CNI News

7 May 2024

The Karen National Army/ the Border Guard Force (BGF) ordered the foreigners who are working in the telecom scamming (Zhapian) and online gambling businesses and the foreigners who illegally entered to leave Myawaddy Township on 31st October at the latest.

The KNA/BGF published vinyls on which the announcement saying that those who were doing the business of Zhapian and online gambling business must leave Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko Townships from 1st May until 31st October at the latest were mentioned.

All the foreigners who were working in the online scamming business in Myawaddy Township and the foreigners who illegal entered must leave starting from 1st May until 31st October at the latest and if they were found after 31st October, they would be effectively taken action against, said in the statement.

The Chinese government is putting pressure on the Myanmar side to take action against those who are working in the Zhapian and online gambling businesses. 

So, several thousand people who were included in the Zhapian and online gambling businesses in northern Shan State including Kokang and Wa regions were arrested and handed over to the Chinese government In the same way, China is demanding Myanmar to take action against the Zhapian and online gambling businesses in Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko Townships.

So, the KNA/BGF in Karen State ordered those including in the Zhapian and online gambling businesses to leave on 31st October at the latest.

CNI News

7 May 2024

The National Unity Government was grouping columns that contain one thousand and above troops, the NUG's Ministry of Defense stated. It was mentioned in the report to the people to mark the three year long establishment of the People's Defense Force (PDF).

At the current military affairs, the PDFs not only could destroy the enemy's mechanism but also could seize the enemy's small and large weapons; The ability to turn the enemy's weapon into your own weapon was an important military progress, said in the statement.

"The PDF's ability to use heavy weapons will increase and the drone force is also being expanded. Now according to military region and military area, grouping columns containing troops by the thousands and upgrading trainings are being conducted. The objective is to launch strategic offensives. The corps such as medical corps, telecommunication corps, engineer corps and vehicle machinery corps are also being expanded." said the NUG.

Because of political changes that arose on 1st February 2021, the PDF had been formed for three years on 5th May 2024.

While seeing Ko Zwe, commander of the Kyarbyu Column

They defensed against the Aung Zeya Column designated as the national level by the Myanmar Tatmadaw, but the military subregion-3 didn't protect them while the enemy columns were launching offensives; didn't provide them with sufficient arms in advance and ammunition and didn't send sufficient funds to them as well, said Ko Zwe, commander of the White Tiger (Kyarbyu) Column, on his social network page.

"Except that we defended against the Aung Zeya Column of the enemy as much as we could, we didn't receive any military support from any groups. The NUG didn't make any preparations for us. It didn't contact us  until we had to retreat. I tell these things to make the public known because we are worried the people will think that we had to retreat even though we had enough weapons and ammunition supported by the NUG. We retreated until we had 210 bullets only. When we retreated, we could bring all our arms and ammunition including 31 guns that we could seize from the enemy."he said.

Launching strategic offensives could become the decisive battles and in this decisive period, military and political balance was vital, said in the report by the NUG's Ministry of Defense. 

While seeing the NUG's Defense Minister, U Yi Mon and Deputy C in C of the KIA

However, because the KNU/PDF joint forces had to retreat from the battle of Myawaddy, the NUG and the KNU were criticized.

As a battalion level, the NUG's Kyarbyu Column had to defense against the enemy's offensive with joint division that contained Division-44 and Division-55 not to mention army, navy and air operations. On the 6th day of operation, Kyarbyu Coulmn had to retreat from Kawkareik own, Except for a few troops from the Kawthoolei Army, any group didn't join his column, said Ko Zwe on his social network page.

It was continuing negotiation to make the common attitude position agreed between the NUG and K3C, three EAOs become the common attitude position of all the revolutionary forces; it was maintaining and improving the people's endurance and support; it was supplying enough weapons and ammunition physically and enhancing revolutionary faith and courage mentally; it was managing to ensure that there is no shortage of funds, the NUG's Ministry of Defense stated.

CNI News

7 May 2024

Because there was no way to find an answer at the political roundtable anymore, battles would break out, said Lt-Gen Sao Khun Seng, vice chairman of the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP)/the Shan State Army (SSA).

He said the above at the 60th Anniversary Celebration of the Establishment of the Shan State Army on 24th April, 2024, the SSPP/SSA stated on 3rd May, 2024. Successive military regimes that practiced chauvinism ignored the Panglong Agreement that was signed to build a true federal union. So, the SSPP had to decide to choose the military means, said Lt-Gen Sao Khun Seng.

" We have discussed at the political roundtable for 77 years since the Panglong Agreement was signed. Successive military regimes bullied ethnic minorities and didn't comply with the points that were included in the Panglong Agreement. It didn't make any difference even after military councils couped. At last, the Myanmar political situation became the one in which there were no ways to find an answer at the political roundtable. So, we have to choose unavoidably the armed resistance program." he said.

Under the leadership of the SSPP/SSA, Shan nationalities needed to decisively fight the military dictatorship and the entire people including revolutionary forces would have to try to fight against the military dictatorship, he urged.

While the SSPP and Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing were meeting

"We have no reason to have two minds anymore. What we wanted was to find an answer by the political means for the political problem. But now, there is no more finding an answer by the political means at all. So, we'll start battles. We'll start a war today if we don't want it tomorrow. We'll start struggling today if we don't want to face difficulties tomorrow." he added.

The SSPP/SSA is one of the Shan EAOs, that signed bilateral ceasefire agreements both at the state level and at the union level under the government led by U Thein Sein in 2012.

However, the battles sometimes broke out between the Tatmadaw and the SSPP/SSA and at present, there are territorial disputes between the SSPP/SSA and the TNLA in Namkham Township, northern Shan State and military tensions are taking place between the two sides.

While seeing the SSPP force

Because the Myanmar Tatmadaw launched an offensive against Wan Hai, the headquarters of the SSPP/SSA from 2015 to 2017, battles broke out severely.

The SSPP/SSA is a member of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) that also contains the United Wa State Army (UWSA), the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Arakan Army (AA), the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA).

CNI Article

6 May 2024

Since anti-government forces in Myanmar took control of Laukkai this year, Myanmar army has lost more than 50 posts near the area. Laukkai is the largest and capital city of Kokang region that shares a long border with Yunnan province of China. With a population of large Kokang Chinese, the fall of the city to the ‘Three Brotherhood Alliance’ raised suspicion among the top leadership in Naypyidaw regarding growing Chinese influence in the region.  

China, which has long supported the Military Junta, is now playing with both sides. Many analysts believe that without the support from Beijing, it is impossible for the ‘Three Brotherhood Alliance’ to capture the city. China is continuously supporting these rebel forces in order to maintain the game of check and balances with the Tatmadaw.

On one hand China is supplying military equipments and aircraft to the Naypyidaw, on the other hand, it is continuously arming the rebel forces like Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army. Experts even claimed that it was Beijing that actually facilitated the unification of these three groups into the ‘nce’ against the Tatmadaw.

Recently, these forces have acquired strongholds in a large part of the northern border. And it’s not just a coincidence that China is operating hundreds of casinos, cyber trafficking industries and ‘pig butchering’ hubs in these areas. Laukkai has been the crime capital of Northern Myanmar owing to the influential Chinese gangs in the region. From gambling industries to kidnapping, extortion and arms smuggling, under the influence of these armed Chinese gangs crime has raised to another level.

Three Brotherhood Alliance

In last one year, Tatmadaw has accelerated military actions against these groups. These Chinese gangs and the illegal businesses in the region have direct or indirect connection with many of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) members. Corrupted local CCP members from bordering provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan operate illegal casinos and ‘pig butchering’ hubs in these northern part of the country. Local populace are either forced to work for them or forced to migrate.

Another business in which many of CCP members are involved is of drug trafficking. Being part of the ‘golden triangle’, more than 50% of all drugs smuggled to Southeast Asia and the Pacific passes through Myanmar. As per a report by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Myanmar became the world’s largest producer of opium in 2023, with an estimated production of more than 1000 tones of opium.

Poppy cultivation is the prime source of living in the Northern and Northwestern part of the country. As per several reports, many of the Chinese CCP members and their associates and local Chinese groups have been directly associated with the cultivation and smuggling of opium and drugs to the adjacent countries. Question remains that whether Beijing is aware of these CCP members or not? Or whether there is any involvement of bigger players (ministers) that stops Beijing administration to take actions against these individuals.  

Tatmadaw fears that the monetary gains from these drugs smugglings have recently been used by the rebel groups to illegally import arms. Therefore, it has launched a drive against these groups. Fearing the complete wipe out of poppy cultivation in the region, Chinese groups have started favoring the various rebel groups, who in exchange of support, money and arms, provide safe haven for these groups.

While the Chinese police arrested the leaders of the tiger distribution business

Another reason of Chinese interest in the rival groups of Myanmar is because of the huge deposits of rare earth metals. In terms of processing and refining of rare earth metals, Myanmar accounts for 9% of global production. It is estimated that Myanmar might have seven times more deposits of these metals. With help of these rival groups, it would be easy for Chinese mining gangs to smuggle these rare elements worth of billion of US dollars.

Beijing also fears the uncontrolled growth of these local Chinese groups in northern Myanmar had now started to launch cyber frauds against the Chinese citizens. Despite regular requests from Chinese authorities, Tatmadaw seems least concerned. By supporting these rival groups, China is trying to somehow blackmail the Junta.

Similar blackmails have been visible in the case of Chinese economic interests as well. China needs the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) to start operating on time. Chinese Malacca dilemma has paranoid her and it is trying to put pressure on the Myanmar government to complete the project on time. Many geo-political experts argue that with the mounting pressure from Beijing and its support for the rival groups has forced Tatmadaw to allow Beijing to use various ports and islands of Myanmar as military bases. Recently, Chinese military presence on the Coco Island has increased rapidly, raising concerns in the adjacent countries.

When the MNDAA occupied the Myanmar Army military base

Another reason is the issue of the Shan state. Since, rebels took control of a vast region of the Shan state, number of illegal migrants in the adjacent Chinese Province of Yunnan increased rapidly. By appeasing these rebel groups would not only help Beijing to get rid of these unwanted guests but would also help it to control the inflow of opium smuggling into China through Yunnan.

Beijing also fears that the ethnic minorities of the Yunnan might also get influenced by these rebel forces as these people along both side of the border share same ethnicity. A rebellion is something that Beijing fears the most. CPC is already dealing with the wrath of Tibetans, Mongolians and Uyghurs and it would not allow any new revolt like situation in its territory, especially in a region like Yunnan where tens of different minorities reside.

Among these check and balances and the geo-political games, it’s the people of Myanmar that are suffering the most. Since 2021, approx a million of people have lost their habitats and hundred of thousands were forced to leave their nation. In such a time when Beijing needs to provide assistance to the people of Myanmar, it is involved in a zero sum game in order to fulfill its own self-centered geo-political wants.  

CNI News
5 May 2024

The National Unity Government released its attitude towards the freedom of press and news media on 3rd May, 2024.

The freedom of the press, the rights to information and the rights to free reporting that are included in the Section.42, Part (1) of the federal democratic charter must be protected in accordance with the basic policy, it stated.

" The NUG seriously recognizes that the role of the freedom of press and responsible and accountable news media is especially important to ensure that the public can understand thoroughly all the affairs of the country and make a right decision." said the NUG.

It encouraged and supported the strong existence of responsible and accountable news media including local ethnic media, the NUG stated.

While seeing the NUG's attitude towards journalists

The NUG decisively protested against any restriction that could hurt freedom, neutrality and objectivity of news media and would encourage and support the strong existence of the freedom of press, and would unequivocally oppose any acts of intimidation or harassment to journalists and would make an effort to make those actions disappear and to protect journalists, said in the statement released by the NUG.

" Now, journalists are asked to choose a certain side. Which side will you stand with. But as a journalist living within the country and even if you are a writer and presenter who follows news ethics, you will be misunderstood. You will be surrounded and attacked. Some journalists are being threatened. How can we control these things. They can't be controlled in practice. The NUG released the statement for a reason, I think." said a local journalist.

A foreign-based journalist said that he went abroad and was working in the news industry he loved. But he was accused of being a supporter of revolution and facing the danger of being arrested by the authorities and he asked how the NUG would protect him.

" The news agency where I work is no more in Myanmar. So, I had to go abroad with the agency. But I report in accordance with news ethics. But the State Administration Council will try to arrest me, saying that I'm a supporter of the revolution. How will it be controlled? Journalists are being examined sort of." he said.

Journalists must not have a bias in favor of or against individuals, religion, party and organization and must stand justly and report the truth only, which are mentioned in the Myanmar news media ethics.

However, with the Myanmar political conflict that arose after 1st February, 2024, many journalists became weak in keeping news ethics and have a bias in favor of a certain side. At the same time, some journalists reporting in accordance with the news ethics are facing threats.

CNI News
5 May 2024

Although the Thai-Myanmar No-1 and No-2 Friendship Bridges as well as the Myawaddy border trade zone that were closed due to the battles that were taking place in Myawaddy Township, Karen State have been reopened, trucks still have not been able to be used to carry goods, according to traders. 

Though trucks were allowed to pass on the Thai-Myanmar No.2 Friendship Bridge on 30th April, it is not convenient for the trucks from other regions and states to go or come because the Asia Road is damaged reportedly.

At present trucks were going and coming only on forest roads and at the border trade zone, the Thai commodities only were entering, U Thant Zin Tun, a corn trader, told CNI News. 

" 12 wheel trucks carrying onion have been going and coming on forest roads only for long. On the Asia Road, a bridge has not been built as yet at Taw Naw Waterfall. But the No-2 Bridge has been reopened. The Thai goods are entering. The bridges have been reopened. But we haven't used the Asia Road on which many bridges have been broken." he said.

While seeing the KNLA/PDF joint forces

The battles have been breaking out between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the KNU/PDF joint forces since early April within Karen State.

Import/export activities and sending MoU workers through the Thai-Myanmar No-1 and No-2 Bridges were temporarily suspended starting from 21st April.

But  now No-1 and No-2 Friendship Bridges will have been opened from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.. Although it was reported that the Asia Road had been reopened, truck drivers did not dare to go. So, they were not hired, U Aung Myint, an onion trader from Myingyan, told CNI News.

While seeing the Myawaddy Economic Zone

" Both Friendship Bridges have been reopened. Trucks can go on the Asia Road. But truck drivers don't dare to go." he said.

The trade value of the Thai-Myanmar border trade using the Myawaddy-Kawkareik Asia Road was 5,355 million dollars from 1st April to 31st March in the 2022-2023 fiscal year.

However, in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the trade plus is only 4,428 million dollars, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Commerce.

CNI News
5 May 2024

Myanmar political circles and youths are asking a question regarding why the State Administration Council has suspended allowing men to go and work abroad. The SAC officially expressed the suspension to the media.

The people's military service law, lack of domestic employment opportunities and territorial instability might be related to the suspension, a politician told CNI News.

" There may be various reasons for that. At present, there are also many people who avoid the conscription law although they might serve in the military. Secondly, there is a lack of domestic job opportunities. As a third reason, there are no territorial stabilities. Now the people from Monywa and Pale, especially those who don't support the NLD party can't live in their villages anymore. If they go back to their villages for a short time as a visit after they moved to Mandalay, regional PDF ask them 150,000 kyats at the border area between Myaing and Pale. And then, the village PDF asks 100,000 or 150,000 kyats. On top of that, they have to pay 30,000 kyats a month for PDFs. So, many people don't go back to their native villages." he said.

Because of political changes that began on 1st February 2021, lots of youths went abroad to work. Moreover, due to the people's military service law that was imposed by the SAC, the public's concern became higher and Myanmar people are crossing the border line and illegally entering neighboring countries especially Thailand daily not to mention legally entering.

According to the People's Military Service Law, while seeing those attending military training

Because the number of youths who go abroad is increasing due to the conscription law, men probably have been banned from going abroad to work, U Kyi Myint, a Myanmar political commentator, told CNI News.

" It has already occurred like that in Russia. Because the conscription law had been imposed, Russian youths ran away by the lakh, but the Russian government didn't stop them, saying that they were not patriotic. But two weeks later, the number of youths sharply decreased. So, the Russian government ordered that anyone must not leave Russia. Now as well, the SAC is following Russia. The SAC announced that there are 7.6 million girls and 6.4 million young men who can serve in the military in Myanmar. It summoned 5,000 men for the first batch. But it didn't get to the full. Recruits can't be summoned officially. The SAC's military officers and other ranks go to homes of the people and arrest young men to recruit by force. At last, the SAC ordered not to allow men to leave the country as the Russian government did. Russia is at war with Ukraine. But here in Myanmar the war is the one that the people of the country will have to fight against one another. No one wants to fight. The number of those killed has increased as well." he said.

According to the People's Military Service Law, while seeing those attending military training

The SAC approved the People's Military Service law and recruited 5,000 young men in April and got over 5,000 young men after which military training courses are being given to the young men reportedly.

Because of armed conflict taking place within the country, political disagreement, job scarcity and low-paid basic salary, lots of youths have gone and worked abroad. So, Myanmar could face a shortage of human resources, pointed out a politician.

CNI News
4 May 2024

Although the news saying that anymore of close supervision regarding official monthly remittance of 25 percent of basic salary from Myanmar workers in foreign countries would be conducted came out, there was no plan to do so, the Migrant Worker Branch of the Ministry of Labor told CNI News.

At present, those who would go abroad to work had just contracted with overseas employment agencies to officially transfer 25 percent of basic salary to their families, assistant director of the Migrant Worker Branch told CNI News.

" We haven't been able to make a system that can exercise close supervision at once. Myanmar migrant workers who went abroad with contract haven't come back yet. It's difficult for us to monitor whether they have transferred already or not. Because we are still making an application to monitor, we are collaborating with the Central Bank of Myanmar to know when the workers transferred. For the time being, things are as in the contract. When a worker tries to go abroad again, if he cannot show any evidence that he had officially transferred in the past, when he applies for an OWIC card, whether he transferred or not will show up on our system because the system runs with biometric and data server." he said.

Because a point saying Myanmar migrant workers who would go abroad must officially transfer 25 percent of their basic salaries to their families in Myanmar must be included in the contracts signed by agencies and workers starting from September 2023, workers would be allowed to go abroad again only if they could show the evidence that they had transferred officially, according to the Migrant Worker Branch.

If they couldn't show any evidence, they would be banned to go abroad to work for three years, said the branch.

However, pieces of news - the Ministry of Labor has directed Myanmar migrant workers must officially transfer 25 percent of their basic salaries and the ministry was planning to ensure that Myanmar workers actually comply with the instructions came out.

" If they exercise close supervision anymore, we'll suspend our business. Myanmar workers could or could not transfer money. We have sent lots of Myanmar workers. We can't go and sit monitoring whether they transfer money or not. Our business is to send workers abroad. that has nothing to do with banking activity." said an official from an overseas employment agency, to CNI News.

Myanmar migrant workers could officially send 25 percent of their basic salaries thrice a month reportedly.

The number of workers who officially transfer 25 percent of their basic salaries depends on the ups and downs of the foreign currency prices designated by the Central Bank reportedly.

If there was not a very wide gap between the foreign currency prices designated by the Central Bank and the market prices, the number of workers who officially transfer money would increase, pointed out some people.

CNI News

4 May 2024

The Brigade-614 of the Shanni National Army completed its No.2 Batch.9 basic military training and its graduation was held somewhere in a liberated area on 2nd May 2024 reportedly.

The SNA is a Shanni EAO that is making an effort to gain Shanni State that contains Bamo, Myitkyina, Mohnyin, Mogaung, Indawgyi in Kachin State as well as Kalay, Tamu, Homalin, Katha, Mawlike, Banmauk, Phaungbyin, Kawlin, Wuntho, Pinlebu in Sagaing Region.

Battles are currently breaking out between the SNA and the KIA/PDF joint forces in Homalin, Banmauk, Shwe Pyi Aye, Phaungbyin, Mohnyin, Mogaung, Indaw and Pharkant.