Myanmar morning news for April 26, 2019

China to increase Myanmar’s rice export quota to 400,000 tonnes: MOC
China has agreed to import 400,000 tonnes of rice from Myanmar via sea, increasing its import quota for Myanmar rice from 100,000 tonnes currently, U Khin Maung Lwin, assistant secretary from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), told The Myanmar Times. “Rice can be shipped to China soon,” he said.
— Myanmar Times

Public mistrust slows adoption of e-commerce in Myanmar
The use of electronic payments in Myanmar, particularly at shopping centres and in online shopping, has been slowly catching on since the government made digital technology a priority in the 2015 National Export Strategy.
— Myanmar Times

3 people detained for drug plantation in Myanmar
Three people, including a U.S. national and two locals, have been detained by the Myanmar’s authorities for operating marijuana plantation in central Mandalay region, according to the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC).
— China.org

Protests challenge Myanmar’s Belt and Road participation
Protests held this week in northern Myanmar represent the latest obstacle to China’s long-time plan to dam its western neighbor’s largest and most important river. The demonstrations also appear politically timed, as they were held with Aung San Suu Kyi — Myanmar’s de facto leader — set to attend an international trade forum in Beijing.
— Gokunming

Premier Li meets Myanmar’s State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday met with Myanmar’s State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, who is here to attend the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.
— ecns

Myanmar’s Rent 2 Own raises $3m debt from impact investor Incofin
Myanmar-based Rent 2 Own, which offers motorcycle rental services to promote mobility and livelihood opportunities for low-income groups, has raised $3 million in debt financing from Incofin CVSO, one of the funds under the management of Belgian impact asset manager Incofin, according to an announcement.
— DealStreetAsia

Myanmar condemns attacks in Sri Lanka
Myanmar condemned on Thursday the barbaric acts of terrorism in Sri Lanka, according to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry.
— Xinhua

Another backward step for Myanmar as journalists lose appeal
If anyone still harbors hopes that Myanmar’s fragile democratization remains on track, look at the Supreme Court ruling on April 23 rejecting the appeal of two Reuters journalists against a 7-year jail sentence. The court’s decision is a hammer blow for democracy.
— UCA News

KIA outposts captured by Army
Myanmar’s army said on Wednesday that it had captured “seven or eight” outposts of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in northern Shan state, accusing the ethnic army of operating improperly in a controlled area during a four-month ceasefire that ends on April 30, RFA reported.
— Mizzima

Myanmar Takes Dancing with the Stars
Forever Group in Myanmar has licensed the rights to produce its own version of the BBC Studios format juggernaut Dancing with the Stars.
— World Screen

Tuberculosis cases cut by more than half in a decade
The incidence of tuberculosis in the country has declined by more than half in the past 10 years due to measures implemented by the government, according to U Myint Htwe, minister of Health and Sports.
— Myanmar Times

Era Myanmar born out of country’s ‘first agency merger’
Myanmar-based public relations agency Echo has merged with digital marketing firm Revotech. Called Era Myanmar, the new agency aims to be an integrated communications specialist.
— Mumbrella

‘Russia considers Myanmar to be a reliable ally’ – Russian Defence Minister
A delegation from Myanmar that arrived in Moscow to attend the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security visited Russian defence military-industrial enterprises and examined their production, Russian Defence Minister, Army General Sergey Shoigu said at a meeting with Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing, according to a TASS report.
— Mizzima

Foreign demand for Myanmar’s drumstick tree on the rise
Myanmar will export Moringa oleifera, or drumstick trees, to Japan for the first time from June onwards, said U Myint Ko, chair of Myanmar Drumstick and Moringa Producer and Exporters Association.
— Myanmar Times

A weakened Myanmar still needs to stand firm in Myitsone talks
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in Beijing this week for the Belt and Road Forum, finds herself in a much weaker negotiating position than on her last visit to China in 2017.
— Myanmar Times

Kayah State: Striving with developmental opportunities
Kayah State has the potential for extensive development in the hotels and tourism sector because of the beautiful and green forests, spectacular mountain views, gorgeous rivers, and abundant waterfalls.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

City Life Survey: Myanmar’s Urban Voices
Yangon is a city rich with history—a former capital, a center of commerce, and today, a city bristling with construction cranes, clogged with vehicles, and throbbing with the aspirations of its swelling population. Demographic changes, economic growth, and Myanmar’s new international openness have left the Yangon City Development Committee, the city’s municipal government, scrambling to deliver public services and provide effective governance for a population of almost six million.
— Asia Foundation

Facing Myanmar’s brutal persecution, Rohingya refugees still can’t return home
The Rohingya people of Myanmar have long been persecuted by their government, primarily for their Muslim faith amid a Buddhist majority. A million of them have fled the violence to camps in neighboring Bangladesh, which is tiring of their presence. Amna Nawaz talks to Refugees International’s Dan Sullivan about genocide and the hostile conditions in Myanmar preventing Rohingya from returning home.
— PBS

Saifuddin: We hope Myanmar govt will improve press freedom
Malaysia hopes that the government of Myanmar will improve the safety of journalists and press freedom in the country, says Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (pic).
— The Star Online

Militant monks / Carved up along religious lines, Southeast Asia bleeds
A toxic mix of nationalism and religious extremism is leading to a wave of political violence across Southeast Asia.
— Southeast Asia Globe

Pope appoints new Archbishop in Mandalay, Myanmar
Pope Francis on Thursday made an appointment in the Church of Myanmar. He appointed Fr. Marco Tin Win as the Archbishop of Mandalay. The 59-year old priest, who has been the vicar general of Mandalay, takes over from Archbishop Nicholas Mang Thang, who stepped down the same day, having reached the canonical retirement age of 75 for bishops.
— Vatican News

Investing in the future of Myanmar
Natural beauty and cultural treasures have been attracting visitors from all over the world to Myanmar in recent years. Yet a large number of people there still struggle with major challenges due to conflict, natural disasters and poverty. Cordaid supports microfinance institutions in Myanmar and helps thousands of underserved rural families survive and create a better future.
— Reliefweb

Three of 27 Detained in One Rakhine Village Die in Myanmar Army Detention
Three of 27 people detained by Myanmar’s army in a one village in conflict-ridden Rakhine state on April 10 have died in military custody, raising suspicions of torture, bereaved relatives and local lawmakers told RFA’s Myanmar Service on Thursday.
— Radio Free Asia

Project worth $500 mln to be signed for Htantabin Industrial Zone
A consortium of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Myanmar companies will sign a US$500-million investment project at the Yangon Investment Forum 2019 on 10 May. The project is part of the 1,000-acre industrial zone in Htantabin Township.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

AJC Urges UN Secretary General to Publicize Findings of Myanmar Inquiry
AJC’s Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights (JBI) and several other key Jewish organizations have sent a letter to the UN Secretary General welcoming the internal inquiry into UN activities in Myanmar since 2011.
— Yahoo News

Myanmar military sues The Irrawaddy for criminal defamation over conflict coverage
Myanmar’s military should drop its criminal defamation case against independent news outlet The Irrawaddy over its coverage of the conflict in the country’s Rakhine state, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
— CPJ

Gangs taking control of Bangladesh Rohingya camps, report warns
Criminal gangs and militants are increasing their grip on Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, committing killings and abductions with “impunity”, International Crisis Group said in a new report Thursday.
— Frontier Myanmar

Doing business in Myanmar – Retail, Fashion and F&B
With Myanmar’s recent political and economic liberalisation, it is timely for foreign businesses to look for business opportunities in Myanmar. Previously known as Burma, Myanmar has an estimated population of 55.5 million. Yangon (previously known as Rangoon) is Myanmar’s largest metropolis and its commercial and intellectual hub.
— Jdsupra

Yields low, but chickpea good-deal after Thingyan, say traders
The market for chickpeas is thriving in the post-Thingyan period, in spite of low yields this year, said U Aye Kyaing, chair of the Monywa Depot.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Yangon Timeout
Yangon has plenty forward-thinking events in the coming week, including an e-commerce seminar, talks on the climate, ethical fashion weekend and an all-women hip hop show.
— Irrawaddy

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi meets with PRC Premier Mr. Li Keqiang in Beijing
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who was in Beijing, People’s Republic of China (PRC) to attend the Second Belt and Road Forum addressed the opening ceremony of People to People Connectivity Thematic Forum held at the China National Convention Center yesterday morning.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Two Americans, 2 Myanmar held in raid of suspected cannabis farm in Mandalay
Two Americans and two Myanmar citizens have been arrested after a multi-agency team raided a suspected marijuana plantation in Mandalay’s industrial zone, police said on Wednesday.
— Myanmar Times

Correct participation from conservationists can help protect our biodiversity
With several species of rare and endangered birds and animals making it their home, Myanmar has a rich biodiversity. To conserve and protect it, we need to adopt good strategies that take climate change and people into account.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Russia Building Six Advanced Fighter Jets for Myanmar Military
Experts say purchase of SU-30SM planes is aimed at establishing regional air superiority; others warn planes will be used internally.
— Irrawaddy

AA attacks military HQ in MraukU Township’s Baungdote village
AA GROUP attacked a regional military headquarters in Baungdote Village of MraukU Township in the evening on 24 April, according to a news release from the military.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Why is Serge Pun betting on tourism?
Tourism has borne the brunt of an economic slowdown and the international outcry over Rakhine, but one tycoon is feeling bullish about the industry.
— Frontier Myanmar

Low pressure persists over Bay of Bengal
According to observations taken at 3.30 p.m. yesterday, the low pressure area over the Equatorial Indian Ocean and the adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal is still persisting.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar Army Overruns KIA Outposts in N. Shan State
Tatmadaw says the armed group had been using the outposts to attack Army units in Muse District.
— Irrawaddy

Office of Union Attorney General: Working hard to upgrade the legal framework, upholding rule of law for all
“The UAGO launched the Strategic Plan 2015-19 entitled “Moving Forward to the Rule of Law” in 2015 and we are now in the last year of the plan. There are arrangements to review and discuss its advantages and disadvantages for another 5 year plan.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Feature photo Defeat Malaria Myanmar

This week’s morning news photo features World Malaria Day, April 25.

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.