Myanmar morning news for October 17

Facebook Bans More Myanmar Military-Linked Accounts for Spreading Propaganda (video)
Facebook has removed nearly two dozen more accounts and pages linked to Myanmar’s military, which the U.N. is investigating for possible charges of genocide during its campaign of violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority.
— Time

Ethnic Armies, Myanmar Military Make Headway in Preparatory Peace Talks
The 10 ethnic armed groups that have signed a nationwide peace accord with the Myanmar government agreed in principle on Tuesday to a key military demand that they fold their militias into a single national army and to extend dialogue to ethnic armies outside the cease-fire agreement, participants said.
— Radio Free Asia

EU Trade Preference Halt Would Cause Widespread Harm to Myanmar: Activists, Lawmakers
The withdrawal of EU trade preferences would impact the lives of ordinary people, putting more than 400,000 jobs at risk in the fast-growing garment sector, which is the country’s largest foreign income earner, lawmakers, labor policy makers and rights groups warn.
— The Irrawaddy

Clashes break out in western Myanmar border
Two clashes broke out between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army in western Myanmar border while the government and the leaders of the nationwide ceasefire agreement – signatories ethnic armed organizations (NCA-S EAO) were meeting in Shwe San Eain Hotel in Naypyidaw on October 15.
— BNI

‘Hired thugs’ attack strikers in Myanmar factory
Riot police rushed to the scene of clashes at a strike-hit Myanmar garment factory on Monday after protesting workers say dozens were injured when they were attacked by a mob of “hired thugs.”
— The Manila Times

Facebook Campaigns Are Inciting Genocide In Myanmar
Myanmar military personnel has been using the social network over the past five years to prey on the country’s Muslim Rohingya minority group, according to former military officials, researchers and civilian officials in Myanmar.
— Forward

Progress on BCIM may change India’s attitude
While the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM) has seen significant progress under the impetus of the Belt and Road initiative (BRI) since 2013, its construction has been held back by misunderstandings and misjudgment on the Indian side.
— Global Times

TRABAHO Bill could cut apparel work force by 40%
Ms. Jocson-Agoncillo said 95% of ConWEP members have operations in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and Myanmar, giving them options. Vietnam was considered the most attractive option for relocation in case of withdrawal from the Philippines, according to the survey, followed by Cambodia and Myanmar.
— Business World

Myanmar Plastics Market by Production, Import, Export and Consumption Forecast & Regional Analysis by 2023
Myanmar Plastics Market Report give overview of market in global region. This report elaborates Company Competition, Market demand, Regional Forecast, Marketing & 3250 and also New investment feasibility analysis is included in the keyword report.
— Market Research Day

U.S. Fed says terminates 2013 enforcement action against RBS group for sanctions lapses
Between 2005 and 2009, the bank processed around $34 million in wire transfers that violated sanctions against Sudan, Iran, Cuba and Myanmar, the Treasury Department said in December 2013.
— Reuters

Still no new takers in deregulated domestic fuel market
Despite the relaxation of regulations for foreign investors to enter the fuel import and distribution business in Myanmar, no new companies have entered the market over the last year, said U Thant Sin, vice chair of Supervisory Committee for Petroleum and Petroleum Product Enterprises at a press conference on October 11.
— Myanmar Times

Two Myanmar jet pilots, young girl killed
Two Myanmar fighter pilots and a young girl died on Tuesday in two separate crashes.
— VN Express

Yoma Bank extends funds to Easy Microfinance
Yoma Bank and MC Easy Microfinance signed two agreements under which both firms will extend loans totaling K8 billion to small businesses in six areas of Myanmar, according to an announcement from Yoma Bank.
— Myanmar Times

Malaysia landslide kills 3 Myanmar migrant workers
Three Myanmar migrant workers have been killed in a landslide in Malaysia, said San Win, chairman of Kapone Funeral Service Association based in Malaysia.
— Eleven Myanmar

Ninety-nine percent of complaints to Karen State Gov’t are land issues
Land issues make up 99 percent of the complaints lodged by the public to the Karen State government’s Guarantees, Pledges, Undertakings Vetting, Complaints, and Pleas Committee within this year, the committee’s chair U Saw Hla Myint said.
— BNI

Improvements still needed to boost property, construction sectors
Stakeholders in the property and construction sector say there is still a need for a body or organisation to oversee, implement and enforce the regulations under Condominium Law 2016 and Condominium Rules 2017.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar appoints new deputy ministers, Nay Pyi Taw council member
The Myanmar government has appointed three new deputy ministers and one Nay Pyi Taw Council member to reinforce its cabinet, according to an order of the President’s Office late Monday.
— Xinhuanet

FMI subsidiaries buy majority stake in Taunggyi hospital for $4.9m
Yangon-listed First Myanmar Investment (FMI), through its subsidiaries Yoma Siloam Hospitals Pun Hlaing and Pun Hlaing International Hospital, is making a push into the domestic market beyond major cities with the purchase of a majority stake in a southern Shan hospital for US$4,900,000.
— Myanmar Times

Panglong plays key role in federal union establishment: Dr Aye Maung
Rakhine political leader Dr Aye Maung, currently facing charges of high treason and public mischief, said Panglong (conference) played an important role in establishing a federal union during a court hearing on Monday.
— Eleven Myanmar

Human rights report offers way forward to justice and healing
Human rights violations spanning nearly 50 years have been detailed in a report that civil society groups say is a first step towards documenting abuses and seeking justice for victims.
— Frontier Myanmar

Govt to Supply Rural Communities With Antivenom to Reach Farmers
Snake antivenom will be supplied to more than 1,700 rural health care centers starting next year, the Ministry of Health and Sports has announced.
— The Irrawaddy

Protesters Injured in Labor Dispute
Six people were seriously injured in a beating of employees on strike at a Chinese factory in Yangon and were hospitalized, said strike leaders on Monday evening.
— The Irrawaddy

Nets, darts and vaccines mobilised to fight rabies
The WHO’s Delhi-based Southeast Asia regional office says Myanmar has the second highest incidence of reported human rabies cases in the region after India, which records around 20,000 deaths a year.
— Frontier Myanmar

Royal Konbong descendants marks 140th anniversary of King Mindon demise
A ceremony to offer meals to monks to mark the 140th anniversary of King Mindon’s demise, the monarch that founded the Mandalay city and palace, took place in conjunction with a ceremony to pay respect to royal elderly relatives of Konbong Dynasty at Myanan San Kyaw Golden Palace in Mandalay on Monday.
— Eleven Myanmar

Analysis: Yangon Public Losing Patience With Mercurial Chief Minister
Of Myanmar’s 14 state and regional chief ministers, few have seen such highs and lows in terms of their public approval as Yangon’s U Phyo Min Thein.
— The Irrawaddy

With Temporary ID Cards in Hand, Seven Repatriated Rohingya Refugees Back in Rakhine
Early this month, India had loaded seven Rohingya refugees onto a bus to be taken to the Myanmar border to be deported and repatriated, despite international hue and cry and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees office in India warning of the “risk of being prematurely returned”.
— The Wire

Myanmar to upgrade forest reserve mountain as eco-tourism site
Myanmar is planning to upgrade a mountain in the area of forest reserve in Banmauk, northwestern Sagaing region, as an eco-tourism site to attract more international visitors, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported yesterday.
— Khmer Times

Feature photo Paul Arps

This week’s Myanmar morning news feature photo acknowledges International Day of Rural Woman, October 15.

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.

Myanmar morning news for October 17 added by Maria Mirasol Rasonable on October 17, 2018
View all posts by Maria Mirasol Rasonable →

Bio
Latest Posts

Maria Mirasol Rasonable

Contributor

Maria Mirasol Rasonable graduated with a Bachelors Degree in journalism from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Santa Mesa, Manila, Philippines.

She previously covered police rounds for Philippine Daily Inquirer as a trainee before becoming editorial staff at Gospel Komiks under the Communication Foundation for Asia (CFA-MG), Santa Mesa, Manila where she wrote lifestyle and trending fashion and styles articles.