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.

CNI News

14 Oct 2022

The Myanmar Rice Federation is planning to export 200,000 tons of rice including 2,500 tons from Rakhine State to Bangladesh.

As paddy yields in Rakhine State this year dropped below the local consumption, it was important to review the self-sufficiency of rice in the state, Chairman U Kyaw Zan of All Rakhine State Peasant Union told the CNI.

He said, “Normally, Rakhine State consumes 500,000 tons of rice annually. We need to think about local rice sufficiency. The G-to-G export system is good for the country but we need to conduct surveys to see whether we have enough rice for our state and we should export 2,500 tons of rice from our state or not. We need to respond to the demand based on the situation on the ground.”

2500 tons of rice to be exported from Rakhine State to Bangladesh are quality rice milled in Sittwe, Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun townships.

   A junction in Rakhine State.

The rice from Rakhine State would be exported to Bangladesh directly from the Sittwe Port, Secretary U Aung Myint of Myanmar Rice Merchant Association told the CNI.

He said, “We haven’t received approval but the MRF planned to export quality rice from Rakhine State from Sittwe.”

As paddy yields in Rakhine State this year did not meet the local consumption, rice was bought from other states and regions, according to farmers.

Plans to export rice from Rakhine State to Bangladesh are being carried out by the Rakhine State Rice Millers Association, the Rakhine Rice Merchant Association and the MRF.

However, it is still unclear when rice from Rakhine State will be exported to Bangladesh.

CNI News

14 Oct 2022

The Thai government urged the Department of Labour of Myanmar to issue certificates of identity to Myanmar workers who have received pink IDs (temporary work permits) in Thailand.

Thai labour officials made the request to Myanmar counterparts during a meeting in Bangkok on 6th October, Director U Thurein Lin of the Department of Labour told the CNI.

He told the CNI, “Thailand issued pink cards for illegal workers from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia in 2020, 2021 and 2022. It is now currently issuing pink cards or temporary work permits. Thai officials requested us to issue CIs for Myanmar workers who received pink cards in 2021. We are preparing to issue CIs for them. Pink card holders are allowed to travel within a province. If they have CIs, they can travel in the entire Thailand.”

A CI centre.

CIs are valid four years and officials are still discussing when the CIs will be issued. Centres have been set up to renew CIs.

It costs Myanmar migrant workers a large sum of money to apply for pink cards and now they will have to pay about Baht 10,000 to get CIs again, Ko Thar Gyi, a labour activist for Myanmar workers in Thailand, told the CNI.

He said, “Thailand has issued pink cards for them. Each of them had to pay about Baht 15,000 for the pink card. CIs are not passports and they are just identity cards for pink card holders. So, CIs should be issued at a cost of less than Baht 1,000. It now costs too much for them. Some workers want to apply for CIs but they are required to travel to other provinces and it costs a lot of money. Moreover, it is found that CI centres are set up in safe places and there are only a few CI centres.”

Migrant workers apply for CI.

More CI centres should be opened to enable workers to get CIs, according to labour activists.

There are millions of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand and some of them are working in Thailand illegally.

Authorities in Thailand are issuing pink cards for migrant workers and more than 400,000 Myanmar workers have received the cards.