CNI News

27 July 2024

Most party members of the Arakan National Party (ANP) are no longer willing to register as a political party again, U Tun Aung Kyaw, member of the Policy Steering Committee of the ANP, told CNI News. 

Because the ANP's party registration application was not in accordance with the Section 7 of the Political Parties Registration Act, the application had been rejected, the Union Election Commission stated on 1st July, 2024.

" After saying that our party got entangled with Section-7, the UEC has rejected us. As a political party, we had already done the things to be done in accord with the law. But as we believe that the State doesn't want our party to exist as a political party anymore, we'll go on standing carefully in Myanmar politics. The members of the party have considered acting according to the law. But most of us don't want to register as a political party anymore." said U Tun Aung Kyaw from the ANP to CNI News.

While seeing the ANP party

Laws and Bylaws on Re-Registration of Political Parties were released on 31st January 2023 by the UEC which asked political parties to register. 

And then, most political parties including the ANP registered and over a year later, the UEC refused the ANP's application to be registered after saying the party got entangled with Section-7.

The organizations that support directly or indirectly an organization that has been declared an illegal association, or an armed organization that goes against the State, or organizations or individuals designated by the state as committing terrorist acts are not allowed to apply for registration, said in the Section-7 of the Political Parties Registration Law.

They would never abandon the belief that political problems must be solved through political means and if they could participate as a political party sometime in the future, they would, added U Tun Aung Kyaw.

While seeing two leaders of the AA

" We are a political party based on our state and our Rakhine nationality. We carried out honestly in accordance with the law for the national interests to solve the political problem through political means. We'll never abandon the belief that the political problem will be solved by the political means. So, when good opportunities arise in the future, we will participate in politics for the interests of the union." he said.

The ANP is a powerful Rakhine political party and it won in the general elections with most seats. At present, battles are severely breaking out between the Arakan (AA) and the Myanmar Tatmadaw in Rakhine State.

Former members of the Hluttaw from the ANP joined the AA and because some top leaders of the ANP are family members of the AA leaders, the UEC possibly refused to register the ANP, said political analysts.

CNI News

27 July 2024

Garment and other industries in Myanmar are losing skilled workers, business people and those helping in the labor affairs told CNI News. 

Many skilled workers left the country to work in foreign countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and China through legal or illegal channels because they got low wages and they demanded to raise their wages, but in vain.

So, entrepreneurs were facing a skilled labor shortage, Ma Myo Myo Aye, who was helping in the labor affairs, told CNI News.

While seeing the garment industry

" Employment is not rare. But skilled laborers don't do low-wage jobs. They feel their skills and wages do not match. So, they resigned from their jobs. Those who remained in the workplaces are unskilled laborers. Entrepreneurs can't keep skilled laborers for long because they can't raise wages. Skilled laborers demanded employers to raise wages. But because their demands were met, most of them go abroad." he said.

Although ordinary workers could be trained within a short time to become skilled workers for some industries, it was not easy to do so for other industries, said businessmen.

Entrepreneurs were different from one another in tackling skilled workers. Some entrepreneurs can manage so as not to make skilled workers resign, U Ne Lin, a restaurant entrepreneur, told CNI News.

While seeing a KFC fried chicken shop

" If a skilled worker leaves my restaurant, I train another worker. We don't have to train them for long for some things. We need to train workers for four or six months for technological things. Technological industries would suffer more if their skilled workers left. Because many skilled workers have gone abroad, there has been a sharp decrease in the number of skilled workers within the country." he said.

Because many people from many parts of the country moved to Yangon as IDPs, more new workers have arrived in the factories and workshops. So, although labor shortages do not occur, most of the migrants are reportedly not skilled workers.

CNI News

26 July  2024

Political and military analysts are reviewing how the military situation is going in northern Shan State where battles are severely breaking out. 

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) reported that it had captured the Northeastern Command of the Myanmar Tatmadaw in Lashio City, northern Shan State at 4:00 am on 25th July.

However, Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, leader of the Information Team of the State Administration Council, denied the report. 

" It's not correct. Because the insurgents have infiltrated into the suburbs of Lashio, the Tatmadaw troops are chasing and fighting against them." he said. 

At present, there are reportedly heavy weapon firing, air strike and attacks between the two sides within Lashio City.

While seeing the Myanmar Tatmadaw

Although the MNDAA has announced that it would cease fire until the end of July, battles would continue to be breaking out, U Than Soe Naing, a Myanmar political commentator, told CNI News.

" Due to China's pressure, it's been limited for the MNDAA to attack Lashio in full force. But the fighting between the MNDAA troops surrounding Lashio and the Myanmar Army, as well as between the TNL forces in NawngHkio and the Myanmar Army will continue. The battles in Myanmar might be more severe." he said.

The battles broke out again between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the Three Brotherhood Alliance in northern Shan State on 25th June and the battles are breaking out between the two sides in Lashio, Kyaukme, Nawnghkio, Mogok, Madaya and Sintku.

The fighting has been quiet for 3 days in Kyaukme where battles have severely broken out; There are shootings with heavy weapons and 90 percent residents of Kyaukme have fled to safety, a resident of Kyaukme told CNI News.

While seeing the MNDAA force

" Battles haven't broken out for three days in Kyaukme. There are shootings with heavy weapons from the 501 and 592 battalions outside the town. There were no battles inside the town until yesterday (24th July). I still don't know the situation this morning (25th July)." he said.

The Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has reported that the TNLA and joint forces have captured Nawnghkio, Sintku and Mogok towns during the second wave of Operation-1027. However, the SAC hasn't reported anything about that.

China is putting great pressure on the MNDAA and the TNLA to stop fighting. If the TNLA and the MNDAA didn't stop fighting, China would provide effective weapons assistance to the Myanmar Army and leaders of the TNLA and the MNDAA would be taken action against. 

So, the battles might stop at the end of July and the TNLA and the MNDAA might be fighting to get more territories as much as they could, said a person close to the northern ally group.

CNI News

26 July 2024

The former Chairperson of the Karen National Union (KNU) Naw Zipporah Sein passed away somewhere on the Thai-Myanmar border, according to those close to her. 

Naw Zipporah Sein was daughter of former Chairman of the KNU Tamalabaw and she was born in Karen State in 1955.

While seeing Naw Zipporah Sein (Irrawaddy)

She worked as a school teacher until 1995 and served as the general secretary of the Karen Women Union that helps the Karen women refugees from 1988 to 2008.

She was elected as Vice Chairperson of the KNU in 2012 and took part in the peace process. She was known as a hardliner within the KNU and was obviously quite suspicious of the Myanmar Tatmadaw, said the people who participated in the peace process.

CNI News

25 July 2024

That Northeastern Command of the Myanmar Tatmadaw has fallen into the hands of its enemies was not correct and the Tatmadaw was chasing and fighting against armed enemies, said Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, leader of the Information Team of the State Administration Council (SAC) on 25th July, 2024.

The MNDAA reported that it was able to capture the Northeastern Command at 4:00 pm on 25th July After 23 days of battles. 

And then, the ,Frontline Headquarters of the MNDAA announced that Lashio has been liberated at all and the revolutionary movement to liberate Lashio was a historic victory, stated the MNDAA.

The statement was released at 11:00 am on 25th July, 2024 by the MNDAA. 

While the MNDAA has captured a military camp in Lashio Township

"It's not correct. Because insurgents have infiltrated into some outlying areas of Lashio City, the Tatmadaw is chasing and fighting against them." said Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun at 11:55 am on 25th July.

The battles are severely breaking out between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the MNDAA/PDF joint forces at present.

Although the MNDAA announced that it would cease fire unilaterally until the end of July, attacking the Northeastern Command and military camps of the Myanmar Tatmadaw was questionable, military analysts pointed out.

CNI News

25 July 2024

Han Chinese chauvinism would never be implemented after the revolution was successful, stated the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) on 23rd July, 2024. 

An official from the MNDAA said the above at the acceptance ceremony to the surrender of the Tatmadaw troops.

" All the EAOs go against the Bamar chauvinism. We'll never implement the Han Chinese chauvinism after the revolution was successful. We support equal rights for all the ethnic groups and we fully pay respect to the political will and self-determination of all the ethnic groups." added the official.

And then, the union would be split and the MNDAA was actively taking part in building the democratic federal union where all nationalities can fully enjoy rights to self-administration, he said.

Although the Myanmar government has understood the MNDAA as the Kokang ethnic armed group, the MNDAA say that they are the Han Chinese people rather than saying they are Kokang ethnic group, which is questionable which is pointed out by the Myanmar political circles.

While seeing the MNDAA force

There are many ethnic groups in China and among them, Han is the biggest ethnic group. The MNDAA was able to capture the Kokang region during Operation-1027 that was implemented on 27th October, 2023 and when it established the administration in Laukkai City, it forced Bamar ethnic people to leave the city and did not allow Bamar people to return to the city; buildings that Bamar people owned were destroyed, said those who had to leave Laukkai.

Because the fact that MNDAA refers to themselves as Han people means that they are Chinese, there are questions whether China might be behind the armed revolution within Myanmar among the Myanmar political circles.

At present, the MNDAA is attacking the Northeastern Command of the Myanmar Tatmadaw in Lashio and other military camps protecting Lashio.

The MNDAA was established by Pheung Kya-shin after he seceded from the Burma Communist Party in 1989.

CNI News

25 July 2024

It was necessary to use the means of discussion while fighting in order to end the internal conflict and achieve peace, Sao Khun Sai who was participating in the peace process, told CNI News.

Armed attacks alone could not be the answer, but both discussion and attack were needed to be conducted at the same time, he said.

" Can the problem be solved by fighting alone? Can the problem be solved by discussion alone? In fact, the problem can't be solved by fighting alone or by discussion alone. If you use only these two means at the same time, you'll find an answer. There is a direct way to obtain victory. And there is also an indirect way to obtain victory. But if it's necessary to use both ways at the same time, you can obtain victory, which were told by Sun Tzu, a Chinese military general, strategist, philosopher, and writer. So, we need to do so." said Sao Khun Sai.

While seeing the MNDAA force

Non-Bamar ethnic groups have been launching armed revolution for equal rights and rights to self-determination since 1948 when Myanmar gained her independence and the internal armed conflict started.

Although civil war has been breaking out for over 70 years, it could not solved. During efforts were being made to achieve peace, because of political disagreements on 1st February, 2021, battles have been breaking out across the country.

Because there was no emphatic solution to ethnic issues since before, the current situation arose; as the armed culture flourished, the conflict could take so long, U Tun Aung Kyaw, member of the policy steering committee from the Arakan National Party (ANP), told CNI News.

While seeing some KNDF comrades

" If ethnic issues were emphatically solved with a good will from the start, we wouldn't reach the current situation. The situation has been difficult and widespread. We can't imagine how to solve it. Political frame is very narrow while armed culture has flourished. How to solve it is beyond my ken. We may take a long time in order to solve the problem, I think." he said.

Some EAOs, some political parties, ethnic elements, ASEAN and some international organizations are making attempts so as to be able to solve the internal armed conflict. 

However, organizations involved in armed conflict are trying to win their enemy outright rather than sitting at the political roundtable.

CNI News

25 July 2024

As a lot of migrant people or IDPs from many parts of the country have arrived in Yangon to avoid battles, new workers have become abundant in the factories and workshops, those who provide service in the affairs of workers told CNI News. 

Because new workers have become abundant, although workers are not scarce. most of them are not skilled workers, Ma Myo Myo Aye, a person who was carrying out the affairs of workers, told CNI News.

" Most of the people who arrive in Yangon are from the regions where battles are currently breaking out. They have never done the jobs here in Yangon. The jobs they can get without too much difficulty are those in the garment factories. So, they are trying to get jobs in the garment factories. But they are not skilled laborers. Employers train them. But those who entered the workplace recently are impossible to be skilled workers. But some don't become skilled workers although they were trained." she said.

While seeing IDPs

Because there has been a sharp increase in the number of people who migrated to Yangon, the demand for job opportunities is also increasing. Despite the influx of new workers, it is reportedly difficult for people without work experience to find a job.

Although there have been a lot of new workers in the garment factories and workshops, they were rarely found in restaurants, said U Ne Lin, owner of a restaurant, told CNI News.

" It doesn't make much difference to us yet. At present, more migrant people have arrived in the wards. But because I don't need to recruit for my restaurant, there is no obvious change for me. I don't know about other restaurants." he said.

While seeing workers at a factory

At present, factories are paying different daily wages 4,800 Kyat or 5,800 Kyat or 6,800 Kyat, depending on workplaces. However, those without work experience earn less wages only. 

On the other hand, skilled workers are demanding employers to raise their wages reportedly.

CNI News

July 24, 2024

The name of the President would be used in the exercise of State Power, said Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, leader of the Information Team of the State Administration Council (SAC) on 23rd July, 2024. 

Because Acting President U Myint Swe was in bad health, he handed over the role of Acting President to Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the SAC to take responsibility of the president on 18th July, 2024.

And then, questions whether Chairman of the SAC Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing would administer in the name of Acting President or the chairman of the SAC emerged.

" In relation to the question whether Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the SAC and Prime Minister, will administer in the name of Acting President or the chairman of the SAC, it was included in the statement that was released yesterday. The responsibilities of the Acting President was handed over to the chairman of the SAC in order to carry out the matters relating to the National Defense and Security Council (NDSC). So, according to the Section.431 of the constitution, the NDSC would use the name of the President in the exercise of the State Power." said Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, leader of the Information Team of the SAC.

While seeing Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun

And then, according to the Section. 419 of the constitution, the SAC and the government only would carry out the matters regarding legislation, administration and judiciary, he added. At present, Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing is serving the roles of chairman of the SAC, Prime Minister, Commander in Chief of the Defense Services as well as Acting President.

So, the SAC would go on carrying out the five-point road map and the nine objectives that it has laid down and he wanted to emphasize that the ultimate goal of the SAC, a free and fair multi-party democratic general election would be held without fail, said Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun on 23rd July, 2024.

The SAC has said that it will conduct the census-taking from 1st to 15th October, 2024 and hold a general election in 2025.

Arms conflicts are currently taking place across the country and the people are fleeing to safety as well as the rule of law is declining.