Myanmar morning news for April 1, 2020

Myanmar reports first death from COVID-19
Myanmar said Tuesday that a nasal cancer patient who tested positive for the novel coronavirus has passed away, marking the country’s first confirmed death from the disease.
— AA

Myanmar journalist hit with terrorism charges for interviewing insurgents
A Myanmar journalist faces up to life in prison for publishing an interview with a rebel group operating in the country’s restive Rakhine state, a week after the insurgents were classified as a terrorist organisation.
— France24

Myanmar Villagers Tell of 150 Homes Burned in Deadly Army Air Attacks
Artillery fire and aerial bombardments by Myanmar forces killed three civilians and burned scores of houses in their communities in mid-March amid fighting between Myanmar forces and the rebel Arakan Army in war-ravaged Rakhine state, villagers recounted Monday at a press conference.
— Radio Free Asia

Myanmar, Chinese associations donate medical supplies to Myanmar’s hospital for COVID-19 fight
Myanmar and Chinese associations donated medical supplies to the Natmauk General Hospital in Myanmar’s Magway region on Tuesday to help fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.
— Xinhua

SMEs start feeling effects of virus outbreak
Some small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) have started suffering from the effects of coronavirus outbreak, business owners say.
— Myanmar Times

MYANMORE’s recommendations of eBooks and audiobooks available in Myanmar
Wun Zinn is the mostly used one among eBooks. When we tried to use Wun Zinn Comic App, it showed an error as “A system issue occurred”. However, the usual application is still useful by logging in with your Facebook account or creating your own account.
— Myanmore

Urgent steps needed against COVID-19 in IDP camps – HRW
The Myanmar government should take urgent steps to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission among the estimated 350,000 people displaced by conflict and violence across the country, Human Rights Watch said in a statement.
— Mizzima

Unpaid workers from two factories seek help from Yangon govt
After the owners of Myanmar Royal Appolo garment factory in Shwepyitha Industrial Zone (2) and Suxin (Myanmar) garment factory in Shwelinban Industrial, Hlinethaya Township, in Yangon Region, ran away without paying salaries, the workers from the two factories are facing difficulties with their living conditions, so they went to the Region government on March 30 for seeking help.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar Forms Civil-Military Emergency Task Force to Boost COVID-19 Response
A newly-formed civil-military committee will support Myanmar’s government not only on law enforcement but also in other areas to enhance its fight against the coronavirus.
— Irrawaddy

Telenor follows Myanmar orders to block alleged ‘fake news’ sites
Norway’s Telenor says it will follow Myanmar’s other mobile operators and comply with the government’s order to block a list of “fake news” sites, including prominent ethnic media outlets, after initially refusing to do so.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar leader forms new anti-COVID-19 committee
President U Win Myint on Tuesday formed an inter-ministerial committee to coordinate response against the rising COVID-19 cases in the country, which has infected 14 people, including one who died from the deadly disease.
— Myanmar Times

Yangon’s circular railway line carriages to be reduced
As news of COVID-19 infections has circulated in Myanmar over the past week, the number of passengers on Yangon’s railway system has declined. As a response to the lack of passengers, Myanma Railways has decided to reduce the number of operating trains from March 29, according to the state-run operator.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar enacts new insolvency legislation
The new legislation will facilitate the government in managing and dealing with cases involving insolvency in Myanmar and is expected to strengthen the business environment and draw more foreign investors to the country,
— Myanmar Times

All Homecoming Migrant Workers Must Stay in Quarantine Centers: Myanmar Govt
After an imported COVID-19 case among a migrant returning from Thailand was detected, Myanmar imposes a mandatory quarantine on all migrant workers.
— Irrawaddy

Rather Than Lockdown, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Says Some Communities in Myanmar May Face Quarantine
In an address to the nation, the State Counselor hints at possible community quarantines, while urging people to stay home as much as possible to curb COVID-19.
— Irrawaddy

Construction contraction due to virus outbreak
Industry insiders say that the country’s construction sector has slowed by around 30 percent due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Myanmar Times

Ex-Oway Director’s e-commerce app Ezay makes life easy for rural woman retailers in Myanmar
Kyaw Min Swe’s sister runs a small retail shop in Nattalin in the rural Bago region in Myanmar. Seeing her struggles in getting stock to the shop and having to constantly ask her spouse for help, Min Swe decided to use his business acumen to solve her problem.
— e27

News release on death of Covid-19 positive patient Case 05
The death of Covid-19 positive patient Case 05 was traced back as follows: 1. A 69-year-old man living in Mingalar Taungnyunt Township in Yangon Region was diagnosed with nasal cancer in January 2019.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Coronavirus latest: Singapore allows shareholder meeting webcasts
The Nikkei Asian Review is tracking the spread of the new coronavirus that originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.
— Nikkei Asian Review

H&T Union Minister, Luxembourg team discuss projects in Myanmar
Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism U Ohn Maung held a video conference with Luxembourg’s Chief Technical Coordinator for the human resource development project in Myanmar Mr. Geert De Bruycker yesterday over the projects.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Asia Digest: Myanmar’s Ezay raises funding; Eatsy Indonesia shuts down ops
Myanmar-based e-commerce startup Ezay has raised $200,000 in a funding round led by Seiji Kurokoshi. In a separate development, Eatsy Indonesia, a local unit of Singapore-based food ordering and payment mobile app, announced on its website that it will close down its operation temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
— DealStreetAsia

Public parks to stay open in Yangon
Despite the closure of restaurants and street stalls in many townships in a bid to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, public parks in Yangon will still remain open, the Parks and Gardens Department at the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) says.
— Myanmar Times

Republic of the Union of Myanmar Ministry of Commerce Notification 21/2020
Republic of the Union of Myanmar Ministry of Commerce Notification 21/2020 7th Waxing of Tagu, 1381 ME (30 March 2020) This notification is issued in exercise of the power set out in the Notification No 26/2020 of the Union Government dated 30 March 2020.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

President, State Counsellor in good health and performing State duties
Fake online accounts used a photo to spread false news that State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi met with a Covid-19 positive patient.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Permanent Secretary U Soe Han participates in First Video Conference of ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group (ACCWG) on Public Health Emergencies
Myanmar Delegation led by U Soe Han, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar participated in the First Video Conference of the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on Public Health Emergencies (ACCWG-PHE) yesterday at 8:30 am at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nay Pyi Taw.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Union Minister Dr Win Myat Aye discusses coordination in Covid-19 emergency responses
Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Win Myat Aye organized a meeting yesterday with departmental heads of his office, civil organizations and local NGOs to discuss the ministry’s participation in containment and emergency responses to the Covid-19 cases.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Updated information about Covid-19 surveillance at 8:00 pm, 31 March 2020
The Ministry of Health and Sports is closely monitoring and conducting surveillance on the Covid-19 at international gateways, at the public hospitals, community-based monitoring and private healthcare facilities.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar’s Special Branch Police Sue Editor Under Counter Terrorism Law
The editor of Voice of Myanmar faces a lawsuit for publishing an interview with a spokesperson of the Arakan Army, which Myanmar’s government recently deemed a terrorist group.
— Irrawaddy

No lockdown to make in Shan State yet: official
No lockdown is made yet in Shan State and China restricted the entry in Chin Shwe Haw and Yan Lon Kyaing gates in China-Myanmar border said an official of the Shan State government on March 30.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar Military Warns KIA: Drive Out AA or Face Attack
Myanmar’s military says it is ready to attack two Kachin State towns unless the Arakan Army is forced to leave.
— Irrawaddy

As COVID-19 Arrives in Myanmar, Individual Responsibility, Competent Leadership Needed
To fight COVID-19, it’s important for individuals to act responsibly, while officials must enforce health guidelines and give medical workers the support they need.
— Irrawaddy

Ex-minister’s son gets 30 years for drugs, guns
U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San, a businessman and hotel executive, was sentenced to a total 30 years and seven months in jail by the Dekkhinathiri District Court in the nation’s capital, Nay Pyi Taw.
— Myanmar Times

COVID-19-Positive Cancer Patient Dies in Myanmar Hospital
A 69-year-old cancer patient who recently returned from Australia has died after testing positive for COVID-19, becoming Myanmar’s first coronavirus-related fatality.
— Irrawaddy

India Helps Myanmar Restore Bagan Pagodas
Myanmar’s latest UNESCO World Heritage site, Bagan, has over 3,000 Buddhist monuments dating between 11th and 13th centuries.
— Outlook India

Discipline in Myanmar in the Time of Global Pandemic
Myanmar’s military is not the only force with the discipline to take on COVID-19, as doctors, nurses and journalists work on the frontlines to protect the lives of citizens.
— Irrawaddy

At this time, like in the saying “The farther, the better”, please take care and protect your health and the health of others. Stay at home as much as you can: State Counsellor
The following is the full text of the televised speech of State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in her capacity as Chairperson of the National-Level Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), reporting the updated situation of the Coronavirus infection in Myanmar.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Media council vows to name those spreading fake news
The Myanmar Press Council has threatened to publicly name the people behind social media pages that intentionally spread fake news.
— Myanmar Times

Mobile app developed for quarantined people
Saw Saw Pyaw, an application for quarantined people, has been developed by collaboration of the Ministry of Union Government Office, Ministry Health and Sports, Ministry of Transport and Communications and youth tech expert Ko Htoo Myint Naung (Technomation).
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Temps hit new high in Magwe Region
Magwe Region sizzled as the summer months started to peak on Monday, according to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.
— Myanmar Times

Tatmadaw to provide resources in fighting against Covid-19
Senior Tatmadaw officers held a coordination meeting to join nationwide measures against prevention and treatment of Covid-19 pandemic.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Three Villagers Injured in Landmine Blasts in Western Myanmar’s Rakhine State
Two men lost legs and another suffered an arm injury in two landmine blasts in Rakhine State’s Rathedaung Township on Sunday.
— Irrawaddy

Feature photo Unicef Myanmar/ Nyan Zay Htet

This week’s Myanmar morning news feature photo focuses on COVID-19 in Asean.

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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About Myanmar morning news.

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