CNI News

18 September 2024

Floods took place throughout the country due to Typhoon Yagi and 226 people were killed and 643,081 cultivated acres were sunk, reported the State Administration Council (SAC). 

Due to the typhoon, it was continuously raining after which water levels of rivers and creeks were so high that 56 townships from the Naypyidaw Council Territory, Magway, Mandalay, Ayeyarwady, Bago Regions, Kayah, Shan and Karen States were flooded.

So, 2,116 houses were damaged and 156, 373 houses were sunk. The government opened 438 rescue camps and 42, 858 households and 163,780 people were moved.

According to the figure collected until 4:00 pm on 16th September, 226 people were killed and 77 people were lost. In the same way, 117 offices and department buildings, 1,040 schools, 386 religious buildings, some roads and bridges, lamp posts and telecommunication towers were damaged, reported the SAC.

Moreover, 128, 344 animals such as cow, goat and pig were killed as well as 643, 081 cultivated acres were sunk.

CNI News

18 September 2024

Due to floods all over the country after it was raining heavily, the paddy yield this year could decline by million baskets, farmers told CNI News. 

When the rainfed paddy was grown in the previous month for this year, due to flood in many parts, many paddy fields were destroyed.

When the time to reap the paddy was drawing very near at present, as floods took place in a big way, it could impact on the rice market, U Thein Aung, chairman of the Farmers Development Association, told CNI News.

While a flood was taking place

" Because of flood, it could impact on the price of rice. But there is nothing to worry for the food of the country. Summer rice will be grown. But this year the paddy yield can decline by million baskets. So, it could impact on the price of rice, but not extremely." he said.

Farmers whose farms were flooded could face a lot of losses and farmers whose farms were not flooded are convenient. Moreover, flood could reach Bago and Ayeyarwady Regions reportedly.

Although paddy is grown in southern Shan State, as this region was flooded, demand in rice could be high, reviewed agricultural and economic advisors.

Moreover, it was not clear whether the local reserve rice is sufficient or not, they pointed out. If plantations that were flooded were fixed and rainfed rice were grown, cultivation would not be able to be conducted in time, Ko Zaw Min Naing, an agricultural and economic advisor, told CNI News.

While Kalaw Town was being flooded

" It's been a long time since paddy was grown. When the paddy was flooded, mud and sand covered the pddy. It's hard to make the paddy go on living. If you re-plant after fixing the land, it will take at least one or two months. And then, if it doesn't rain anymore, you'll find it difficult to get water." he said.

More floods were taking place because there were no trees that can keep soil. So, it was not easy for farmers to protect the situation in advance, said agricultural and economic advisors.

So, trees must be grown again to better the natural environment, they advised.

CNI News

17 September 2024

EAOs have changed their ways of thinking as time goes by, Col.Saw Kyaw Nyunt, spokesperson of the 7 EAO Alliance, told CNI News. 

EAOs' way of thinking was to build a federal union and while the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement was drafted, although the way of thinking was to build a federal union, they have had new ways of thinking, he said.

" When almost all the EAOs drafted the NCA together, their negotiated agreement was to build a federal union. But as time goes by, some more ways of thinking have emerged. Since the NCA started in 2013-14, it's been a long time. It's no wonder that some more ways of thinking have emerged. Effect emerged from cause which we must accept. It's the reality." said Col. Saw Kyaw Nyunt.

All the ethnic groups in Myanmar should establish the country after finding an answer for the political problem for the sake of the union, he said. 

The 7 EAO allies would start administering in the territories they had seized control of with the self-determinization ruling system, said General Yawd Serk, chairman of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA) at the meeting held in March, 2024.

If it took long without finding an answer during armed conflicts, ways of thinking would change, U Tun Aung Kyaw, member of the policy steering committee of the ANP, told CNI News.

" Armed groups are fighting for their ambitions because they think that the political problem can't be solved with the political means. And then when it takes for a long time, when one side isn't able to defeat the other decisively, based on the reality, their ways thinking can change. I wonder if they might want to sit at the political rountable. It might be in 2025 and beyond 2025, I think." he said.

The Arakan Army (AA) has said that it will build at least a confederation status while the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has told its people to get ready to build a country if needed. 

In the same way, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has said that EAOs could consider more than a federal union in 2025.

At present, battles are breaking out between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and some EAOs/revolutionary forces in Rakhine, Chin, Kachin, Kayah (Karenni), Karen States, Sagaing, Mandalay and Magway Regions.

While the Myanmar Tatmadaw becomes weak after Myanmar is in a political crisis, EAOs have changed way of thinking from building a federal democratic union to building confederation states and are fighting for it.

CNI News

17 September 2024

Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC), went to flood-hit places inside Bagan region and the Naypyidaw Council Territory on 15th September and told officials concerned to speed up reconstruction tasks.

He went and looked at the situations of the roads, bridges, small dams, agricultural and livestock industries that were damaged by the flood and instructed officials concerned to carry out reconstruction tasks as soon as possible.

And then, he went to Bagan region and looked at pagodas and stupas that were ruined by the flood and instructed officials concerned to speed up maintenance tasks. 

After was raining cats and dogs due to the Yagi storm in Myanmar, 34 townships were flooded and there are over 200,000 flood-victims.

So, the SAC has opened 187 rescue camps to help flood-hit victims, and 59413 households and 236649 people were moved.

At present, Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing is exercising close supervision to minimize damage and loss in the flood-hit regions as well as to carry out recue tasks as soon as possible.

CNI News

17 September 2024

While the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO) is complying with the Nationwide Ceasefire agreement and striving for the interests of the people, the current chairman of the PNLO doesn't use the collective leadership policy but his own policy, abusing the policy, said Col. Khun Okkar.

The current chairman of the PNLO, Col. Khun Thurein is ruling the organization with his own policy and breaking the NCA. 

Moreover, he is fighting against the Pa-O National Organization (PNO/PNA) and the State Administration Council (SAC). 

So, damages and losses of towns and villages, and an increase in the number of IDPs could be obviously seen, stated Col. Khun Okkar on 10th September.

Col.Khun Thurein

So, he had made a decision to resign from the PNLO offshoot led by Khun Thurein for good because as a patron of the PNLO/PNLA, he was unavoidably responsible, stated Col. Khun Okkar. He would have nothing to do with the PNLO offshoot in future, reported Col. Khun Okkar.

He would continue to carry out for the national politics after resigning from the PNLO offshoot, said Col. Khun Okkar. The PPLO led by Col. 

Khun Okkar who seceded from  the Pa-O National Organization (PNO) and elements led by Col. Khun Thurein who seceded from the SNPLO re-organized and established the PNLO with small other Pa-O forces at a national conference held somewhere on the Thai-Myanmar border in 2009.

And then, the PNLO/PNLA re-entered the Pa-O region 2012 and it collaborated with the PNO/PNA in carrying out the Pa-O national political tasks until the end of 2023; Col. Khun Okkar, Khun Myint Tun and Col. Khun Thurein took responsibility as rotating chairmen of the PNLO from 2009 to 2023, said the statement released on 10th September 2024 by Col. Khun Okkar.

While seeing the 7 EAO Alliance and the NSPNC

The PNLO signed the bilateral ceasefire agreement at the state level and the union level under the government led by President U Thein Sein. Moreover, it signed the NCA on 15th October 2015. 

And then, as a representative of the PNLO, Col. Khun Okkar took part in the 7 EAO Alliance and is holding peace talks with the Myanmar Tatmadaw.

So, the PNLO led by Col. Khun Thurein has stopped participating in the NCA since it started military conflict with the Myanmar Tatmadaw on 21st January 2024; so it has not sent its representatives to both the 7 EAO Alliance and the NCA signatory PNLO, said in a statement released on 13th September 2024.

The only decision of five leaders represents the PNLO from that day on and they are three chairmen, a general secretary and a member of the Central Executive Committee, stated the PNLO led by Col. Khun Thurein.

14 September 2024

Because it was continuously raining heavily, wards in low lying land in Maukme Town has been flooded, the people in the wards are needing help, said locals.

Low lying places in Zaydan Ward, Kon Kyaing, Mwedaw, Taung Myo Wards have been flooded since 12th September and around 1,000 people in those places have been flood victims and they are desperately in need of help.

Because of the floods, seven cows were killed and the bridge connecting Seesone Ward with Taung Myo Ward drifted. 

While Maukme Town in southern Shan State is being flooded  (Num Hpa Leng)

Moreover, telecommunication and electricity have been cut out; there were some landslides and big trees collapsed and they have blocked the roads; paddy fields were also flooded, said locals.

Floods are currently taking place in southern Shan State, eastern Shan State, Mon, Karen States, Mandalay, Magway Regions and Naypyidaw, and the flood victims in those places are in need of help.

CNI News

14 September 2024

A general election that contains all ethnic groups should be created because the multiparty democratic system is based, Naing Than Shwe, spokesperson of the Mon Unity Party (MUP), told CNI News.

The ethnic political parties that have been refused by the Union Election Commission have got entangled with what facts, which should be verified, he said.

" Multiparty democratic system will be based. And the State Administration Council has said that will be all inclusive. We must hold an all inclusive election. But some ethnic political parties have been refused. What sections of the law have these parties got entangled with? Is it related to individuals or the whole party. .It should be examined thoroughly. If an individual gets entangled with the law, what should we do? it's very important. Especially, all ethnic groups should take part in the election. Only if so, can we enjoy the essence of federal democracy, I think." said Naing Than Shwe to CNI News.

While seeing ethnic youths

Laws and bylaws relating to re-registration of political parties were released by the UEC on 31st January 2023 and the UEC instructed political parties to re-register within 60 days. 

However, some political parties including the Arakan National Party (ANP) and the Zomi Congress for Democracy Party (ZCD) have been refused to register.

Because the ANP had been refused to register, it weaken the interest of Rakhine people in democracy and politics, U Tun Aung Kyaw, member of the policy steering committee of the ANP, told CNI News.

While the UEC was explaining how to vote

" The intention of our party is that we will express or point out for the interest of the people if necessary. If we don't have the right to do so, as a party that has gained the support of most people in Rakhine State, we feel that the UEC's performance has a lot of necessities. Moreover, our Rakhine people won't be interested in the matters that will be carried out politically because the party they support has been refused the right to exist." he said.

The chairman of the SAC has said that the census-taking will be conducted in October this year and a general election will be held in 2025.

CNI News

14 September 2024

Although the prices of foreign currencies including US dollar have been falling since the past week, the prices of fuel oil have not fallen, which is being reviewed and discussed by businessmen and banking experts.

The prices of fuel oil have not fallen possibly because the current price of global petroleum is on the rise; when fuel oil is bought on contract, because oil tankers take about 30 days to arrive in Myanmar, fuel oil that are being currently sold might have been bought while the price of dollar was going up.

However, the price of dollar has declined to an extent now, fuel oil supervisory committee should exercise close supervision on fuel oil entrepreneurs, U Aung Pyit Sone, a businessman, told CNI News.

" The price of dollar has fallen today. One dollar is 5,200 kyats. But an oil tanker that will sell fuel oil at 5.200 kyats per dollar doesn't arrive in Thilwa Port at once. We have to wait for about one month. Oil tankers that have arrived already have been ordered at previous price. The fuel oil supervisory committee has known that already. But when the price of dollar was high, fuel oil was sold at high price. It's necessary to sell fuel oil at a lower price when the price of dollar falls for the sake of people. The supervisory committee needs to exercise close supervision on the entrepreneurs." he said.

While seeing an oil tanker

Because it was hard to estimate how the trade was going, although the price of dollar falls, the prices of products related to dollar have not fallen; it was likely because the products were bought at a higher price, pointed out businessmen and banking experts. However, the root cause why the prices have not fallen might be due to other causes rather than having bought at high prices, U Htay Aung Kyi, a banking expert, told CNI News.

" The price of dollar falls, but the price of fuel oil hasn't fallen yet. We are buying fuel oil at 3,200 kyats per litter. People generally think the price will fall if there are a lot of supply. Is it because the products were bought at a higher price? Reasons are related to one another in detail. It will be convenient to tackle only if this ideology is seen." he said.

The prices of foreign currencies including dollar are stable at present to an extent not because Myanmar kyat becomes strong again, but because the Central Bank of Myanmar is selling out dollars at a large scale, reviewed some people.

CNI news

14 September 2024

Because of mountain torrent flood after it was raining heavily, Kalaw Town was sunk until 15 to 20 feet and about 100 people were killed, said locals. 

At present, 40 dead bodies have been found and about 500 houses were destroyed, said locals.

" The reason why many people died is that older people refused to move to safety, saying the flood takes place every year. People had no time to do anything because the flood came so fast. Now some phone connections have been available again. Because the electricity is not available, phone batteries are running out. We can use MPT. But the sound is not clear. It's not convenient to eat out because all the restaurants have been sunk. People are helping one another as able as they can. Streets are being cleaned." said Thin Zar Htet Facebook account.

Floods are taking place in eastern and southern Shan State, Karen, Mon States, Bago, Mandalay, Magway Regions, Naypyidaw and locals are avoiding flood.