Myanmar morning news for November 15

Myanmar morning news for November 15
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Myanmar morning newsPence: Myanmar jailing of Reuters pair ‘deeply troubling’
The jailing of two Reuters journalists in Myanmar over their reporting of the Rohingya crisis is “deeply troubling”, US Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday, describing a “free and independent” media as a core American value.
— FMT News

Pence Decries Violence Against Rohingya in Open Remarks to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
S Vice President Mike Pence criticized Myanmar’s military for the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in a meeting with the country’s leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, on Wednesday and said he was keen to hear that those responsible for the violence would be held accountable.
— The Irrawaddy

Press Council to mediate over Yangon govt complaint against Weekly Eleven journalists
Myanmar Press Council (MPC) met with officials from Eleven Media Group (EMG) to discuss the complaint lodged by the Yangon Region government against three journalists from Weekly Eleven Journal including the chief editor at the council office in Botahtaung Township on November 13.
— Eleven Media

Construction on China-Myanmar border economic cooperation zone begins
Work on establishing an economic cooperation zone along the Myanmar-China border has started with the priority given to the Muse (Myanmar)-Ruili (China) section, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Tuesday.
— mizzima.com

Bible students escape from China-backed militia in Myanmar
Some of the Bible students forcibly recruited by a China-backed ethnic minority army in Mynamar’s northern Shan State have managed to escape.
— UCA News

EOI to be invited for border economic zone project in Myanmar-China border
The ministry will invite private companies to submit Expression of Interest (EOI) for the border economic zone project in Muse of Myanmar-China border, said Aung Htoo, Deputy Minister for Commerce.
— Eleven Media

National anti-drug strategy set to be released next month
The country’s plan of action in the fight against illegal drugs will be announced in December, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control said.
— Myanmar Times

UN urges Dhaka against Rohingya return as plan sows ‘terror’ in camps
The UN rights chief on Tuesday urged Bangladesh to halt imminent plans to start returning Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, warning doing so risked further grave violations against the Muslim minority.
— Frontier Myanmar

MWRN and labour attaché rescue 34 Myanmar migrant workers
Myanmar labour attaché and Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN) in Thailand rescued 34 Myanmar migrant workers, who are being exploited by human traffickers, and sent back to Myanmar on November 13, sources said.
— Eleven Media

Myanmar’s neighbours to call for ‘accountability’ in Rakhine Crisis: draft statement
Southeast Asian nations will call for those responsible for atrocities in Myanmar’s Rakhine State to be held “fully accountable,” according to a statement prepared for a regional summit, reflecting a stronger line being taken within the group.
— The Irrawaddy

Japan Wants To Help N-E Set Up Links With Bangladesh, Myanmar
The Ambassador of Japan to India, Kenji Hiramatsu said Japan aimed to support the development of the North Eastern region by connecting the intra-regional links as well as the links between the North East and neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Myanmar.
— The Shillong Times

Myanmar central bank takes another step in the right direction for trade finance
Hopes are once again rising for trade finance in Myanmar after the country’s central bank issued a notification that all branches of foreign banks now have the right to provide financing and other banking services to local businesses.
— Global Trade Review

UN Will Not Help Myanmar with Long-term Camps for Rohingya: Document
The United Nations’ refugee agency will not provide humanitarian assistance to Rohingya Muslims who return to Myanmar if they are interned in camps, according to an internal position paper circulated days before the initial repatriation is due to start.
— The Irrawaddy

Parliamentary approval sought to loan 80m Yuan from China to buy railway coaches
The Ministry of Transport and Communications has submitted the matter of seeking China loans without interest to buy railway carriages to Union Parliament for approval.
— Eleven Media

Bangladesh to repatriate Rohingya refugees to Myanmar ‘voluntarily’
Bangladesh has begun preparations to repatriate an initial batch of Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar on Thursday, but it is still unclear if any of them want to return, humanitarian officials said.
— The Irish Times

Arrested Aceh Fisherman Dies in Myanmar: Official
Indonesian fisherman Nurdin (41) of East Aceh District drowned in Myanmar waters when Myanmar authorities tried to arrest him last week along with 15 other fishermen.
— tempo.co

Yangon-based Chin CSOs to cooperate with govt on refugee return
Yangon-based Chin civil society organizations (CSOs) and the Burmese government have agreed to cooperate in helping repatriate Chin refugees now in Malaysia and India.
— BNI

Peace Process is at a phase of ceasefire, People’s Analysis Report says
The director of the Karen Development Network-KDN said that existing peace process between the government and the ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) is no more than ceasefire position. The director of KDM Rev. Matthew Aye gave the comment during the introduction ceremony of people’s analysis report at GABBNAR on 12 November in Hpaan, Karen State.
BNI

Govt spends emergency funds to replace bridge
The government used K202 million (US$125,684) in emergency funds for the construction of a temporary bridge on the Yangon-Mandalay highway after the Swar Creek Bridge was damaged by flooding in August, a senior official said.
— Myanmar Times

Ethnic armed groups discuss cooperating at Chiang Mai meet
Leaders from ceasefire signatory and non-signatory ethnic armed groups are meeting in Chiang Mai this week to discuss cooperation on the peace process.
— BNI

Arakan Front Party Rallies for 2020
The Arakan Front Party will work to forge alliances with other political parties to form a coalition government in the 2020 general elections, said party leader Dr. Aye Maung after his trial at Sittwe District Court on Monday.
— The Irrawaddy

NLD to discipline Karenni Chief Minister over land grab
The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) will take action against Karenni State Chief Minister L Phaung Sho for breaking party discipline after he was accused of stealing land from a Catholic church compound in his constituency, a party spokesperson said.
— The Irrawaddy

E-commerce legislation forthcoming on the back of growth potential
E-commerce in Myanmar is expected to develop fast over the next five years, when legislation governing the industry is targeted to come into force.
— Myanmar Times

Pyin Oo Lwin balloon fest set to soar
Pyin Oo Lwin’s five-day hot air balloon festival during the Tazaungdaing holiday will take place in Mandalay Region on November 19 this year, its organisers say.
— Myanmar Times

Karen State residents urge govt to stop factory’s switch to coal
People living near two military-run cement factories in the Karen State capital of Hpa-an are urging the government to stop the larger of them from switching to coal power.
— The Irrawaddy

Secession from the state is not stated in NCA: RCSS/SSA
Secession from the state is not stated in the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and they will follow in line with the NCA, according to emergency meeting of Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA) held on November 12.
— Eleven Media

Foreign Investment in Myanmar on the Rise: Deputy Minister for Planning and Finance
Myanmar’s deputy minister for planning and finance said foreign investment in Myanmar is on the rise, stating the country has so far attracted more than $12 billion in foreign investment since the National League for Democracy (NLD) government took office in 2016.
— The Irrawaddy

President proposes new foreign economic relations ministry as investment wanes
President U Win Myint proposed the formation of a new Ministry for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations in a letter to the Union parliament on Tuesday, as foreign direct investment falls amid low business confidence and concern among Western investors over the Rohingya crisis.
— Frontier Myanmar

Border trade hits over 700 million dollars over one month
From October 1 to November 2 of 2018-2019 fiscal year, the total border trade value reached US$ 705.994 million, up US$ 96.103 million compared with the same period last year, according to the Commerce Ministry.
— Eleven Media

Dutch expertise to support Yangon’s water management
Yangon’s regional government will receive support to tackle challenges regarding urban water and water logistics by a coalition of Dutch companies and organisations.
— Myanmar Times

Mandalay City Development Committee begins to remove squatters’ homes in Mandalay
Mandalay City Development Committee and the general administrative officials on November 13 started removing about 120 homes of squatters near a former airport site in Chanmyathazi township in Mandalay.
— mizzima.com

Entrepreneurs to call for total ban on offshore fishing vessels in no-fishing season
Myanmar Fishery Entrepreneurs Association will call for a total ban on offshore fishing vessels and onshore commercial fishing vessels during the no-fishing season, said Maung Maung Soe, President of Myanmar Marine Fishery Entrepreneurs Association.
— Eleven Media

Great Well shoe factory holds tripartite meeting over dispute
A tripartite meeting was held for the disputed Great Well shoe factory on November 13 evening. Yangon chief minister Phyo Min Thein and government officials, workers and owners of the factory held a discussion concerning the disputes.
— Eleven Media

NLD forms commission to review by-elections
The ruling National League for Democracy has organised a panel to review its poor performance in the November 3 by-elections, in which it won seven of the 13 seats it contested.
— Myanmar Times

DFID’s lending scheme targets small businesses in Myanmar
The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) will invest around US$2 million to help Myanmar develop a platform to finance small businesses, reducing the inequalities between SMEs and larger players.
— Myanmar Times

German firms eye Myanmar’s water sector
German companies will be travelling to Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay to explore Myanmar’s market focusing on water and wastewater infrastructure and a conference on the topic is hosted by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the German Water Partnership (GWP), in collaboration with the German Embassy in Yangon.
— Myanmar Times

The Kachin traditional festival of Thanksgiving launches in Chyinghtawng Pa in Sadung Township
The Kachin people’s traditional festival of Thanksgiving for new crops ceremony has been held splendidly on November 12 to 14 at Chyinghtawng Pa village in Sadung Township in Kachin State.
— BNI

Police arrest five men in connection with armed robbery in Ahlon
Police arrested five men in connection with an armed robbery at a house in Ahlon Township, according to Yangon Region police force.
— Eleven Media

Conservation of vultures species under research
A research will be made for the vultures in Myanmar and conservation of vultures will be carried out according to Dr. Thiri Dawei Aung from Biodiversity and nature Conservation Association (BANCA).
— Eleven Media

Official urges vaccination of cattle to stave off diseases
A senior agriculture official yesterday urged farmers to have their cows and buffaloes vaccinated to lessen the risk of infectious diseases during the changing of the seasons.
— Myanmar Times

Top UK fashion brands team up with law enforcement to combat modern slavery
Major British retailers including Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Next are joining forces with law enforcement agencies in a bid to eradicate labor exploitation and modern slavery from the fashion industry, Britain’s anti-slavery body said on Tuesday.
— The Irrawaddy

Organisers beckon runners to participate in Dec 2 fun run
The second Yangon 100PLUS Active Run will be held on December 2 at Thuwunna Indoor Stadium.
— Myanmar Times

A woman with a special love for Yangon
During her break in 2016, Maria Schaunitzer chose to volunteer for the development organisation Sonne International’s local in Myanmar SONNE Social Organisation (SSO). But in her short two-month stay in the city once considered the garden city of the east, she fell in love with the people of Myanmar, their friendly and unassuming ways and their diverse cultures, which she found fascinating.
— Myanmar Times

A helping hand for Yangon’s most vulnerable children
The heat of the November sun can be suffocating to most people in Yangon, but not for Ma SeinThandar. The mother of a five-month-old sickly boy suffering from uncontrollable muscle seizures just ignores the heat as she tries to peek through bamboo slats to where dozens of other children were having their lunch inside a hall.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar beat India to reach second qualifying round of 2020 Tokyo Olympic
Host Myanmar women team won a narrow victory over India at the first qualifying round of 2020 Tokyo Olympic (Asia Zone) on November 13 and reached to second qualifying round.
— Eleven Myanmar

Weather update: Monsoon’s not over
Don’t put away those umbrellas just yet. The rest of November in Yangon is going to stay wetter than usual thanks to expected tropical depressions, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology said this week.
— Coconuts Yangon

A Burmese Tycoon You Can’t Find Today
Nar Auk became a hero of the Burmese people by using the wealth he amassed as a successful businessman to resist the British Empire’s powerful Irrawaddy Flotilla Company and help the poor evade exploitation by British and Indian merchants.
— The Irrawaddy

 

Feature photo Human Rights Watch

This week’s Myanmar morning news feature photo acknowledges International Day for Tolerance, November 16.

 

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

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.

 

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With a decade of experience as an editor and journalist, Roy has edited mastheads across Australia and Southeast Asia, from the remote island communities of the Torres Strait to Cambodia’s only award-winning newspaper, The Phnom Penh Post.

A a professional photographer since the days of film, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Photomedia and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism.

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