Myanmar Morning News For February 23

EU to task officials to draw up sanctions on Myanmar generals: diplomats
European Union foreign ministers will formally request to prepare a list of senior military figures in Myanmar that could be targeted with sanctions, two diplomats said on Thursday.
— Business Insider

Hate speech, atrocities and fake news: the crisis of democracy in Myanmar
Last year, as Rohingya Muslim men, women and children ran from their burning villages in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state, an alarmed world turned to the internet for news. Some looked at The Irrawaddy, a publication named after the country’s signature river, which has been a pillar of journalistic probity since the student activist Aung Zaw founded it in 1993.
— The Financial Times

Myanmar: Rohingya repatriation likely to begin in two weeks
Myanmar’s Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement U Win Myat Aye on Wednesday said their government needs two weeks to verify the first list of 8,032 refugees, sent by the Bangladesh government.
— Dhaka Tribune

Thai imports fall at Myawady border, while Myanmar exports increase slightly
Imports from Thailand crossing at the Myawady border gate have declined from last year’s volume.
Between April and February, flow across the border totalled US$766.7 million – $66.2 million earned on exports and $700.5 million spent on imports from Thailand.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar, Bangladesh to verify ‘zero line’ refugees, says MOFA official
The verification of refugees stranded in the “zero line” buffer zone between Myanmar and Bangladesh will be carried out by the two countries with no other involvement, a senior official in Nay Pyi Taw said on February 21.
— Frontier Myanmar

Myanmar farmers threatened by Thai pig breeders
Pig growers in Myanmar are losing market to illegal imports of breeding pigs from Thailand, which are highly competitive against local breeding hogs. Some 500 breeding pigs are trafficked daily across Myanmar-Thailand border, affecting the local breeders’ market.
— Black Sea Grain

Parliament backs government on response to Rakhine crisis
The Pyithu Hluttaw has voted down a motion calling on increased security and protection for “ethnic people” in northern Rakhine, in an implicit endorsement of the government’s response to last year’s violence in the state.
— Frontier Myanmar

India, Myanmar yet to exploit full potential of trade and commerce : Myanmar Ambassador
Imphal, Feb 22 (UNI) Ambassador of Union of Myanmar to India Moe Kyan Aung today said there is a need to increase the air connectivity between the countries such as direct flight from Imphal to Yangoon and other places of Myanmar.
— United News of India

Why Is the tourism industry ignoring the reality of Myanmar?
Delicate question this. Should the tourism industry be supporting Myanmar while its regime kills and persecutes the Rohingya people because of their religion?
— 4hoteliers

EU turns screw on Myanmar and Cambodia over rights abuses
European countries will threaten sanctions over both Myanmar’s anti-Rohingya crackdown and Cambodia’s opposition purge ahead of elections this year.
— The Financial Times

Myanmar parks could stop thousands of Karen refugees returning home
Plans to protect swathes of mountainous jungle in Myanmar could prevent refugees from returning and uproot 16,000 people living within the proposed boundaries of two parks, campaigners said.
— The Times of India

Industry debates tax levels after easing gold trade
Speculation has been rife over the level of duties involved in the import and export of gold since the trade was liberalised last month, allowing gold to move freely in and out of the country via air, sea and border routes.
— Myanmar Times

Germany to provide technical aid for heritage conservation
Myanmar and Germany have agreed to jointly conserve the cultural heritage of Bagan in northern Mandalay region, Xinhua reported quoting state media.
— Mizzima

Wild elephant rampages through Rohingya refugee camp, kills 3
Three people were trampled by a wild elephant that rampaged through a Rohingya refugee camp on Thursday, highlighting the ecological strain the refugee crisis has put on forests in southeastern Bangladesh.
— Coconut Yangon

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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.

Myanmar Morning News For February 23 added by Leakhena Khat on February 23, 2018
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Leakhena Khat

Leakhena is a junior journalist at AEC News Today who is also currently studying International Relations, which she finds adds perspective to her work reporting on the Asean Community.

“I love what I am doing so much as it gives me a lot of great experience and provides challenges to my mind.