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CNI News
11 March 2024
Because of battles breaking out between the Tatmadaw/militia joint forces and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA)/ the People's Defense Force (PDF) joint forces in Kachin State, parts of the trade route have been closed reportedly.
Bhamo-Lweje road and Myitkyina-Bhamo road were closed temporarily on 7th March, 2024 when the battles broke out and the roads were open in the morning of 8th March, 2024 reportedly.
As the battles are taking place in Bhamo and Momauk Townships and it was not easy to take out bananas and sugar canes from Momauk Township, it's been difficult to export them to China from Lweje and it was not convenient to pass northern part of Bhamo but it was just okay in southern part, Ko Hein Zin Tun, a truck driver from Lweje, told CNI News.
" I don't know for sure. I heard the roads were closed, but it was said that this morning they were open. I haven't heard of battles taking place in Momauk. But there is military tension there. We can't take out products from there such as bananas and sugarcanes to be sent to Lweje. We can't go through Thandaung and Myothit. Currently, we are going to Ruili and Lweje. To tell you exactly, we can't go from the northern part of Bhamo, but we can go from the southern part." he said.
Because of battles, Bhamo-Myitkyina Road has been closed; because the Bhamo road has been closed, it's been difficult to transport goods to Lweje border trade; they couldn't go to the banana farms in Hkayan Village, Waingmaw Township, Ko Shan Gyi, a truck driver, told CNI News.
KIA troops
" The battles didn't impact a lot yesterday. But going in and out of banana farms stopped for a moment. It's not easy to go to Hkayan alone. We can go to all the remaining places. As the Myitkyina-Bhamo Road has been closed for the time being, we can't go on that road. If the battles break out in Bhamo, it will be difficult to go to Lweje. We can go to Kan Pite Tee because it is distant from battles." he said.
Because of the fighting on the routes bordering Kachin State and Sagaing Region in February, Myitkyina-Bhamo Road and Mandalay-Bamo Road were closed reportedly.
Because of battles that broke out on 7th March 2024, locals had to be displaced and it was not safe in Bamo, a Bhamo local told CNI News.
" Bhamo-Myitkyina Main Road has been closed and so has Bhamo-Mandalay Road. People from villages where battles broke out came towards Bhamo. But for the time being, our travelling has not been affected because battles took place around the road that was closed firstly. In fact, we are worried. It's not too safe even in our town." he said.
Due to battles breaking out in Kachin State, trade routes are often closed and trucks are also frequently stuck.
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CNI News
11 March 2024
There are reviews among political circles regarding how the diplomatic rivalry between the State Administration Council (SAC) and the National Unity Government (NUG) is.
The SAC and the NUG have been competing in political, military and diplomatic affairs starting from 1st February, 2021.
There are more than 190 counties in the United Nations (UN) and over 120 countries support and recognize the NUG. On the other hand, only a few countries including Russia and China support and recognize the SAC, U Than Soe Naing, a Myanmar political commentator, told CNI News.
While seeing the SAC government
"Among over 190 countries which are included in the UN, 127 countries support the NUG. About 35 countries are non-aligned. China, Russia and some of their followers only support the SAC. I think they are only five countries in total. By looking at this position, which side has the upper hand in diplomacy is obvious. As the ASEAN is a colorful organization. Some countries did what the SAC liked. But because the ASEAN was able to lay down five decisions, it was obvious which side is stronger." he said.
The SAC and the NUG are trying to get recognition from neighboring countries including the UN and the ASEAN. The ASEAN Annual Defense Ministers Meeting held in Vientiane, Laos, on 5th March, 2024 was attended by U Zaw Naing Win, director general of the Defense Ministry's International Affairs Department.
Because the SAC attended the ASEAN Annual Defense Ministers Meeting, it couldn't be said that the SAC has had the upper hand in the diplomatic affairs. According to the 2008 Constitution, the SAC was currently a legitimate government, Dr.Aung Myo, a Myanmar political commentator, told CNI News.
While seeing members of the NUG
" In any case, the SAC is a legitimate government. Generals only take the responsibility for The Ministry of Defense. A person wearing the current military uniform attended the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting. It's no wonder. He must be allowed to attend the meeting. So, the SAC has had the upper hand in diplomatic affairs, that we can't say it for sure. According the 2008 Constitution, the SAC is currently a legitimate government which some accepted while others don't." he said.
Having said that the NLD was trying to form a government without solving the vote list dispute that took place in the 2020 general election, the Tatmadaw overthrew the NLD government on 1st February, 2021 and it has taken the State power after declaring the state of emergency.
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CNI News
9 March 2024
Although Malaysia has allowed undocumented foreigners and overstayers to go home with certificate of identity (CI) starting from 1st March 2024, the number of Myanmar people who go home has been still few, Myanmar philanthropic associations in Malaysia told CNI News.
Although there are about 600,000 undocumented foreigners in Malaysia, the number of people who went home was just 800, said the Minister for Home Affairs of Malaysia at a press conference on 1st March.
Because that program has been valid up to December, the number of people who go home might be few and they might be waiting to win job opportunities. Moreover, the ill only were making preparation to go home, U Aung, chairman of the Malaysia-based Yadana Sekka Funeral Service told CNI News.
" For the time being, the number of people who go home still has been few. There was only one immigration department in Johor in the past. But now there have been three or four departments. Everyone is allowed to print their fingerprints in the immigration department in every township. The people who will go home are mostly Nepalese, Bangladeshi and Indonesian ones. They have to wait in line since early in the morning. Myanmar people have not neen among them as yet. According to the current Myanmar political situation, Myanmar people who prepared to go home haven't gone back. For the time being, those who will go home are the ill and pregnant women." he said.
While seeing those who will apply for CI books
Among those who want to go home, the people who has no passports must apply for CIs at the Myanmar Embassy in person.
However, Myanmar people from distant regions find it difficult for the journey to come to the embassy, according to Myanmar philanthropic associations in Malaysia. So, it would be convenient if the embassy opened its branches, Ko Thet, chairman of the Lovely Heart Philanthropic Youths Blood Donors Association, told CNI News.
" Myanmar people from distant places have to come three to five hours in advance to apply for CI. It would be convenient if the embassy opened its branches in other townships. Brokers will be involved. Most of our people don't know how to do such as how to go to immigration department, how to wait in line and how to buy air tickets in advance. Brokers will ask at least 400 to 500 ringgits." he said.
Undocumented and overstayers Myanmar people must pay 500 ringgits for the fine and pay for air tickets as well, Myanmar Embassy stated.
According to that program, undocumented foreigners including Myanmar citizens and overstayers have been allowed to go home. So, arrests have been reduced in Malaysia reportedly.
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CNI News
9 March 2024
In exporting bananas to China through Kan Pite Tee border trade since the banana season this year, because of unlicensed trucks entering from China, Myanmar truck owners are finding it difficult, said truck drivers.
Because banana farm owners are using unlicensed vehicles from China to export bananas, the number of times that Myanmar trucks carry bananas is decreasing.
Compared to the same period last year, Myanmar trucks had carried banana 20 times from November, when the banana season started, to March. However, at present, because of unlicensed Chinese trucks, a Myanmar truck has carried banana only eight times, Ko Htut, a truck driver from Kan Pite Tee, told CNI News.
" We can't carry banana many times because there are many unlicensed trucks here. Banana farm owners and Chinese people have bought unlicensed trucks. It's difficult for our licensed trucks. So, we have to go down until Mandalay and carry pumpkins and watermelons. We had carried banana more than 20 times at a time like this last year. But this year, we have carried banana only eight or nine times at most."he said.
While seeing tissue bananas
The number of unlicensed trucks that entered from China is about half of Myanmar licensed ones and some of Myanmar licensed trucks there have been parked reportedly. Some Myanmar trucks went to Mandalay and carry watermelon and onion from Mandalay.
Although the truck owners have to get a lot of money for transporting goods from Mandalay, having to pay the checkpoints along the way was a lot, said truck drivers.
In comparison with unlicensed Chinese trucks, the number of times Myanmar licensed trucks carry banana has been reduced about half. So, he wanted authorities to control unlicensed Chinese trucks, Ko Shine Way, a truck driver from Kan Pite Tee, told CNI News.
" The number of unlicensed Chinese trucks is about 30 to 40. It is about half of licensed Myanmar trucks. Chinese traders and banana farm owners have bought these unlicensed trucks. Some of our trucks go down to Mandalay and carry goods such as watermelon and onion from there. It's not difficult to go down to lower part, but there are so many checkpoints along the way. So, we have to pay a lot. Now about two third of our licensed trucks go down to carry goods from lower country. It is convenient for us if authorities can control unlicensed trucks. If they can't, when unlicensed trucks have carried banana six times, we have only three times." he said.
Tissue bananas grown in Waingmaw and Myitkyina Townships, Kachin State are being exported to China through Kan Pite Tee border trade and banana season is from November to June reportedly.
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CNI News
8 March 2024
The amendment of the law regarding political parties by the Union Election Commission was making preparations to seize the properties of political parties kind of, Sai Leik, general secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), told CNI News.
A party which is designated to be void automatically because of not re-applying for party registration or a member of a party who is not lower than the position of a central executive - if one of them broke the Sub-Subsection (4),(5),(6) or (7) of the Subsection (a) of the Section 12, the properties of the party must be deposited to the department or the organization designated by the government in accordance with the way designated, the UEC stated on 5th March, 2024.
The amendment of the law needed to verify whether a person's action represented the entire organization or not. This was not a fair law, said Sai Leik.
While seeing Sai Leik, general secretary of the SNLD party
" This law, to tell you frankly, is the one that has amended the law they stated in February. If a CEC of a party that doesn't re-register violates a law they have enacted, the property of the party will be seized, according to their law. They should review whether it's reasonable or not. They have to review whether an individual's crime or activity represents the entire organization." he said.
"In my opinion, this is not a reasonable law. No matter it was stated by the UEC or the State Administration Council (SAC), they are looking for a reason to confiscate the property of major political parties that don't re-register." he said to CNI News.
Political Parties Registration Laws and Regulations were stated by the UEC on 31st January 2023 and political parties must register within 60 days, according to the law. However, some parties including the NLD and the SNLD did not re-register.
While seeing Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and leaders of political parties
There was no reason for the criticism of the amended Political Party Registration Law and they had given the list of properties that their party own, U Kyaw Aung, from the Ta'ang National Party (TNP), told CNI News.
" Our party has nothing to criticize it for the time being. As they define. We don't re-register. We have given the list of our party's property including money and office supplies. We don't want to talk about it anymore." he said.
After the UEC had told political parties to re-register, more than 40 political parties have been registered.
Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the SAC said the census would be taken in 2024 and a general election would be held after which the State power would be handed over to the winning party.
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CNI News
8 March 2024
Some factories and workshops in Mae Sot, on the Thai-Myanmar border, were dismissing legal workers for no reason and hiring illegal ones, Ko Thargyi, a person who is helping in the affairs of migrant workers.
Doing like this was for the interests of factories and workshops and the factories and workshops hired illegal workers, saying labor certificates would be issued and then, their salaries were being underpaid monthly from the time when they started working, he added.
" Because illegal migrant Myanmar people from all walks of life have entered Thailand, employers have dismissed their legal workers in their factories for no reason. A few days ago, a factory that produces glass frames dismissed 70 workers. And then, it has hired workers who entered illegally, asking 2,00 to 3,000 baht for fee for job application. Many problems like that are taking place in Mae Sot." said Ko Thargyi.
While Thai authorities are checking Myanmar workers
Such situations arose because a lot of Myanmar people stay in Mae Sot as well as more and more absconders from Myanmar are entering. Moreover, as Thai citizens realize the administration situation in Myanmar, they were exploiting the situation, those who are helping migrant workers reviewed.
Moreover, Thai authorities are fining Myanmar people who enter Thailand through the No.1 Friendship Bridge between Myawady and Mae Sot with border pass from 1,500 to 3,000 baht reportedly. Although there is no shortage of jobs in border areas in Thailand, many workers are working without having set rights and wages there, U Min Oo, in charge of labor affairs from the FED, told CNI News.
"There are plenty of jobs in areas related to tourism in the season like this. Jobs are available in factories, workshops and farms as well. But those who are working without getting fixed rights and wages have been more." he said.
While seeing a workshop
Thai officials from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Home Affairs have carried out more strictly monitoring and inspection in wards and townships for the security, he added.
Although most Myanmar people sneaked into Thailand through Phayathonsu and Myawady-Maesot gateways in the past, Kawthaung-Ranong border gates are being used just now by many Myanmar people who enter Thailand illegally.
And then, many of them are being arrested reportedly.
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CNI News
8 March 2024
If there were armed people on the border trade route, traders could not only encounter obstacles in the way of trade but also experience increases in financial costs, reportedly.
Discussions are being made in order to re-open China-Myanmar border trade and the State Administration Council (SAC) is talking about not being any armed groups along the border trade route.
" There are gates or check points of seven or eight armed groups on the trade route including the Tatmadaw, the KIA, Shan and Ta'ang. Moreover, there are still checkpoints of armed groups that arise later. We don't have to pay not more than 10,000 at the Tatmadaw's checkpoint. But we have to pay 200,000 kyats at least at the checkpoints of so-called revolutionary organizations. So, because there are so many armed groups on the trade route, it's impossible to make commodity price fall." said U Nay Myo Win, an importer, to CNI News.
While seeing the policemen inspecting the trucks
Because of the money paid to the armed organizations, the traders had to raise the prices and sell to the customers. So, the customers only were mainly affected, said traders. The main border trade routes of Myanmar are Myawady-Thailand, Muse-China, Tamu-India and Rakhine-Bangladesh routes, and all of them are stagnant due to battles.
Trade costs are rising exponentially because armed groups are asking money on the way to Myla and Tachileik border gates in eastern Shan State as well as Kan Pite Tee and Lweje border trade gates in Kachin State.
" Regarding trade, Myanmar is depending on the border trade. As along as you can't make the border trade routes safe and smooth, it's not sure to develop within 10 years to come because Myanmar has no direct trade with Europe and the US. If the trade routes were safe and smooth, exporters would make a reasonable profit, the State's GDP would increase as well and the people can buy goods at a reasonable prices." said U San Naing, a watermelon trader, to CNI News.
While seeing trucks
Although armed groups ask money on the trade routes, any armed group didn't guarantee the security for traders and truck drivers, said truck drivers.
" If armed groups ask money, we must pay them. But no armed group guarantees for our security. No one guarantees what will happen within one mile ahead. We have to go after inquiry for our livelihood." said Ko Htet Naing, a truck driver, to CNI News.
There are Myanmar Tatmadaw, Militia, Border Guard Force, the People's Defense Force, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Karen National Union (KNU), the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Arakan Army (AA) on the border trade routes of Myanmar.
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CNI News
7 March 2024
The Arakan Army (AA) could shape its goal after the three northern armed groups aka the Three Brotherhood Alliance (MNDAA,TNLA and AA) implemented the Operation-1027, U Myo Kyaw from the United Nationalities Alliance, told CNI News.
The AA could shape its goal, confederation and it could carry out administration, legislation and judiciary in the territories that it has captured, he said.
" The AA has expressed the word, confederation since before. They want the confederate that is not less that the status the Wa group has won. We have to keep a close watch on the situation. After the Operation-1027, their goal has been shaped. In other words, they can do a lot in their territory. It's impossible for the Tatmadaw to re-enter the places that it has retreated. We have to watch how the AA will shape a government." he said.
While seeing the AA force
At present, battles are severely breaking out between the AA and the Tatmadaw in Rakhine State and local people are fleeing to safety. The AA made a lot of profit during the Operation-1027 that was launched on 27th October, 2023 and the AA was making efforts to control anymore of territories, Dr.Aung Myo, a Myanmar political commentator, told CNI News.
" The AA made a lot of profit from the Operation-1027. Although the Operation-1027 was finished, its goal has not yet been achieved. The TNLA and the MNDAA have just been able to take a foothold from the operation. Because the AA hasn't, it'll have to go on. Its movement doesn't stop, we have to say like this." he said.
The AA had no plan to break away from the union and establish a separate country; the AA had aimed to establish a state that is not lower than the confederation status, said Khaing Thukha, spokesperson of the AA at the press conference held on 4th March 2024.
While seeing Khaing Thukha, information officer of the AA
" We haven't had any plan to build a separate country up to now. We have revealed clearly that we want to get a status that is not lower than the confederation. We won't ask our enemy to get it. We will continue to carry out to surely get it by ourselves." said Khaing Thukha.
Establishing or not establishing a separate country was directly proportional to whether or not they could live together. Moreover, unhappy situation despite living together and the situation in which their people were arrested, tortured and killed must be considered, he said.
After the Operation-1027 was launched, the AA has seized control of Pauktaw, Kyauktaw, Myebon, Mrauk U, Taung Pyo Letwe, Minbya, Ponnagyun Towns in Rakhine State and Paletwa and Samee Towns in Chin State.
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CNI News
7 March 2024
The current harvesting fee for summer and winter rice paddy has increased by more than 30,000 kyats, according to farmers.
Although harvesting fee for summer rice paddy was about 100,000 kyats per acre last year, the fee currently has been from 130,000 to 150,000 kyats. However, the price of paddy was about 16 lakh kyats per 100 baskets last year and at present, the price has been 22 lakh kyats.
So, harvesting fee also increased, U Thein Aung, chairman of the Farmer Development Association, told CNI News.
"It's no wonder because in the past, harvesting fee was equal to the price of 8 baskets of paddy. Although the fee has increased, it's not more than the price of 8 baskets of paddy now. In comparison with the price of paddy, you can't say the harvesting fee is expensive. At a time like this last year, Thukha (kind of paddy) became about 16 lakhs. But its price has been 22 lakh kyats now. The price of paddy has gone up by 6 lakh kyats on average.”he said.
While harvesting rice
Winter paddy is currently harvested and farmers have started harvesting summer paddy in Ayeyarwady Region. Starting from April, summer paddy will be reaped in all townships reportedly.
Although the cost of harvesting and threshing increased, because the price of rice received by farmers was higher than before, farmers didn't make a loss, said farmers. In the past, because the harvesting was conducted by manpower, it was costlier than at present. In the same way, because the machine maintenance costs are also rising, the current harvesting fee is reasonable, U Aye Naing, a farmer from Bogale Township, told CNI News.
While harvesting rice
" Farmers in Dedaye, Kungyangon and Pyapon have started reaping summer rice. The cost of harvesting and threshing has increased. Maybe it's from 1.2 to 1.5 lakh kyats. It's lower than the price of 10 baskets of grain. So, you can't say that the fee for harvesting and threshing is expensive. 100 baskets of grain can be produced from one acre on which additional cultivation is conducted. We can sell 100 baskets of grain at 20 lakh kyats. If we hire a harvester and thresher machine, it costs us less than using manpower." he said.
The yield of summer grain is good this year and 100 baskets of grain can be produced from an acre. So, although the cost for cultivation on an acre was 15 lakh kyats, according to the current price of grain, farmers can make a profit of 500,000 kyats per acre, said farmers.