CNI News

27 Sept 2022

Mizoram University (MZU) in northeastern India is launching a Myanmar language course for foreigners in October, Dr. Mary of the Institute of Chin Affairs told the CNI.

The course will cover the Myanmar alphabet, vocabulary, grammar, speaking and writing.

The first program of its kind is jointly launched by the ICA and the MZU and will be led by Dr. Elis, Dr. Mary told the CNI.

She said, “We proposed a program to establish a research centre at the university but they asked us whether we could teach the Myanmar language at their campus, which also has other language courses. So, we agreed to teach the Myanmar language at the university. We don’t know if there are Myanmar students at the university but the course aims to teach the Myanmar language to foreigners, especially Indian nationals.”

Myanmar refugees in Mizoram State. (GETTY IMAGES)

The MZU is a state-owned university and Dr. Elis, who is teaching Myanmar language at the university, received a Ph.D. in Myanmar language.

The 10-month course is divided into two semesters, Dr. Elis told the CNI.

She said, “It is a diploma course, which is divided into two 5-month semesters, and will focus on speaking but will also teach writing depending on the levels of learners. The university does not have a Myanmar language department. So, it hired me as the only Myanmar language teacher. We haven’t known how many students will attend the course. The aim of the course is to teach Myanmar language to students at the university but outside learners will also be admitted. I will use the curriculum of a partnership organization called MLT. As the university has never offered Myanmar language courses as a specialization, it may be a little difficult to teach it for the first time there.”

The university will collect Rupee 1,000 (MMK 35,000) for a learner, who will also have to pay Rupee 1,200 (MMK 42,000) for teaching materials including the textbooks.

Protestors calling for the restoration of democracy. (Frontier Myanmar)

The university also teaches other languages and the opportunity to teach the Myanmar language there is something to be proud of, Dr. Mary of the ICA told the CNI.

She said, “Teaching our own official language at a university in another country is something to be proud of. As India is a neighbour of Myanmar, it has economic relations with Myanmar and needs to understand Myanmar people. The Myanmar language is important for understanding Myanmar. In short, it is something to be proud of.”

Mizoram shares more than 300 miles of border with Myanmar and there are about 50,000 Myanmar refugees who took shelter in Mizoram after the declaration of a state of emergency in Myanmar on 1st February, 2021, according to local news agencies and civil society organizations.

About 30,000 Myanmar refugees received registration cards, which allow them to live temporarily in the state, issued by the state government.

CNI News

27 September 2022

As searches have intensified at checkpoints along routes leading to Rakhine State, there are long queues of cargo trucks, border trade between Rakhine State and Bangladesh has been delayed, according to merchants.

Cargo trucks from Yangon normally took only two days to get to Rakhine State, it currently takes them almost three days to reach the western state due to intensified searches, failing to export goods to Bangladesh in time and decreasing their prices, General Secretary U Aung Aung of the Rakhine Chamber of Commerce and Industry told the CNI.

 A road junction in Rakhine State.

He said, “When fish are exported, we must transport them to Rakhine State within 48 hours or two days but it now takes three days to do so because searches are intensified along the route. Cargo trucks fail to get to the border in time. It takes 5 days for fish trucks to get to Bangladesh and prices drop while higher service fees such as freezing costs and the falling fish prices in the market.”

Travelling along waterways and roads in Rakhine State are permitted when travellers can show their citizenship registration cards. Therefore, some passenger buses and cargo trucks have to wait two to three days at checkpoints.

Moreover, trading land routes to Maungdaw has been blocked and border trade between Maungdaw and Bangladesh has come to halt.

At present, merchants are exporting goods that are transported from Pauktaw by small boat, according to U Aung Naing, a merchant from Maungdaw.

   Personnel of the AA forces.

He told CNI, “We have almost nothing to export because routes have been closed for 20 days or so. Exports have halted because we have nothing to export. Only a few goods from Pauktaw can be transported by small boat. The goods are stored at the jetty and carried by light truck every two or three days because we are not allowed to use heavy trucks.”

Searches conducted by authorities should not hamper the commodity flow and trade in the state, said merchants and entrepreneurs.

Although the number of checkpoints in Rakhine State increased in 2020 but searches did not intensify. Since the resumption of fighting between the AA and the Tatmadaw, searches have intensified.

Currently, there are more than 20 checkpoints between Sittwe and Ann including checkpoints at Sittwe Military Police gate, Kyauktan gate, Kyauktaw Military Police gate and gates at battalion 371,372 and 373 gates.

CNI News

26 Sept 2022

Assistance Committee for Internally Displaced Persons in Namtu in Shan State (North) has filed an appeal to postpone the relocation of IDP camps until students have completed the current academic year, an official of the committee told the CNI.

Authorities have asked the IDP camps in early September to shut them down by the end of October.

The committee official said, “We have filed an appeal to relocate the camps in the upcoming April because children of IDPs are still studying at schools but haven’t received their reply. If our request is successful, their children will be able to go to school until April conveniently.”

Shan, Lisu and Kachin IDP camps in Namtu Township house more than 500 people from 100 households.

A scene in Namtu. (GETTY IMAGES)

As there are no armed conflicts in Kyaukme Township, authorities have asked IDPs to return home, Chairman U Tin Maung Thein of Kyaukme Township Jivitadana Social Assistance Association told the CNI.

He said, “In the past, fighting broke out between the Restoration Council of Shan State and the alliance of the Shan State Army and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army. Now, there is no armed clash in their area and the IDPs were told to return to their former villages.”

IDPs in Namtu.

Armed clashes between the RCSS on the one hand and the SSPP, the TNLA, the Kachin Independence Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) on the other hand break out in Shan State (North). The EAOs also fight against the Tatmadaw.

An official from the IDP committee told the CNI, “There is no armed clashes but some EAOs may be still active in the areas. So, some IDPs are thinking about collectively buying land near the camp and settling there. Some of them decided to go back to their former villages while others are considering renting houses in villages near their camps.”

There are about 15,000 IDPs in 26 IDP camps in Kutkai, Namkham, Namtu, Manton, Lashio and Hseinni in northern Shan State, according to the Shwephimyay News Agency.

CNI News

26 Sept 2022

The SAC has planned to import fertilizers from Russia and farmers have called for the distribution of the fertilizers at less than MMK 100;000 per bag (50-Kg), some farmers told the CNI.

U Khin Maung Myint, an onion farmer, said, “I think they will import fertilizers at about MMK 70,000 per bag. Fertilizers must meet standards and their prices must be reasonable. We cannot afford fertilizers at current prices of MMK 170,000 per bag. If the prices fall below MMK 100,000 per bag, farmers can afford fertilizers. It is important that prices must be reasonable. They can distribute fertilizers through any system they like.”

Currently, Myanmar imports fertilizers from China, Thailand and Bangladesh and the prices have risen to MMK 170,000 per bag, according to farmers.

Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun told reporters at the 20^th Press Conference that the SAC signed an MOU to import fertilizers from Russia and farmers told the CNI that they welcomed the move.

  A woman harvesting paddy.

Chairman U Thein Aung of the Farmers Development Association told the CNI, “It can be said that they have done what they should. The most important thing at the moment is to boost paddy yields and not to reduce the total acreage of the crop. Among the inputs for cultivation of paddy, fertilizers are very important. It costs MMK 300,000 to feed an acre of paddy. They have to use at least two bags of Urea fertilizer. The most input is fertilizers. If the government can distribute fertilizers, whether they are produced locally or imported, at reasonable prices, decrease in total acreage and yields of paddy can be prevented. So, importing fertilizers is what the government should do without fail. I think the government is carefully placing emphasis on agriculture. We are glad and welcome the move. Farmers can afford fertilizers if they distribute them below MMK 100,000.”

Although they have never used Russian fertilizers, Myanmar farmers said Russian fertilizers would be effective like others imported from China, Thailand and Bangladesh.

Farmer U Aung Kyaw Mya told the CNI that authorities should distribute imported fertilizers into the hands of farmers directly when the fertilizers arrive in Myanmar.

 A paddy field.

“Under successive governments, outcomes have nothing to do with the objective. Authorities should try to distribute fertilizers into the hands of real farmers directly so that they can use fertilizers in their farms. If fertilizers fall into the hands of people who have enough money and we are forced to buy fertilizers from them, we will have to pay higher prices. We won’t get what the government gives us. So, authorities should distribute fertilizers into the hands of farmers directly by verifying with their Forms Seven.”

If the fertilizers are to be rationed, the government should distribute at least one bag of fertilizer for one acre of farmland and relevant ministries should issue standards of procedures to distribute fertilizers into the hands of farmers directly so that they can enjoy as much benefit as they should.

Currently, farmers have reduced their crop acreage due to skyrocketing prices of fertilizers and are even thinking about whether they should cultivate summer paddy or not.

If fertilizers imported from Russia can be distributed at reasonable prices, crop yields can be maintained at former levels, according to farmers.

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.