CNI News

18 Oct 2022

It is impossible to arrange package tours to conflict areas including Sagaing Region, Kayah State and northern Rakhine State due to instabilities there, according to tourism entrepreneurs and tour agencies.

Tours cannot be arranged to the areas due to ongoing armed conflicts, Chairman U Naung Naung Han of Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneurs Association told the CNI.

He said, “As far as I know, we cannot arrange tours to Chin and Kayah states. In Rakhine State, tourists can travel to the Ngapali Beach but they cannot visit northern Rakhine State. However, no relevant ministry has officially banned trips to such areas. We have suspended such tours by ourselves.”

It was reported that travelling has been banned in Sagaing Region, Kayah State, Chin State and northern Rakhine State but the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism has not officially announced the travel bans.

  Foreign and domestic tourists.

It is expected that tourists from Thailand and Russia will visit Myanmar this year and Thai tourists started arriving in Myanmar but arrivals have halted due to delays at checkpoints and shoot-out at the Kyaiktiyo on 12th October, U Naung Naung Han told the CNI.

He told the CNI, “Foreign tourists are preparing to travel as international flights have resumed. Tourists from Thailand began to travel to the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda. However, their first trip was delayed for four or five hours at a checkpoint between the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda and Mottama Bridge. So, fewer Thai tourists come to Myanmar. Arrivals from Thailand have halted since the shoot-out.”

The Ministry of Immigration and Man Power is processing online applications of tourist visas and business visas from Russia and eight ASEAN countries except Malaysia.

 The NUG and the PDF.

Foreign tourists are required to seek approvals for destinations, accommodations, times and purposes from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism 10 days ahead of their visits, Managing Director U Thet Lwin Toe of Myanmar Voyages International Tourism told the CNI.
He said, “Tourists can travel to Mandalay, PyinOoLwin and Kalaw but they should not go to areas on the western bank of the Ayeyarwady River in Sagaing Region. Even in Mandalay, which is relatively safe for them, they will have to take care of themselves. This is also the case in Yangon. So, we have been very careful with travel arrangements and have to seek approvals for every detail of tourists from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism ten days ahead of their arrivals. In the past, we were not required to do so.”

The tourism sector of Myanmar has suffered the impacts of COVID-19 since 2019 and again disrupted by political developments in 2021.

The sector is still affected by the current crises and tourism is unlikely to recover as long as conflicts in some areas, according to tour operators.

CNI News

18 Oct 2022

The number of Myanmar fishery workers who were sacked in Thailand has been increasing, labour activists for Myanmar migrant workers in the kingdom told the CNI.

Fishing companies have decreased the number of fishing boats since June and fishery workers were sacked or did not get full wages, Labour Activist U Min Oo of the FED told the CNI.

He said, “If the companies have five fishing boats, they currently operate only three boats. So, they sacked the workers from the two boats. Actually, they are required to tell their workers one month ahead of their dismissals and to pay one month’s wages. They failed to follow the rules. Most fishing company owners do not understand the rules. Fishing company owners do not communicate with their workers because they have their managers, clerks and foremen, who are responsible for wages and labour rights of their workers. We don’t know whether they do not know the rules or they don’t want to give compensation to their workers.”

 A fishery worksite.

Many Myanmar fishery workers were sacked while some of them were suspended from their jobs.

Moreover, job contracts signed between the workers and their employers are mostly kept by the latter and it is difficult to file complaints to authorities. So, some workers are losing their rights, labour activists told the CNI.

Most Myanmar fishery workers do not have skills required for other jobs but they can get jobs on other fishing boats if they have necessary documents, U Min Oo told the CNI.

Myanmar workers from factories were also frequently sacked by Thai employers, labour activists told the CNI.

 A female fishery worker at her worksite. (DW)

Some Myanmar migrant workers signed documents given by their employers without understanding what is written in them and were later sacked, Labour Activist U Ba Yee of the MWRN told the CNI.

“The main problem is that they signed documents they did not understand. Under the Thai Labour Law, employers are required to give compensation to workers when they sack them. So, they lost their compensations and their rights. If they are eligible to get Baht 50,000 compensation, they will get Baht 10,000 only because they signed the documents they did not understand. Their employers are sacking them by just giving bus fares.”

Thailand is one of the countries that employ the largest numbers of Myanmar migrant workers. Millions of Myanmar migrant workers including undocumented ones are working Thailand.

As most Myanmar migrant workers do not understand laws in Thailand, they are being exploited by their employers.

CNI News

17 Oct 2022

Military unity alone does not work and public cooperation is essential, EAO leader Col Khun Okkar told the CNI.

SAC Chairman Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing said that the country could not be divided as long as the military is united when he met with families in Mawlamyine Station on 16 October.

Col Khun Okkar told the CNI, “In my opinion, he should have talked about unity with the people. Unity among themselves does not work. They need public support and cooperation. Military unity alone does not work.”

The SAC chairman said that the military had been working for military unity for many years and measures were constantly taken for welfare, strengthening and training of the military.

The military is the only institution that is strong and powerful, Director U Thein Tun Oo of the Strategic Studies told the CNI.

Pro-democracy demonstrators. (Frontier Myanmar)

He told the CNI, “Many political analysts said that our country needs strong institutions. When we studied the institutions in Myanmar, we found that the military is the only institution that is strong and powerful and meets historical norms. There were some strong institutions but they could not survive in the long run and failed to meets the characteristics of a strong institution. The military has met all characteristics of a strong and powerful institution with correct objectives since it was established.”

The military ousted the National League for Democracy government on 1^st February ,2022 and declared a state of emergency on allegation that it formed a new government without settling voters’ lists disputes in the 2020 general election.

Since then, the PDF led by the NUG in cooperation with some EAOs has been trying to topple the military.

CNI News

16 Oct 2022

After a shoot-out erupted at a passenger station at the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda on 12^th October, the number of foreign and domestic pilgrimage cancellations has risen, according to foreign and domestic tour agencies.

Pilgrimages of foreign tourists to the Kyaiktiyo pagoda were forced to be cancelled, Chairman U Naung Naung Han of the Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneurs Association told the CNI.

He told the CNI, “We were forced to cancel the pilgrimage of foreign tourists to the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda. The main reason was the shooting. There are no tour packages we can sell near Yangon. So, we have to rely on tour packages to Bago and Kyaiktiyo. It is difficult to sell tour packages beyond Kyaikhto. Now, we have to cancel tour packages to the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda.”

 A CCTV record of a shoot-out at the passenger station of the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda on 12^th October, 2022.

Shooting erupted at the passenger station at the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda in Kyaikhto Township in Mon State on 12^th October, killing three women and injuring 19 others.

The SAC accused the KNLA Brigade (1) and the PDF shooting members of the public but Thaton PDF denied the accusation.

Then, pilgrimage packages of the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda were forced to cancel and ticket fares had to be reimbursed, according to U Naung Naung Han.

He told the CNI, “As far as we know, domestic tour packages to the pagoda were also forced to cancel. Some people had booked for packages and bought tickets. Most packages to the pagoda were forced to cancel. Some tour agencies had to reimburse service fees and bus tickets.”

 A CCTV record of a shoot-out at the passenger station of the Kyaiktiyo Pagoda on 12^th October, 2022.

Recently, the public has chosen to make pilgrimages under their own arrangements rather than taking pilgrimage bus tours, Secretary U Kyaw Min Hlaing of the Myanmar Pilgrimage and Domestic Tour Operators Association told the CNI.

He said, “Only a few people take pilgrimage buses. Most of them choose to travel to pagodas in their own cars under their own arrangements. Myanmar people tend to forget to learn lessons. They are not afraid of such incidents. Now, they are travelling again.”

Currently, agencies have suspended tour packages to Kyaiktiyo for Myanmar citizens as well as foreigners until the region can restore stability.

CNI News

15 Oct 2022

SAC Chairman Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing vowed to stand steadfastly on the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and the 2008 constitution.

He made the comment in his speech at the 7^th anniversary of the signing of the NCA on 15^th October, 2022.

He said, “National brethren, we have two fundamental positions on which we stand in implementing the peace process. We will stand firmly on the NCA and we will stand firmly on the 2008 constitution. I have already explained why we should stand firmly the NCA. Similarly, the 2008 constitution was not drafted based on the will of an individual or an organization. The constitution was drafted after holding comprehensive discussions with representatives from eight groups including political parties, elected lawmakers, ethnic people, peasants, workers, intellectuals, government employees and others who should be invited.”

EAOs sign the NCA on 15^th October, 2015.

He said that the constitution was drafted by 702 representatives from eight groups of people at the national convention from September, 1993 to 1996.

However, the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, which has been trying to topple the SAC and junta, announced on 31^st March, 2021 that the 2008 constitution had been abolished.

The SAC chairman intended to give the message that they would implement the peace process based on the 2008 constitution, Political Observer U Ye Tun told the CNI.

Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing meets leaders of the UWSA, the NDAA and the SSPP.

He said, “The main point is that he would implement the peace process within the framework of the 2008 constitution. They would hold negotiations with ethnic armed organizations during the period when the SAC was assuming the responsibilities of the country. Then, they would draft proposed constitutional amendments based on what they think is acceptable and appropriate from the proposals submitted by EAOs and seek the approval of the Hluttaw. The military guarantees support for the draft amendments. The main point is that he would implement the seven-year-old peace process in accordance with the 2008 constitution.”

The SAC promised to hold a general election in 2023 in accordance with the 2008 constitution and transfer power to the winning party.

CNI News

15 Oct 2022

The demand for prefabricated bamboo tents has been rising thanks to orders from parks and restaurants, Vice Chairman U Kyaw Win of the Bamboo Products Cooperative Society told the CNI.

Most of the buyers of bamboo tents were from Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw.

He told the CNI, “Public interest in bamboo has been growing. Most bamboo tents were purchased for use in restaurants and parks. Some people bought bamboo tents to be set up in their plantations and compounds. Most buyers preferred complete prefabricated bamboo tents. Some people bought bamboo. It is profitable for every bamboo workshop. If bamboo craftsmen do their jobs properly, there are many buyers. We make bamboo tents, furniture and structures. We have received a large number of orders for all our products. Public interest in bamboo is growing. Most buyers place emphasis not on prices but on craftsmanship. As bamboo can absorb heat from the body, people who use bamboo furniture can relax their strained muscles. Increasing number of people are buying bamboo products because they are convenient and healthy for them.”

Bamboo handicrafts.

Prices of bamboo tents range between MMK 150,000 and MMK 1.8 million depending on their sizes and designs and U Kyaw Win’s workshop can sell at least one bamboo tent a week.

Similarly, public interest is also growing for other bamboo products like piggy banks, lamps, clocks and kettles.

A raw bamboo seller told the CNI, “As there are about six varieties of bamboo used by workshops, they order raw bamboo varieties which are not available at my shop from other shops. Mostly, I have to supply raw bamboo for the roof and wall. Last month, I sent about 2,000 poles of bamboo for the roof to them. Finished bamboo products are popular in the markets. We are selling bamboo just to maintain our business. Raw bamboo prices are rising because of growing fuel and transportation costs. The price of a bamboo pole has risen by MMK 30 or 40.”

Bamboo handicrafts.

Raw bamboo is produced from natural forests and the annual production target is set at 147 million bamboo poles but only about 127 million bamboo poles can be produced yearly. Bamboo is grown in the entire country. The prices of a pole of bamboo range between MMK 550 to 600 depending on their production sites and varieties, according to the bamboo products cooperative society.

Some people do not buy finished bamboo products but they attend bamboo handicraft training courses at the cooperative society for make bamboo products for themselves. The number of trainees is growing, according to the cooperative society.

CNI News

15 Oct 2022

Authorities in Thailand have stepped up arrests of undocumented migrant workers recently and most of the arrestees were from Myanmar, labour activists told the CNI.

Authorities have rounded up undocumented migrant workers in the entire kingdom as an operation and the number of arrestees is likely to increase over time, labour activists told the CNI.

Ko Thar Gyi, a labour activist for Myanmar workers in Thailand, told the CNI, “Authorities have stepped up arrests of migrant workers for four or five days. They rounded up a large number of undocumented migrant workers in Tak Province. Some Myanmar workers have required documents but the documents have expired. They were also arrested. Those who have been detained will be repatriated to their countries. Political situation is Thailand is complicated and more arrests are likely in the future. They usually arrest undocumented migrant workers at the end of a year.”

  Pink cards issued by Thailand.

At the same time, Thai authorities are also issuing pink cards (temporary work permits) to illegal workers.

Myanmar migrant workers who have not received pink cards should take heed of the situation, labour activist U Min OO of the Foundation for Education and Development told the CNI.

He said, “There are laws and rules issued by the Ministry of Labour of Thailand. First, an illegal migrant can be detained and sentenced to prison terms under the immigration law. After serving prison terms, they will be repatriated to their countries. Another factor is that they may be detained at home or at work. If they are detained at work, they may face another charge for illegally working. Such workers will be banned from entering Thailand for two years after serving the prison terms. Again, there are jobs which migrant workers are not allowed to take up. If they take up such jobs, there will be another charge. So, such workers may face three charges of illegally entering Thailand, working without permission and taking up jobs which migrant workers are not permitted.”

U Min Oo pointed out that it is beneficial for Myanmar migrant workers to understand the labour laws of Thailand.

Undocumented Myanmar migrant workers detained in Thailand.

As authorities have stepped up arrests of undocumented migrant workers, those who want to work in Thailand should not come to Thailand at the moment, labour activist U Ba Yee of the Migrant Workers Rights Network told the CNI.
He said, “It is dangerous for migrant workers to come to work in Thailand at the moment. If authorities stop issuing pink cards, they will face problems and won’t get jobs. They cannot apply for pink cards. Those who apply for pink cards through agents before entering Thailand may be able to work in Thailand. So, I would like to urge them not to come to Thailand at the moment.”

There are millions of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand including undocumented workers. About 400,000 have received pink cards.

CNI News

15 Oct 2022

The Peace Process Steering Team is trying to implement three basic principles of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement as much as it can to help people overcome the current crisis, according to a statement issued by the PPST on 14th October.

The political landscape has changed significantly since February, 2021 and resulting instabilities, conflicts and armed conflicts have increased day by day, forcing the public to face various crises, the statement says.

To overcome the crises, the PPST has been implementing the three basic principles of the NCA such as resolving political issues through political means, engaging in inclusive and meaningful political dialogues and protecting civilians, the statement added.

    A PPST meeting. (NCA-S EAOs)

“The PPST seriously believes that the NCA can help ease the current violent conflicts that lead to civil war and is the beginning of restoring peace aspired by the public by resolving political issues through political means,” the statement said.

It cannot be denied that the public was able to enjoy a significant level of stability, peace, development and individual freedom for ten years from 2001, when negotiations for the NCA, the second most important agreement after the Panglong Agreement, to early 2021 thanks to the NCA, the statement continued.

The 7th anniversary of the signing of the NCA falls on 15th October, 2022.

The statement issued by the PPST.

On 15th October, 2015, the ceasefire agreement was signed by the RCSS, the KNU, the DKBA, the KNU/KNLA(PC), the PNLO, the CNF, the ANP and the ABSDF.

The NMSP and the LDU signed the agreement on 13th February, 2018.

The PPST was formed with representatives of the NCA signatories in 2017.

CNI News

14 Oct 2022

Despite the growing demand for Myanmar freshwater rohu in Bangladesh, fish exports to the neighbouring country through border trade have been delayed by stop-and-search operations along the route, according to merchants in Rakhine State.

As the close season has started in Bangladesh, the demand for Myanmar freshwater rohu is growing there but stop-and-search operations along the trading route have delayed fish exports and quality of fish has dropped, a merchant from Maungdaw who exports rohu from Sittwe Port told the CNI.

He said, “There are so many checkpoints along the road. It takes longer to transport fish and restrictions have been imposed in the state. As travelling in some areas is prohibited from 6 pm, it takes three days instead of two days previously to transport fish. We cannot export goods from Maungdaw and we have to export fish to Bangladesh from Sittwe. The main problem is transportation. We could transport fish as soon as we had one truckload of fish in Maungdaw and got higher prices because fish arrived at the market on time. Now, we have to wait until we have one shipload (five truckloads) of fish in Sittwe. As a large volume of fish entered the market at the same time, prices fell. It takes longer and fish quality has dropped.”

A police station on Angumaw road.

Rohu is one of the main exports in Myanmar-Bangladesh border trade.

Moreover, authorities have closed the Sittwe-Angumaw-Maungdaw road and waterway as well as Sittwe-Maungdaw road and waterway since September. As a result, rohu exports to Bangladesh have dropped.

Merchant U Naing Myint (The name has been changed.) said authorities should open the border trade route to Maungdaw.

He told the CNI, “There are no armed clashes along Angumaw-Maungdaw road. If they open the route, business activities in Maungdaw Economic Zone will revive. The will contribute to the economy of the country. Now, they have closed the route, causing difficulties for local residents. Commodity flow has halted and prices have risen in surrounding villages. Exports to Bangladesh have been disrupted. I want authorities to reopen the road.”

A road junction in Rakhine State.

Rohu bred in Yangon is transported in cold storage vehicles to Sittwe to export it from Sittwe-Bangladesh border trade zone and Maungdaw border trade camp.

Currently trade routes to Maungdaw have been closed and traders have to rely on the Sittwe-Bangladesh border trade zone to export goods to Bangladesh despite delays.

Rohu is one of the major export items in Rakhine-Bangladesh border trade. In July, Myanmar exported 900 tons of rohu from Maungdaw border trade.