Myanmar morning news for April 3, 2020

Myanmar reports four new COVID-19 patients
A family of four, including an eight-year-old girl, in Paukkhaung township in Bago Region has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, the Health Ministry said on Thursday.
— Myanmar Times

Over 60% of European-Run Firms in Myanmar Hurt by COVID-19: EuroCham Survey
Amid an overall economic slowdown in Myanmar, the EU Chamber of Commerce’s latest survey revealed that more than 60 percent of its member companies in the country have already been either significantly or moderately affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar Suspends New Rice Export Licenses to Ensure Domestic Supply Amid Virus Outbreak
Myanmar has stopped issuing rice export licenses following the declaration of the coronavirus as a pandemic, but will honor existing licenses, the head of an industry group said Wednesday, as local merchants warned that hoarding could threaten domestic supply.
— Radio Free Asia

Covid-19 restores Myanmar military’s lost powers
After weeks of implausible official denials, Myanmar is finally facing up to the reality of its Covid-19 outbreak.
— Asia Times

Myanmar Migrant Workers Risk Fines And Jail to Get Home Amid COVID-19 Exodus
Thai police arrested and later released 300 migrant workers as they headed to the border to return home to Myanmar on Thursday amid the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus, part of an exodus spanning across Southeast Asia as factories in Thailand that rely on foreign labor close down, a labor activist, an embassy official, a labor activist, and a lawmaker said.
— Radio Free Asia

Myanmar National Airlines to fly cargo flights for medical supplies
Myanmar National Airlines announced that it will reopen its Yangon-Bangkok-Yangon route to transport important medicines and medical equipment as well as other commodities.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar Govt’s Crackdown on Journalists Angers Media and Legal Insiders
Media and legal sources tell The Irrawaddy why the government is wrong to prosecute journalists for speaking to the Arakan Army.
— Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s illegal trade in medical waste poses coronavirus risk
Two garbage disposal workers spent half an hour rummaging through mounds of medical waste with their bare hands on a recent morning outside the Bahosi Hospital in Yangon.
— Myanmar-now

Domestic airline announces flight suspension
Domestic airline Air Thanlwin on Wednesday suspended flights to Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, as well as the cities of Tachileik, Kyaingtong and Lashio in adjacent Shan State.
— Myanmar Times

Myanmar’s population increases by 130,000
Myanmar’s estimated population has increased by 130,000 to 54.58 million in three months since latest statistics early this year, said a release from the Information Ministry on Thursday (April 2).
— The Star Online

Coronavirus pushes Myanmar’s reluctant leader Aung San Suu Kyi to Facebook
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi cited the coronavirus pandemic as the impetus for reluctantly creating her first personal Facebook account in a post on Wednesday (April 1).
— The Straits Times

Japan’s top retailer Aeon to open mall in Myanmar by 2023
Japan’s Aeon plans to open a shopping center in Myanmar as early as 2023, tapping into a middle class whose spending power is expected to rise in the coming years, Nikkei has learned.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Second Myanmar Media Group Charged Over Interview With Banned Arakan Army
Police have filed charges under Myanmar’s Counter-Terrorism Law against the top editor of a Rakhine-based new agency and three reporters, the second prosecution in as many days of journalists for interviews with the Arakan Army since the ethnic force was declared a terrorist group last week, sources in Myanmar said.
— Radio Free Asia

Myanmar garments factories closed down after major orders from EU market canceled
More garment factories in Myanmar stopped operations as European Union countries, a major export market, cancelled orders last week amid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Scandasia

Myanmar’s 2020 growth forecast slides to 3.6% amidst pandemic
Myanmar’s 2020 GDP growth forecast is 3.6% or 2.7 percentage points (ppt) lower than the previous estimate of 6.3%, as the impact caused by the spread of COVID-19 resulted in concurrent global supply and demand shock, according to Fitch Solutions report.
— SBR

Regions, States intensify preventive measures against COVID-19 as infection cases reach 20
Towns and wards across the country are trying to mitigate community spread of Coronavirus by disinfecting public places as the country registered 20 cases of Coronavirus infection yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Myanmar Church joins nation in fight against Covid-19
The Catholic Church of Myanmar is playing a key role in the battle against Covid-19 as cases surge in the impoverished Southeast Asian nation.
— Vaticannews

Statement from ambassadors to Myanmar
On March 23, the UN Secretary General called for armed groups across the world to implement a global ceasefire. The ambassadors listed below echo this call. We are deeply concerned about the high level of fighting, casualties and civilian displacement occurring in Rakhine and Chin states, and the threat of further conflict in other areas.
— Myanmar Times

Co-op stores in Yangon sell commodities at normal prices
Household items and commodities are on sale at the cooperative stores in Yangon Region at normal prices.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Latest COVID-19 Developments in Myanmar: April 2, 2020
The UN staff member who has COVID-19 is in a stable condition and people who had contact with her in Naypyitaw tested negative.
— Irrawaddy

Advice from an Ex-Political Prisoner: How to Cope With COVID-19 Isolation
Bo Kyi spent eight years in a Myanmar prison, including a year in solitary confinement, for political activism. He has some advice to help get us through our COVID-19 isolation.
— Irrawaddy

Nay Pyi Taw Council chairman presides over COVID-19 awareness talks
The COVID-19 awareness campaign was conducted at Pyinmana Township in the Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory yesterday.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

South Korean govt vows to see projects through in Myanmar
Though the coronavirus poses an unforeseen challenge for South Korean businesses here, they have confidence that the economic setbacks would not last, South Korean Ambassador to Myanmar Lee Sang-hwa said in a recent interview.
— Myanmar Times

Updated information about COVID-19 surveillance at 8:00 pm, 2 April 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

Bag-making workers want jobs guaranteed when factories reopen
Workers from two leather-bag factories in Yangon that shut down due to the COVID-19 outbreak want a guarantee that they will get their jobs back when the factories reopen, a labour activist said.
— Myanmar Times

Worker unions in Myanmar to campaign for factory closures, full wages in April
Worker unions are planning to lobby for the closing of factories for full wages in April, said Ma Moe Sandar Myint, acting head of the Federation of Garment Workers Myanmar (FGWM).
— Myanmar Times

Gov’t Must Stop Blocking Ethnic Media Outlets
Burma News International (BNI) asked the government to stop blocking Rakhine and Karen media outlets from mobile phone users.
— BNI Online

5 Myanmar sailors rescued, say forced to work in China
Chinese authorities rescued five Myanmar sailors who said they were forced to work without pay on a fishing vessel in Zhejiang province for several months, the Myanmar Embassy in Beijing said.
— Myanmar Times

Returning migrant workers quarantined outside their villages
Myo Thiri Kyaw — Migrant workers returning from abroad to some villages in Mrauk-U Township are being forced to stay outside their villages for 14 days as a coronavirus quarantine measure, locals said.
— BNI Online

Myanmar’s Military Opens COVID-19 Quarantine Center in Naypyitaw
Myanmar’s military says it can care for 15,000 patients at a coronavirus quarantine center in Naypyitaw.
— Irrawaddy

Termination of registration and dissolution of political parties
Republic of the Union of Myanmar Union Election Commission Notification 78/2020 10th Waxing of Tagu, 1381 ME (2 April 2020)
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

BIT, parent of Myanmar’s e-book store Wun Zinn, nets “7-figure USD” Series B funding
Bagan Innovation Technology (BIT), a digital content provider in Myanmar, has secured “seven-figure USD” in Series B funding, led by Japan’s Kyuu Roku.
— e27

Ambassadors Call for End to Conflict in Myanmar Amid COVID-19
Ambassadors to Myanmar from 18 countries have called on the military and ethnic armed groups to end hostilities as the country is extremely vulnerable to impacts of COVID-19.
— Irrawaddy

Christians in Malaysia to celebrate Easter online amid extended COVID-19 movement curbs
Churches in Malaysia will hold Easter celebrations online as the movement control order prohibiting mass gatherings will remain in place until on Apr 14, which is after Holy Week.
— CNA

Nyaungdon Tsp implements COVID-19 prevention processes
Nyaungdon Township Pyithu Hluttaw representatives, management committee, health department, government departments and civil society organizations are regularly spraying disinfectants to combat COVID-19.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Ex-Rakhine State Security Minister Appointed Peace Adviser to Myanmar President
The Myanmar President has appointed Col. Htein Lin, a former military lawmaker and Rakhine State security and border affairs minister, as a peace adviser.
— Irrawaddy

State Counsellor posts results of Wednesday’s discussions on her Facebook account
In her first post, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that she never had any intention to use Facebook, but this time, she has the social media account created for quick and effective contact with people in facing against the COVID-19 challenges.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Ambassadors to Myanmar issue statement regarding ceasefire
The Ambassadors of Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and United States of America, have issued a statement regarding the UN Secretary General’s call for a ceasefire, the following is the text in full.
— BNI Online

Well-wishers donate cash, hospital equipment to COVID-19 national committee
The National-Level Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) welcomed donations of cash and hospital equipment by business firms, associations and individuals at the Ministry of Health and Sports in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday afternoon.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Volunteers, Govt Staff Fighting COVID-19 in Myanmar Face Discrimination
People quarantined for COVID-19 in Myanmar, as well those who work to support them, face discrimination as misunderstandings about quarantine run rampant.
— Irrawaddy

Newspapers to be distributed altemately for Myanmar New Year holidays
The News and Periodicals Enterprise of Ministry of Information announced that daily newspapers will be published in turns during the Myanmar New Year holidays.
— The Global New Light of Myanmar

Amid Accelerating Spread of COVID-19, Poorest Nations Need Debt Relief: WHO
The chief of the World Health Organization said expedited debt relief was needed for the world’s poorest nations as the numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths mount.
— 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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