Myanmar morning news for December 18

Myanmar morning news for December 18
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Myanmar morning newsUN Security Council mulls Myanmar action; Russia, China boycott talks
The UN Security Council is considering action to push Myanmar to work with the United Nations to address the Rohingya refugee crisis, although China and Russia have so far boycotted talks on a British-drafted resolution, diplomats said yesterday.
— Malay Mail

Myanmar law aims to settle land claims, but could cause conflict
Millions of people risk being forced off their land in Myanmar due to a recently-amended law, which campaigners and analysts warned could also undermine peace negotiations between the government and ethnic armed groups.
— Thomson Reuters Foundation

Myanmar seizes 12 tonnes of raw jade stones in northernmost state
Myanmar authorities have seized 12 tonnes of raw jade stones illegally transported to Myitkyina, Myanmar’s Kachin state, said a Home Ministry release late Saturday.
— The Sun Daily

Netherlands for putting pressure on Myanmar to take back Rohingyas
The newly appointed Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bangladesh,Hendrikus GJ Harry,has emphasized the need for continued international pressure on Myanmar to take back their nationals living in Bangladesh.
— Dhaka Tribune

External trade up 353.684 million USD in 2018-19 FY
From October 1 to November 30 of 2018-2019 fiscal year, the total external trade volume reached US$ 5506.847 million, up US$ 353.684 million compared with the same period last year, according to the Commerce Ministry’s figures.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar’s president praises Rakhine state for ‘auspicious’ year
Myanmar’s president said today it had been an “auspicious” year for Rakhine state, the violence-scarred territory and epicentre of the Rohingya crisis.
— Malay Mail

Idealism and inertia: US policy in the age of Rakhine
Multiple power centres in United States politics complicates foreign policy, particularly when a country is in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
–Frontier Myanmar

Fighting Between Armed Groups Picked Up in November: Report
Clashes between ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) last month outnumbered those between them and the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, according to a new report.
— The Irrawaddy

Three Soldiers Killed in RPG Attack in Northern Rakhine State
Three army soldiers were killed and more than 10 wounded in a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack by an unknown armed group in strife-torn northern Rakhine’s Rathedaung Township on Sunday morning.
— The Irrawaddy

Armed ethnic KNU criticises land law amendment
The armed ethnic Karen National Union (KNU) on Sunday called for the abolition of the Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Lands Management Law because it contravenes the national peace process.
— The Myanmar Times

Visits by more foreign dignitaries raise hopes about Rakhine crisis
Visits by an increasing number of foreign dignitaries and diplomats to Yangon and strife-torn northern Rakhine State have raised hopes of finding a lasting solution to the humanitarian crisis, a7nalysts and officials said.
— The Myanmar Times

UN agencies welcome green light for Rohingya projects in northern Myanmar; urge ‘more effective access’
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, on Monday announced that they had received the Government go-ahead to develop community projects in Myanmar’s Rakhine province, and called on authorities to provide “more effective access” to the area.
— UN News

China, Myanmar vow to strengthen ties, cooperation
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Union Minister for International Cooperation of Myanmar U Kyaw Tin here Sunday, with both sides agreeing to strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation at all sectors.
— Xinhua

Dim future for Kayin refugees as aid dwindles
Fighting between the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and Border Guard Forces (BGF) since 2016 has forced many people to become refugees in Mae Tha Waw of Hlaingbwe township in Kayin State.
— The Myanmar Times

Myanmar seeks continued trade favour from the EU
Myanmar trade unions have appealed for the European Union (EU) to continue granting Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) while reassuring that support and cooperation will be made on human and labour rights reforms.
— The Myanmar Times

Minister calls on CHIDB to become a leading bank
Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Development Bank should make efforts to become a leading bank for infrastructural development and the implementation of the housing monetary system essential for the people, said Han Zaw, Minister for Construction
— Eleven Media

Draft of Construction Industry Development Board Law completed
Construction Industry Development Board Law (CIDBL) has been drafted and the law will come into effect after approval from Union Parliament, said Deputy Minister for Construction Kyaw Lin.
— Eleven Media

Parami Energy to invest $35m in LPG business
Driven by its vision to become an innovative leader in Myanmar’s growing energy sector, locally-owned Parami Energy Group of Companies plans to invest US$35 million (Bt1.15 billion) in its LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) business over the next three years, according to Group CEO Ken Tun, aka Pyae Wa Tun.
— Eleven Media

New general cargo wharf in Thilawa port to run in next April
New general cargo and container wharf in Thilawa Port will run in next April, sources said. The construction work of general cargo wharf aided by Japanese ODA loan of US$200 million is finalized on December 14.
— Eleven Media

Minister calls for more business records
Union Minister for Planning and Finance Soe Win has urged entrepreneurs to keep their assets, accounts and cash flow statement systematically, at a regular meeting between the Vice-President and private entrepreneurs in Yangon on December 14.
— Eleven Media

Myanmar introduces bonded warehousing, lowers raw material import duties
The customs department will introduce customs warehouses, or bonded warehouses – where goods can be stored without Value-Added Tax (VAT) or import duties – in the country, Finance Minister U Soe Win said on Friday.
— The Myanmar Times

Get All Myanmar aims high for rapid growth to expand overseas
WITH online to offline (O2O) platforms on the rise across Asia, Get All Myanmar Co, a locally owned enterprise that began commercial operations in February this year, is confident that it will be able to expand overseas in a few years, according to Nyein Chan Soe Win, the firm’s co-founder and chief executive.
— Eleven Myanmar

Company-to-company deal signed for rice, maize
An agreement has been signed between two Chinese companies and the Shan State (Northern) Rice and Paddy Development Public Co Ltd to trade 15,000 tonnes of rice and 10,000 tonnes of maize
— The Myanmar Times

High cost of agricultural inputs forces farmers to make losses
As agricultural inputs are imported while dollar price is increasing, farmers have to suffer losses every year resulting from high production cost, said Lower House MP Myint Han Tun for Butalin Township Constituency.
— Eleven Media

Fiscal restructuring, discipline needed as budget balloons: World Bank
Public spending is expected to balloon in the next two years leading up to the 2020 General Election, potentially taking the fiscal deficit up to 6 percent as a share of GDP over the current fiscal year, according to government data.
— The Myanmar Times

Can Myanmar Profit From the Trade and Currency Wars?
Fiscal and monetary management in Myanmar are suffering amid global trade and investment uncertainty. The global trade and macroeconomic scene does not favor the transformation of Myanmar’s economic institutions.
— The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s role in shaping global shipping and logistics chains through China’s Belt and Road dream
It is no understatement to say that there are tectonic shifts underway for trade and shipping as trade logistics and supply chains are being disrupted, not by technology but the awakening of the long-asleep Silk Road
— Mizzima

Myeik fish auction market to be operational early next year
Transaction activities in Myanmar international fish auction market in Myeik will start early next year, said its Managing Director Htay Htay Win.
— Eleven Media

Myanmar Digital Rights Films Screening held for International Human Rights Day
Two short films on the theme of Burmese people’s rights online were screened on Sunday. More than 50 people participated in this event.
— Mizzima

Opium Farmers in Myanmar: The Lives of Producers of Prohibited Plants
The problem of opium should not be perceived only as a simple, black-and-white, law enforcement problem. To address problems related to opium cultivation, substantial socio-economic development is required to provide meaningful alternatives for farmers, and to ensure that a humanitarian crisis will not occur as the consequence of repressive drug control policies.
— TNI

Authorities finish the installation of CCTV cameras in Sittwe
CCTV cameras have been installed at populated areas in Sittwe, Rakhine State and the office to monitor through the CCTV cameras was opened on December 15, sources said.
— Eleven Media

Trade unions demand amendment of Foreign Employment Law
Labour organizations have demanded an amendment to the Foreign Employment Law which was enacted and promulgated in 1999 because it is obsolete.
— Mizzima

Myanmar’s elderly lack access to basic services: NGO report
Senior citizens in Myanmar face barriers, such as poor access to basic services, in living full lives, according to two international groups promoting the rights and welfare of the elderly.
— The Myanmar Times

Myanmar Film Industry Misrepresents Women, LGBT Community
Stereotyping, gender roles and gender discrimination in films have been increasing in the Myanmar film industry, which plays an influential role in people’s thoughts and behavior, according to those behind research into gender awareness in Myanmar’s film industry.
— The Irrawaddy

Monywa holds 16-day activism for Elimination of Violence against Women
Sixteen days of activism for the Elimination of Violence against Women was held in Monywa, Monywa District, Sagaing Region, on December 9.
— Eleven Media

Myanmar, our neighbour
The visit of President Ram Nath Kovind to Myanmar has brought to focus the kind of relationship India and her people should have with that country and her citizens.
— The Sentinel

 

Feature photo Thierry Falise/ILO

 

This week’s Myanmar morning news feature photo acknowledges International Human Solidarity Day, December 17.

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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