices were falling.

Furthermore, merchants have stopped exporting corn to Thailand due to the advance payment system in US$ due to the exchange rate gap between the rate set by the CBM and the market. The exports of corn to Thailand are also delayed by export licenses and tax regimes.

At present, Myanmar merchants are exporting corn to Thailand at losses as they have signed supply contracts with their Thai counterparts, Secretary U Thant Zin Tun of the Myanmar Corn Industry Entrepreneurs Association said.

He told the CNI, “Some farmers are selling their corn they have stored. When they don’t have their corn stocks, prices tend to rise. So, some rich farmers are still storing their corn. However, the richer farmers and merchants who have stored corn suffer losses but they sell corn to their Thai counterparts as they have signed supply contracts. So, corn is still being export to Thailand.”

Drying Myanmar corn

Thailand allows its merchants to import corn from Myanmar free of taxes within the period from February to august. Previous years, corn stock in the hands of Myanmar merchants was not as much as this year and fetched higher prices. However, Myanmar merchants still have huge volumes of corn stocks in their hands and prices are falling.

As the volume of corn stocks in their hands is huge, farmers are beginning to worry about further falls in corn prices, farmer Ko Min Khaing told the CNI.

He said, “ We need to export all the corn to Thailand this year but merchants cannot sell at losses and have to store their stocks. When new corn is harvested, the situation will worsen. We are worried about the market,”

Corn export prices to Thailand dropped from US$ 360 per ton previous year to between US$ 290 and US$ 310 per ton this year while domestic corn prices fell from K 1,100 per viss in early July to K 770 per vis currently in the Yangon Market.

CNI News

26 July 2022

On 25th July, prison authorities confirmed that four prisoners including democracy activists Ko Phyo Zeyar Thaw and Ko Jimmy were executed but refused to return their bodies to their families, according to close friends of the families.

Ko Phyo Zeyar Thaw, Ko Jimmy, Ko Hla Myo Aung and Ko Aung Thuya Zaw were sentenced to death on 21 January 2022.

25th July issues of SAC information ministry newspapers including the Kyemon and the Myanma Alin reported that the inmates had been executed in accordance with rules and regulations.

The executions were confirmed by a deputy superintendent on 25th July, a close friend of the families of the executed inmates told the CNI.

He said, “A deputy superintendent has just met the families and confirmed that they were executed. Funeral rites like offering meals to monks should be done by guessing the day on which they were executed as he was not allowed to tell the time of execution exactly. It is inappropriate for Buddhists to do so. He also refused to give their bodies to their families,”

A politician said inmates cannot be executed ahead of other inmates who were sentenced to death earlier than them and must officially inform their families of the date, time and place of their executions and return their bodies to their families.

According to the Jail Manual,their bodies are left at the noose about 30 minutes after execution and their bodies can be buried after their families refuse to retrieve them. If there are no sound reasons to refuse to give bodies back to families, they must be carried to the prison gate and returned to their families.

The four were democracy activists in the spring revolution.

They were detained in October and November, 2021 and sentenced to death.

CNI News

25 July 2022

The execution of four people including Ko Jimmy and Ko Phyo Zeyar Thaw will further fuel the public resistance against the State Administration Council, Advocate U Kyee Myint told the CNI.

The People’s Defence Forces announced that they would respond to the executions of democracy activists while the public protests would intensify tenfold, he said.

U Kyee Myint said, “ The PDfs have already announced that they would’t tolerate the execution  of democracy activists on behalf of the people and will respond accordingly. Furthermore, as they executed the activists despite the protests of the international community including the USA, the EU, France, the ASEAN, they have expressed that they don’t need to respect the international community as well as the people of Myanmar.It seems that they have announced that they would take the dead end. As they have decided to grasp the last straw and they will get out of the crisis dead or alive by waging war against their own people. As such, the people have to decide whether they will try to achieve victory or will be shot and killed one after another. Almost 80 people have been sentenced to death. I think the military will intensify their atrocities against the people at least three-fold and the last days of the military will arrive soon if the people intensify their resistance against the military ten-fold.”

Ko Jimmy and Ko Phyo Zeyar Thaw.

The SAC information ministry newspapers reported on 25 July that Ko Jimmy, Ko Phyo Zeyar Thaw, Ko Hla Myo Aung and Ko Aung Thuya Zaw were executed in accordance with the rules and regulations.

If a person is to be executed, it is necessary to allow him or her to meet with their families before 20 days they are executed and the executions were not in accordance with the jail manual, U Kyee Myint said.

He told the CNI, “ They have handed down death sentences on about 80 detainees but the four were executed ahead of others and this was against rules and regulations.”

Ko Jimmy of the 88 Generation Open Society and former parliamentarian of the National League for Democracy Ko Phyo Zeyar Thaw were sentenced to death under Section 49 (A) and 50 (H) and (J) on 21 January, according to the SAC.

CNI News

24 July 2022

As the central part of Rakhine State has faced droughts, paddy yields in the state this year may decrease by half, according to All Rakhine State Farmers’ Union.

As rain has become scarcer in central townships like Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya and Ponnagyun, some plowed fields dried up and crops were damaged due to shortages of rain, Chairman U Kyaw Zan of All Rakhine State Farmers’ Union told the CNI.

U Kyaw Zan said, “The central part of the state including Minbya, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U and Ponnagyun has faced droughts. A large number of paddy fields were damaged. We could not grow rice on 40 percent of farmland and out of the remaining 60 percent of farmland, 30 percent of farmland was damaged due to droughts. We are likely to lose 70 percent of our usual harvests.”

Due to rising prices of inputs like fertilizers and fuel oil, cultivation costs have increased and only 60 percent of farmland was used for cultivation of paddy this year.

Although it is the rainy season, rain is scarce and farms have dried up, according to farmer Ko Maung Win in Minbya Township.

Cultivation in Rakhine State.

Ko Maung Win told the CNI, “There is no rain. Farmland dried up and hardened. There are many difficulties and I think there will be shortages of rice in the coming year. Rain is very scarce although it is time for heavy rain. Now, farmland that has been plowed relying on rain has become hardened.”

Farmers said there might be rice shortages in Rakhine State as rain is scarce in townships where rice yields are highest in the state like Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U.

Before the outbreak of COVID-19, the state produced 70 million baskets of paddy but the yields dropped  40 million baskets during the pandemic.

In this year, total acreage of rice cultivation decreased due to high cultivation costs while droughts destroyed paddy fields. U Kyaw Zan said that he was worried about rice shortages in Rakhine State.

U Kyaw Zan told the CNI that the problems could be solved only by the Rakhine State Administration Council by making field trips to the areas.

Cultivation in Rakhine State.

U Kyaw Zan said, “The role of the government plays an important role in solving such an enormous problem. It is impossible for individuals to overcome such an enormous problem. So, the government should make field trips to the areas systematically and offer assistance. Most importantly, we need water and the government should provide us with pumps to supply water to paddy fields. In addition, as we don’t have dams, we will have to rely on rivers and the government should build irrigation facilities. As there is no dam in our area, costs will be very high.”

Although there are irrigation facilities in Rakhine State, farmers in the townships have to rely on river water but fuel prices are rising and farmers cannot afford to pump river water.

Rakhine State needs about 500,000 tons of rice for its populations and this year’s harvest will not meet the needs and is likely to buy rice from Ayeyarwady Region, according to experts on agriculture in the state.

CNI News

24 July 2022

Hnalonehla Blood Donors’ Charity in Malaysia told the CNI that it recently urged Myanmar nationals who intend to illegally go to work in Malaysia not to come to the country at the moment because of the mass arrests of illegal migrant workers there.

For two years, Malaysia had allowed illegal workers to apply for repatriation, stay and work permits and completely stopped the program in June. Then, the country  started rounding up illegal workers, Chairman Ko Thet of Hnalonehla Blood Donors’ Charity told the CNI.

Ko Thet said, “Authorities rounded up illegal workers in various places. Malaysia has stopped giving permission to legally work here and has been rounding up illegal workers. Those who illegally came from Myanmar to Malaysia via Thailand were frequently arrested. They stopped allowing illegal workers to return and combed various parts of the country for those who came to work illegally. The police from Kualalumpur were even sent to other parts of the country. Therefore, we have warned Myanmar nationals not to come to Malaysia at the moment. They launched the operation in June and will continue to round up illegal workers in July and August. When they have arrested a large number of illegal workers in two or three months, they usually stop their operations. I think they will stop the operations in September or October.”

Myanmar workers at a construction site in Malaysia.

Although some migrant workers managed to escape the arrests, a large number of them were detained by authorities and it is impossible to  rescue those who were arrested after crossing the border, according to Ko Thet.

Ko Thet said, “When they have been arrested, they were sentenced to 3 to 6 months’ prison term. After serving the prison terms, they were sent to camps to wait to go back home. Some Myanmar illegal workers could not contact their families as they did not remember the phone numbers of their family members. When officials from the Myanmar Embassy came to interview them, they could give the addresses of their families and could go back by paying 900 ringgits fees (more than K 300,000) to embassy officials concerned. Then, they could go back to Myanmar after serving prison terms. Otherwise, it is very difficult for them to go back.”

The minimum wage of a Myanmar worker was increased from 1,200 ringgits (more than K 400,000) to 1,500 ringgits (more than K 600,00) recently and they can also earn overtime. It was learnt that the amount is a nice income for them.

Myanmar workers at a worksite in Malaysia.

Although it is better to work in Malaysia legally, a lot of people choose to go to work in Malaysia.

Moreover, it is necessary for illegal workers to look for safe places and to study the areas they stay.

Myanmar stopped sending workers to Malaysia as of March 2020 due to COVID-19 but has resumed it as Malaysia is offering jobs to Myanmar workers who used to work there.

However, Myanmar nationals in Malaysia warned those who want to work in Malaysia to look for official agencies as there are fake agencies and frauds.

CNI News 

24 July 2022

 A new constitution that is acceptable to all should be drafted at a venue like Nyaung Hna Pin to overcome the current political crisis, Chairman Dr. Aye Maung of the Arakan Front Party said. 

He said the State Administration Council should consider drafting a new constitution that is acceptable to all during the upcoming five-year term of the new government formed under the 2008 constitution in order to resolve the current political crisis. 

Dr. Aye Maung said, “If the SAC thinks the 2008 constitution is the major cause and starting point to move forward to resolve all political issues, it will have to bypass it. So, it is possible for the Sac to draft a new one through negotiations with all stakeholders at a venue like Nyaung Hna Pin within a fixed period during the tenure of the upcoming government without abolishing the 2008 constitution. Then, the new constitution can be approved during the term of the second post-coup government and parliament. Therefore, the SAC does not have to abolish the 2008 constitution, which will expire itself. So, it is possible to draft a new constitution during the five-year term of the new government which will emerge from the elections held by the SAC and rule the country under the 2008 constitution. Then, the second post-coup government will be formed under the new inclusive constitution. We don’t have to abolish the 2008 constitution, which will wither itself away. This may be recorded in the Myanmar of Myanmar as a peaceful transition.” 

SAC chairman inspect the convention hall in Nayung Hna Pin.

As the SAC said that they would amend the constitution and ethnic armed organizations said they wanted to amend the constitution or draft a new one, it is likely that a new constitution will be drafted at a venue like Nyaung Hna Pin, Political Analyst U Ye Tun told the CNI.

U Ye Tun said, “It is a possibility. Elections seem unlikely to take place. Elections are are likely to take place when they are inclusive as suggested by the ASEAN and China. Can such elections be successfully held only after negotiations with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and asking her to contest. Only then, will the people cast their votes in the elections. And the government that will emerge will gain legitimacy at home and abroad and the situation will improve. Such elections are unlikely to take place. First, if Daw Aung San Suu Kyi refuses to negotiate and calls for the recognition of the results of the 2020 elections, the SAC will not acccept the demand. If it is impossible to hold elections, the SAC is likely to tilt in favour of a new constitution.” 

  The national convention hall in Nayung Hna Pin.

If some current members of the SAC advice the body to draft a new one or to amend the old one at a venue like Nyang Hna Pin as Dr. Aye Maung suggested, there is a possibility, he added. 

SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing inspected the Nyaung Hna Pin convention, where the 2008 constitution was drafted from 2004 to 2007. 

The inspection tour led to speculations among politicians that the SAC was making preparations to draft a new constitution.

However, SCA spokesperson Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun said that the purpose of the tour was just to inspect the maintenance of the historic building and agricultural and livestock breeding special projects. 

CNI News

23 July 2022

Residents of Northern Maung Taw township have faced shortages of rice and food supplies due to travel restrictions on freight trucks, private vehicles and motorcycles travelling through the northern and southern parts of Maung Taw imposed by checkpoints.

As it had been three days since the travel restrictions were imposed, residents of Taung Pyo Village in northern Maung Taw could not buy rice and faced shortages, Ko Maung Maung Tun, a local resident, told the CNI.

“It is the third day since traffic movement has been shut down to our northern part. Local residents of Taung Pyo, where I live, have faced rice shortages and cannot buy rice. As public transportation has been banned, we have difficulties like rice shortages,” he said.

As residents of northern Muang Taw have to buy rice and foodstuffs in Maung Taw, travel restrictions have posed difficulties for them.

Since they are not rich enough to store large volumes of rice, local residents have faced more difficulties.

While downtown foodstuff sellers from Maung Taw had to rely on customers from the northern part, the sale of foodstuffs had come to a halt for three days, according to a foodstuff grocery owner.

The clock tower in downtown Maung Taw.

“The sale has come to a stop abruptly for three days. There are 53 villages including Muslim villages in the northern part of the township. As checkpoints have tightened the control, they have stopped coming to town. So, no villager came to us and the sale has come to a stop abruptly,” he told the CNI.

Some residents completely avoid travelling to the town and sharing foodstuffs in their village with others, U Maung Hla, a resident of Khon Daing Village in northern Maung Taw, told the CNI.

“Under such circumstances, we do not go to town even if we need food. So, Most of them share what they have in the village. No one goes to other parts of the township for food,” he said.

Maung Taw Township is divided into the northern part, where there are 53 villages and the southern part, where there are only 18 villages. Therefore, foodstuff grocery stores have to rely on the northern villages and the sale has come to a standstill.

Furthermore, residents of some villages were allowed to carry rice as much as they can carry on their shoulders and residents from other villages were not permitted to carry rice completely, according to local residents.

After fighting erupted between the Arakan Army and the Tatmadaw, local residents were rounded up by the Tatmadaw and a total of eight residents have been arrested so far, according to local news agencies.