CNI News

17 June 2025

A discussion on the Myanmar issue will be held on June 17, 2025, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, under the leadership of Sai Nyunt Lwin, Chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) that includes in the Joint Coordination Body (JCB). 

The  discussion will be hosted by the Salween Institute and will be led  and discussed by Sai Nyunt Lwin and Sai Kyaw Nyunt from the Joint Coordination Body (JCB).

Then, the situation of the upcoming election that will be held by the SAC , JCB's direction and organizational conditions will be discussed.

While seeing the JCB's Nwesaung Agreement

JCB was formed by local politicians and political parties at a meeting at Ngwe Saung on September 28, 2024. The group included Sai Nyunt Lwin of SNLD, former 88 Generation Student Leader U Mya Aye, and U David Hla Myint.

The JCB aims to implement (1) a civilian-led government that separates the military from politics, (2) the guiding principles of a federal democratic constitution, (3) reconciliation and military accountability, and (4) a nine-step process leading to sustainable and peaceful conflict resolution. 

However, the Salween Institute, which is leading the June 17th seminar in Chiang Mai, is an organization that provides public policy research training for Myanmar citizens.

CNI News

17 June 2025

There are differing views and opinions among domestic politicians and foreign countries regarding the upcoming elections in Myanmar, which will be held by the SAC.

The arrest of state leaders and politicians and the SAC’s preparations for elections are leading to instability in the country, said Ms. Julie Bishop, the UN Special Envoy on Myanmar, at an informal discussion of the UN General Assembly on 9 June 2025.

The current state of Myanmar’s politics was due to the alleged vote rigging of the 2020 election and the public was the primary decision-maker, Dr. Aye Maung, chairman of the Arakan Front Party (AFP), told CNI News. 

The AFP Party is registered as a political party to contest the elections to be held by the SAC in December 2025 and January 2026. 

While election results were being counted

“Most countries that are generally federal democracies have become dominated by the NLD, and ASEAN seems to be divided into two groups. I think we can roughly say that there are liberal side of ASEAN and the land-adjacent side of Myanmar. The concerns of neighboring countries about Myanmar are important. The UN is also just a pawn. The current crisis in Myanmar's politics is due to the alleged rigging of the 2020 election, according to the SAC, which took power based on the constitution. That's why unrests and divisions emerged and ultimately the public gets hurt. So the public is the one who has to make the main decision," he said.

"There are different ideas on how to overcome the current crisis. For example, when we are suffering from economic, social, and political problems because of war or other disasters, the sanctions and the internal conflicts, we need to focus on the public and ask questions. Do the people want to get out of the current crisis and have a stable and developed country? Will they accept the consequences of the civil war or not? We don't know that either. The people are surrounded by propaganda forces. In any case, I think the people are thinking to get out of the crisis," Dr.Aye Maung told CNI News.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing

Foreign countries and political forces abroad believe that the elections to be held by the SAC are just a political outlet for the SAC. The ASEAN Special Envoy for Myanmar also said that the elections to be held by the SAC are just a political show and that the priority should be to end violence and hold peace talks.

Karen People's Party (KPP) chairperson Daw Nant Khin Aye Oo told CNI News that the upcoming election by the SAC is not an exit for the SAC, but an exit for the people.

The SAC has said that elections will be held in December 2025 and January 2026, that elections will be held in 267 out of 330 townships, and that state power will be transferred to the political party that wins the election.

However, political parties are concerned that the public will not vote in the elections to be held by SAC and will become non-voters. On the other hand, some armed groups and the National Unity Government (NUG) have announced that they will completely disrupt the elections to be held by the SAC.

CNI News

16 June 2025

Foreign investments coming into Myanmar's Tanintharyi Region should be approached with caution, businessmen and economic experts told CNI News.

China, India, Russia, Thailand, and Singapore are currently seeking to invest in the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tanintharyi Region. Then, a Singapore-based company is also planning to start drilling for natural gas there. 

Foreign companies that are planning to invest are already awared of the current situation in Myanmar and carefully study and analyze the documents before signing them, as there may be companies that are willing to take advantage of the situation. 

There may be companies that come in with the intention of making easy profits, so it is important to carefully study and consider any contracts before signing them, U Aung Pyae Sone, a businessman, told CNI News.

“I have to say that we are fortunate that foreign investment is coming to us at this time. This is the first part. But it is important not to sign every time such foreign investment comes in. It's not because we don't want foreign investment to come in. The international community now knows the situation in our country. Big companies are more understanding. So in this country, we need to carefully study and analyze the contracts that come in with the idea that they will get profits for a song."And we need to explain it to the public in a transparent manner. No matter which government comes, no matter who does it, if we don't tell it to the public, there may be a chance that we will suffer," he said.

While seeing the Indian Ambassador and the Chief Minister of Tanintharyi Region

The Bangkok Post reported in early 2025 that the Tanintharyi coast is the shortest and most convenient route for Bangkok, Thailand, to connect with the Suez Canal and the Middle East.

The Dawei Special Economic Zone project began in 2008 with a memorandum of understanding between Thailand and Myanmar, but the contract was canceled due to delays. New investors are currently being invited.

In addition, the DSEZ will bridge the Indian and Pacific Oceans and connect Southeast Asia and South Asia. The project will also include a deep-sea port which is likely to bypass the congested Strait of Malacca.

When implementing a project, it is necessary to carefully consider the benefits and costs to the country, economic and banking expert U Htay Aung Kyi told CNI News.

While seeing an investment project

“Environmental impact is important. Now EIA and SIA are conducted. It is just norminal. That is one thing. Another thing is we do project evaluation. Feasibility study, we study the feasibility. This is a bit weak here, to be honest. These are not useless subjects. When they do projects, they often do it by hand. I don't want that to happen. Let's make sure to do a feasibility study. Let's make sure to do an environmental study. Next time, how much will I get? Economic internal rate of return - this is something that should be considered based on the global level. One advantage is that gas income is in US dollars. If it is in Kyats, what will the inflation rate affect? The second point is a feasibility study? Thailand and Singapore do a feasibility study. How much will our country benefit? How much will it suffer? These must be considered when a feasibility sudy is conducted." he said.

Businessmen and economic experts believe that Tanintharyi could become a world-class region due to such foreign investment. 

Currently, there are four major offshore projects in operation for oil and gas exploration, drilling, and production: 

Yadana, Yedagon, Zawtika, and Shwe, and two more offshore projects are under exploration, drilling, and production, for a total of six offshore projects.

In addition, the Mottama Offshore Block (M-10) (Min Ye Thu Project) is the seventh major offshore project in the country and the first offshore project to be implemented under the SAC.

CNI News

16 June 2025

China should not be seen as exerting influence over Myanmar, but rather as cooperating to advance mutual interests, said U Thein Htun Oo, director of the Thayninga Institute for Strategy Studies.
 China is pressuring the Northern Alliance (MNDAA-AA-TNLA) to stop the town and camp capture battles and return the captured towns to the Myanmar Tatmadaw.

China and Myanmar share a long border and China should be seen as playing a role in ensuring peace and stability in Myanmar because China wants to maintain bilateral relations, said U Thein Tun Oo.

“Myanmar and China share a long border. We need to build a good and stable free relationship. We need to create a win-win situation in terms of economy. Then, it is important to build a close relationship in global affairs and regional peacebuilding. Good relations between the two countries will greatly benefit regional stability and the country’s future. Whether Myanmar has been under the influence of China is variously viewed by the West, ASEAN and India. But the most important thing is how Myanmar sees itself. It depends on how you see yourself and how you build yourself. Whether Myanmar falls under China or not is not a major title for us." said U Thein Tun Oo.

 seeing leaders of the MNDAA, the AA and the TNLA

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) handed over Lashio and the Northeast Command to the Myanmar Tatmadaw in April 2025, and is preparing to hand over the town of Theinni. 

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) is also facing pressure from China to hand over the towns of Kutkai, Hsipaw, Kyaukme, Naungcho, Mogok, and Namkham, which it has controlled, to the Myanmar Tatmadaw.

China is intervening to help Myanmar rather than exerting influence, as the collapse of the central government could have negative effects on neighboring countries, National Democratic Force (NDF) vice chairman U Htet Aung Kyaw told CNI News.

“ Rather than China’s influence, China is helping us solve the problems that are happening in our country. As a neighbor, Thailand is also helping us solve them. India is also helping us solve them. They don’t want our country to collapse. If it collapses, all the surrounding countries will be affected, so they are helping us solve them. China is a powerful country. And since China has a very strong relationship with Myanmar, if SAC can get China's back up, then it may be said that SAC might be under the influence of China. The main thing is that the country needs to have good immunity. If the immunity is strong, the rest will not be a problem and any country can't influence on our country." he said.

  While seeing the private security service law

Battles are breaking out between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and armed groups across the country. And the Myanmar Tatmadaw has lost control of several hundreds of military camps, two military commands and over 90 towns, affecting Chinese investments, projects and companies. Moreover, China-Myanmar border trade also has suspended.

Chinese president Xi Jinping told Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to carry out the security for the Chinese investments, projects, companies and their staff during his meeting with the senior general in Russia in May, 2025.

With above-mentioned situations, after the SAC had to face pressures from China, the SAC had to enact the private security service law on February 8, 2025 to enable Chinese security forces to enter Myanmar in order to protect Chinese interests, pointed out military and political analysts.

CNI News

12 June 2025

The Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP), a new political party in Rakhine State, was unlikely to contest the December 2025 election under the current circumstances, its founder, U Ba Shein, told CNI News.

The Union Election Commission (UEC) announced on June 9 that it had granted the Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP) the right to establish a political party. However, the registration period for political parties to contest the election ended on May 9, and it is unlikely that more party registrations will be granted before the election, Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP) founder U Ba Shein told CNI News.

"How much will we be able to do if we follows the law and regulations? I don't think we saw that in the 2010 election. It was only after the 2010 election that the NLD registered and entered the elections. I think this is directly proportional to the attitude of the UEC and the attitude of the government that will come to power. Only after being granted party registration can a party be established. Now, they say if you want to establish a party, you can establish a party. There are many provisions in the law and regulations, and we must follow them and act accordingly. I think the deadline for party registration was set on May 9th. Later, after the elections, parties continued to apply. We saw similar cases after the 2010 elections. The NLD registered and ran the elections. But in 2010, the NLD was not a political party on the table," he said.

Office of the Union Election Commission

The Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP) applied for permission to establish a political party on April 8, and the Union Election Commission (UEC) granted permission two months later. 

Therefore, it is stipulated that an application must be made to the Election Commission for registration as a political party within 30 days from the date of receipt of permission, in accordance with Rule 7 of the Registration of Political Parties. The Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP) currently has not had a lot of party members and has not yet formulated party policies as well, party founder U Ba Shein told CNI News.

“When applying for party registration, all of the party policies must be submitted to the UEC. There may be some of these policies that the UEC likes, and some that it doesn't.  How can we solve the policies they don't like? We want to establish a party, so we have to do the work we want." he said.

U Ba Shein, founder of the Rakhine Nationalities Party

U Ba Shein, the founder of the Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP), was previously a member of the policy steering committee of the Arakan National Party (ANP) and a former Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Kyaukphyu Township. 

Currently, in Rakhine State, the Arakan Front Party (AFP), the Rakhine State National Unity Party (RSNUP), the Myo National Party, and the Khami National Development Party are the parties allowed to register with the UEC.

CNI News
15 June 2025

Civil servants must be free from party politics, said the SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. He made the above-mentioned statement during a meeting with teachers in Pyin Oo Lwin on June 11, 2025.

“Civil servants need to be free from party politics and distinguish between politics and national affairs. They must be dutiful for the country by fulfilling their responsibilities and duties. I want civil servants to work together for the development of the country,” he said.

Section 26 (a) of the 2008 Constitution stipulates that civil servants must be free from party politics. The section should be amended. Instead, a civil servant must not be a member of a political party, which should be stipulated.

Ortherwise, civil servants may be in a situation in which they cannot marry a member of a political party, pointed out political parties.

Soldiers from the Myanmar Tatmadaw  are government servants, which raises the question of why they occupy 25 percent of the seats in Hluttaw, pointed out military and political analysts.

CNI News
15 June 2025

The Karen National Revolutionary Movement was to establish the Karen Country which was the goal and dream of the Karen people, said the KNU Chairman Pado Saw Kwe Htoo Win.

He said that in the speech delivered on the 76th anniversary celebration of the Kawthoolei Day which fell on June 14, 2025.

After the Karen revolutionary leaders withdrew from Yangon, some leaders saw urgent needs and called an emergency meeting in Taungoo on June 14, 1949. At that meeting, the situation of the revolution was analyzed, the Kawthoolei government was formed, and administrative arrangements were re-established.

The structure of the Kawthoolei government also existed, and the first meeting of the Kawthoolei government was held in April 1950. June 14, the day the Kawthuley government was formed, was designated as Kawthuley Day, and was celebrated to this day, he said.

" The Karen National Revolutionary Movement is to establish the Kawthoolei country which is the goal and dream of the Karen people. It is not deniable that the Kawthoolei country has firmly existed in the heart of all the Karen people. We have announced the establishment of Kawthoolei country and formation of the Kawthoolei government for 76 years." said the KNU Chairman.

Kawthoolei that has liberty, equal rights and self-administration has not been recognized up to now. There had had experiences that Kawthoolei could not be established by the only desire. It was necessary to have a practical structure that is in line with the evolving political situation and the situation of the people, he said.

“Building a nation, achieving stability, progress and peace depends on good leadership, public administration, meeting public needs, public security, economic and other issues,” he said.

The KNU is a Karen armed group that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) on October 15, 2015, along with seven other armed groups.

However, on February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military overthrew the NLD government, claiming that it was attempting to form a government without resolving the 2020 general election voter list dispute, and seized state power.

So, the KNU is currently fighting alongside other armed groups, the National Unity Government (NUG), and the People's Defense Forces (PDF), to overthrow the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the SAC.

The KNU operates with a total of 7 brigades in Kayin State, Mon State, Tanintharyi Region, and Bago Region, and is also operating militarily in Sagaing Region in collaboration with the Local Defense Force (LPDF) and the People's Defense Force (PDF).

Interests of Myanmar is directly related to that of China

CNI News

14 June 2025

Interests of Myanmar was directly related to that of China, chairman of the Arakan Front Party (AFP) Dr. Aye Maung told CNI News. 

China-Myanmar relations have been in their 75th year, and the SAC welcomes China’s attitude towards Myanmar. 

China-Myanmar relations are getting closer and all the interests of the two countries are related, said Dr. Aye Maung, chairman of the Arakan Front Party (AFP), to CNI News.

“We must continue to maintain the current success of the China-Myanmar friendly diplomacy between U Min Aung Hlaing and Mr. Xi Jinping. So, the relationship between the two countries will become closer. As a result of the success, discussions between the Chinese Special Envoy Mr. Deng Xijun and members of the Northern Alliance regarding northern Shan State, Lashio, Taung Kham and Kyaukphyu have emerged one after another. This is because the interests of the two countries are related. When Xi Jinping met with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Russia, Xi Jinping said that China guaranteed and recognized Myanmar's sovereignty and that peace was necessary to prevent Myanmar from disintegrating. Since China is Myanmar's closest neighbor, it can be said that it is a diplomatic success for the people of Myanmar to achieve the desired results," he said.

Military and political analysts point out that China has become deeply involved and influential on Myanmar in the changing political landscape in Myanmar since February 1, 2021. 

Myanmar had long been concerned about China's influence, and it was true that China had quite influenced in some areas, political analyst Dr. Aung Myo told CNI News.

While Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Chinese President Xi Jinping were discussing

“We have tried our best to avoid being influenced by China throughout history. But we have always considered China, whether it is Mongol China, Han China, or Manchu, to be more powerful than ourselves. So, we've been worried about China's power from the beginning. It's true that China has become quite influential in some parts of Myanmar. Now, we see many wrong policies. What is this? The government is not building domestic strength. We need to find solutions to the dissatisfaction of the people and the dissatisfaction of the ethnic groups, so that we can unite and resolve our political divisions. We will find solutions and treat China equally. Instead, if we have political differences, we'll have to butter China up, saying 'Yes, sir, Yes, sir.' Whether we like it or not, we have understood that we must treat China emphatically. Whether we like it or not, we have understood that we must treat China emphatically. We accept that we have to make reasonable concessions to China," he said.

Currently, China is intervening in Myanmar to pressure the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the Northern Alliance (MNDAA-AA-TNLA) to stop the fighting and is pressuring the alliance to hand over towns along the Myanmar-China border trade route to the Myanmar Tatmadaw.

In addition, Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded during his meeting with SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Russia in May, 2025 that measures must be taken to ensure the safety of Chinese people, Chinese companies and employees, Chinese projects, and Chinese investments in Myanmar.

Low formal education leads to violence

CNI News

14 June 2025

SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said that acts of violence were committed by those with lower formal education and poor cognitive and thinking skills.

He made the remarks while meeting with education staff and children studying in Pyin Oo Lwin on June 11, 2025.

"If we look at the instability and violence that is happening in our country, we will find that they are happening more in areas with poor education. Due to poor literacy and poor cognitive ability, acts of violence are being committed, which is affecting the socio-economic lives of the region and the locals," he said.

Therefore, teachers should not only teach the children academically, but also teach them the knowledge and ideas that will enable them to distinguish between good and bad, and between cause and effect, he said.  

“According to the statistics collected, there is still a great need to improve the country’s education, with about 50 percent of the population being low in education." said the SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

The Ministry of Education announced on June 3, 2025, that for the 2025-26 academic year, there are over 4 million primary school enrollments (4,146,251 students), over 1 million middle school enrollments (1,344,236 students), and over 600,000 high school enrollments (628,773 students), for a total enrollment of over 6 million (6,119,260 students). 

Myanmar has a population of over 54 million, and that there are over 20 million school-age youth, but only over 6 million youths were enrolled in school, which is worrisome for the future, pointed out military and political analysts.

Currently, due to the ongoing fighting and regional instability throughout Myanmar, the rule of law is weak, and the ability to open schools is also weak. 

The Myanmar Tatmadaw ousted the National League for Democracy (NLD) government on February 1, 2021, and declared a state of emergency, claiming that the NLD was attempting to form a government without resolving the 2020 general election voter list dispute. And then, the battles began.

Currently, the NUG/CRPH which have been made up of some NLD leaders and members of Hluttaw, the PDFs and LPDFs including some EAOs are carrying out armed attacks to overthrow the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the SAC.