Myanmar Morning News For September 20

Aung San Suu Kyi speaks, but does the world believe her?
The staging of two very different meetings in Myanmar’s gleaming, Chinese-built international convention center in the capital, Naypyitaw, on Tuesday captured an incongruous disconnect over the escalating refugee crisis in western Rakhine State, in western Myanmar, and the sense of “business as usual” in the country’s big cities.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Rohingya being wiped off Myanmar’s map
For generations, Rohingya Muslims have called Myanmar home. Now, in what appears to be a systematic purge, the minority ethnic group is being wiped off the map.
— Bangkok Post

Arrivals of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar is worsening condition in a refugee camp
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh–The condition of the Kutupalong refugee camp for Rohingya in Bangladesh’s southeastern town of Cox’s Bazar is predicted to get worse due to the influx of Rohingya rsfugees from Myanmar.
— ThaiPBS

Construction, interior design exhibition underscores higher living standards in Myanmar
Standards in construction and home living are rising in Myanmar. This year, the Myanmar Build & Décor, an exhibition for building materials, furniture and décor, is expecting over 200 companies from the region to showcase their products and services in the country. Over 6,000 visitors are projected to attend, more than double the number in 2014.
— Myanmar Times

Is Myanmar’s jade business driving ethnic tensions?
Over the past few weeks, nearly 400,000 people escaping violence in Myanmar’s eastern state of Rakhine have streamed into Bangladesh, creating a humanitarian crisis. The UN Security Council has condemned the violence against the Rohingya people, calling it “ethnic cleansing”.
— Aljazeera

Myanmar parliament to Thai loan for Dawei SEZ road
The Ministry of Commerce says borrowing from Thailand to build a two-lane road that will connect the Dawei Special Economic Zone to Thailand will be discussed in parliament.
— Eleven Myanmar

Tech Venture Capital Firm Receives $5 Mln Investment
Myanmar’s largest online property portal, iMyanmarHouse.com has announced an investment of $5 million into a venture capital (VC) fund for local tech startups, U Nay Min Thu, Managing Director of iMyanmarHouse.com, told Myanmar Business Today.
— Myanmar Business Today

Three gas turbine power plants expect to generate sufficient electricity supply next year
Three new natural gas-fired power plants with the capacity to generate more than 450 megawatts of power are expected to go live before the coming summer season.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar turns to marketable crops
Myanmar’s commerce ministry has announced plans to grow crops that can penetrate international markets.
— Eleven Myanmar

Consumers urged to complain about faulty goods and services
The government has urged the people to be aware of their consumer rights and file complaints against defective products and poor services.
— Myanmar Times

Deal-making opportunities galore as Myanmar targets $11b FDI by 2030
Despite mounting political tensions in Myanmar’s Rakhine region, Maung Maung Win, deputy minster of the Ministry of Planning and Finance is targeting an inflow of $11 billion in foreign direct investment per year by 2030.
— DealStreetAsia

Suu Kyi says Myanmar ready to welcome back Rohingya refugees
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi said her government was ready to welcome back Rohingya refugees who fled a crackdown by security forces over the past month.
— The Edge Markets

Bangladesh to buy 100,000 tonnes of white rice from Myanmar
Bangladesh is to buy 100,000 tonnes of white rice from Myanmar at $442 a tonne, putting aside worsening relations over the Rakhine refugee crisis as the government races to overcome a shortage of the country’s staple food.
— Mizzima

Mandalay workers march for higher wage
More than 500 workers from nearly 15 factories took to the streets on September 17 in Mandalay Region and made six demands, including raising the current minimum wage K3600 as soon as possible.
— Myanmar Times

Feature photo FAO/Hkun Lat
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Myanmar morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Myanmar news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.