Myanmar morning news for October 31, 2019

Myanmar: Satire performers who mocked military face prison in “appalling” conviction
Responding to the conviction and one-year prison sentence handed down to five members of the Peacock Generation, a satirical poetry troupe, Joanne Mariner, Amnesty International’s research director for South East Asia, said:
— Amnesty International

Myanmar to build new river-crossing bridge in western state to boost border trade
Myanmar has planned to build a new Manipur River Crossing Bridge in Chin state on the main border trade route with India, according to the Road Transportation Ministry of Chin State Wednesday.
— Xinhua

Aung San Suu Kyi Remarks on Myanmar Constitutional Reform Rankle Some Supporters
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi met U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Stilwell on Tuesday in Naypyidaw to discuss continued American support for the country’s democratic transition, a visit that came as supporters in Myanmar questioned her commitment to pledged reforms that helped her win power in 2015.
— Radio Free Asia

KBZPay to expand cashless service offering
KBZPay is expecting its users to rise by 42 percent to 5 million by the end of the year and for that number to expand sixfold to 30 million by 2028 with options to go cashless in various areas of the economy to come onstream, said U Soe Ko Ko, head of agent banking at KBZPay.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar needs strong governmental role in taking on China’s BRI projects
MYANMAR would need to take a strong governmental role is to accelerate the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) as it becomes an active part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), following the suspension of a controversial hydropower dam venture in 2011, an senior Burmese economist has suggested.
— Business Times

Giving Myanmar students a world-class education
Six years ago, when private schools were first allowed in Myanmar, Daw Khin Hnin Soe, co-founder of the Myanmar Metropolitan College (MMC), got the idea to bring international higher education to the country.
— Myanmar Times

External trade declines over $ 280 m this FY
From October 1 to 18 of this fiscal year, the total external trade value hit 1.597 billion US dollars, down 284.233 million US dollars compared with the same period last year, according to the figures from the Commerce Ministry.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar misleads int’l community with fabricated info: Bangladesh
The Bangladesh government has reacted sharply on what Dhaka called Myanmar’s persistent campaign to mislead the international community with fabricated information, misrepresentation of facts, unsubstantiated claims and undue accusations, reports news agency UNB.
— prothomalo

Political thriller ‘Responsible Citizen’ is a breakthrough on the big screen
Blockbuster political thriller Responsible Citizen has left audiences astounded at the lenience shown by the film censorship board, but its director is not expecting any prizes from the Myanmar Motion Picture Academy.
— Frontier Myanmar

Second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge officially opens
The second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, across the Moei River in Mae Sot district of Thailand’s north-western province of Tak, was officially opened to traffic today (Wednesday). The new crossing is expected to help boost Thai exports to 100 billion baht a year, from 78 billion at present.
— Thai PBS World

YANGON TO SINGAPORE – GLIMPSES OF LOST MYANMAR
As a first-timer to small ship expedition cruising, I had a fabulous experience exploring the remarkable coastline of Myanmar, the Marine Parks of Thailand and the colonial towns of Malaysia.
— Asia Pacific Post

Ooredoo, Facebook to boost digital literacy in 200 Myanmar villages
Ooredoo and Facebook will provide two vans to travel to 200 Myanmar villages over a 100-day period to help educate people about how to stay safe online and how to be responsible digital citizens.
— Telecompaper

Myanmar failing to protect ethnic minorities
The head of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on Myanmar, Marzuki Darusman, says the country is failing in its obligation under the Genocide Convention to prevent the mistreatment of ethnic minorities in the country, after it was recently discovered that these groups are “under the threat of genocide”.
— Eco textile

Two Chinese airlines start direct flights from Yangon
Yangon Aerodrome Co Ltd, operator of Yangon International Airport (YIA), has announced the launch of Qingdao Airlines’ direct flight between Yangon and Ningbo in Zhejiang, China.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar to get first Westin hotel come 2021
Marriott International has signed an agreement with Myanmar’s property developer, Yoma Land, to bring the Westin brand into the country in late 2021.
— TTG Asia

GE eyes expansion in Myanmar energy, healthcare sectors
GE, the high-tech energy, health and aviation equipment provider, has plans to expand its reach in the Myanmar energy and healthcare sectors.
— Myanmar Times

Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar tackle migrant worker safety
Minister of Interior Sar Kheng met his Lao and Myanmar counterparts on Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen the protection of migrant workers from each country.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Fifteen Myanmar pilgrims killed as truck plunges off cliff
Fifteen Buddhist pilgrims including a monk were killed after their flatbed truck plunged off a 300-metre (1,000 feet) cliff in eastern Myanmar, police said Tuesday, blaming faulty brakes.
— Mizzima

Window to install mandatory system on fishing boats extended
Ships without a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) will be banned from going to the sea to fish officials from the Yangon Region Fisheries Department announced.
— Myanmar Times

Partnership for flood response in Myanmar
Our team in Myanmar partners with communities near the town of Maubin in the Ayeyarwady River delta. When disaster struck in a different part of the country, though, we joined the relief effort led by our ACT Alliance partners.
— Reliefweb

16 killed, 10 injured in pilgrimage car crash in eastern Myanmar
At least 16 passengers have been killed with 10 others being injured in a pilgrimage car crash in Myanmar’s Shan State, parliamentary representative U Zaw Min Latt told Xinhua Tuesday.
— Xinhua

Govt announces three steps to advance peace process
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has announced a three-step plan to reboot the peace process at an event marking the fourth anniversary of the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.
— Frontier Myanmar

Car ferries – a solution or problem for commuters?
For many years Yangon buses were shambolic – old, rundown vehicles prone to breakdowns and mechanical failures. Lacking air-conditioning and even having holes in the floors, they were unsafe and uncomfortable.
— Myanmar Times

Tatmadaw, eight NCA signatories agree to immediately call JICM
The meeting was attended by the delegates from eight NCA signatories, apart from the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS).
— Eleven Myanmar

MOSWRR holds 2nd TWG meeting on implementation of ASEAN-ERAT Preliminary Needs Assessment’s Recommendations
Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Win Myat Aye attended and delivered an opening speech at the second technical working group meeting on the implementation of Preliminary Needs Assessment’s Recommendations prepared by ASEAN-ERAT in April 2019.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Dr. Aung Moe Nyo assigned to secretariat member-3 of ruling NLD
Dr. Aung Moe Nyo, Magway Region Chief Minister, was assigned as the secretariat member-3 of the ruling party of National League for Democracy, the NLD announced on October 29.
— Eleven Myanmar

‘Myanmar Army Will Be Responsible if We Are Forced to Attack’: Ethnic Alliance
Brotherhood Alliance of AA, TNLA, MNDAA says Tatmadaw continues to attack its areas and will be responsible for the consequences if the group is forced to defend itself.
— Irrawaddy

AIA Myanmar to donate solar panels to Bagan residents
Life insurance company AIA Myanmar will donate electric solar panels to a hundred village households in Bagan on 17 November to celebrate the company’s centenary, Chief Marketing Officer Ms Linh Nguyen told journalists at Sule Shangri-La Hotel yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Five Members of Performance Troupe Jailed for Satirizing Myanmar Military
Five performers belonging to the Peacock Generation Thangyat Troupe sentenced to a year in jail with labor for satirical skit deemed to undermine the military.
— Irrawaddy

Abbot denies allegations of drug trafficking and gun running
Warneizza monastery abbot Pyinnyaw Bartha has held a press conference and denied allegations of drug trafficking and gun running at his monastery after it was searched by police.
— Mizzima

Myanmar Military’s Promises of Charter Change Fail to Impress Ethnic MPs
Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing claims changes to the Constitution will bring peace but ethnic parties say his MPs in Parliament oppose reform.
— Irrawaddy

Ministry to take interim census in about 4,300 sample plots
Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population will take the nationwide interim census in about 4,300 sample plots across the country in November.
— Eleven Myanmar

Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker receives UNHCR Representative
Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U T Khun Myat received Mr Johan Cels, UNHCR Representative in Myanmar, at his office of Hluttaw Building in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Tiny raptor living 100 mln years ago discovered in Myanmar
An international team led by Chinese scientists has discovered a new specimen of a tiny raptor in a 100-million-year-old amber from north Myanmar.
— Ecns

Anti-Corruption Commission acquires technical assistance from Denmark
At Nay Pyi Taw’s Hilton Hotel yesterday, Myanmar’s Anti-Corruption Commission signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for acquiring technical assistance in compiling surveys related to combating corruption and capacity building.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

US Asst Secretary Pledges Continued Cooperation During Myanmar Visit
US Assistant Secretary of State David Stilwell visited Yangon, Sittwe and Naypyitaw this week and offered continued support for democracy and development.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar e-Sports teams to enter in 2019 Philippines SEA Games
Myanmar e-Sports teams will participate in 2019 Southeast Asian Games from November 30 to December 11 in Manila, Philippines.
— Myanmar Times

Govt holds Kathina Robe Offering Ceremony 2019 in Nay Pyi Taw
This year’s Kathina Robe Offering Ceremony was conducted by the Union government at the Sasana Beikmandaw of the Uppatasanti Pagoda in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Health Foundation Chief Looks to Ban Smoking in Yangon
The People’s Health Foundation is looking to stamp out smoking across Yangon to prevent harm from passive smoking.
— Irrawaddy

Stop concocted campaign, concentrate on obligations: Bangladesh to Myanmar
“Myanmar must act decisively to address the real causes that are preventing the displaced Rohingya from going back voluntarily,” the foreign ministry said in a statement following Myanmar’s minister for international cooperation U Kyaw Tin’s recent comment.
— Bd News 24

Controversial High-End Spa in Myanmar’s Historic Secretariat Building Not Licensed
Secretariat Trust board member says Dé Béau Wellness Center, which recently opened to much controversy in the iconic building in Yangon, lacks a business license.
— Irrawaddy

Strong Thai baht could impact imports, currency
The Thai baht has reached a six-year high against the US dollar and is now at around 30.2 per dollar.
— Myanmar Times

Feature photo Burma Partnership

This week’s Myanmar morning news feature photo focus on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, November 2.

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).

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