National News

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• Military issues hold back progress on ceasefire deal
• Both sides insist no deadlock in talks
• Rights body shake-up under fire
• Government stands by citizenship pilot project in Rakhine despite protest
• Ministry of Information to sue two publications
• Proposal to reform State Secrets Act rejected
• Minister insists broadcast sector has full media freedom
• Mangrove planters get prison sentences
• Government to launch second ethnic TV channel
• 1.7m families to get power within 5 years

Military issues hold back progress on ceasefire deal Posted: 28 Sep 2014 10:29 PM PDT Hopes for signing a nationwide ceasefire in October have dimmed, with government, Tatmadaw and ethnic armed group commanders still wrangling over a range of military and related questions, negotiators said at the end of five days of intense discussions last week.

Both sides insist no deadlock in talks Posted: 28 Sep 2014 10:23 PM PDT Last-minute proposals to adjust the text of the draft ceasefire agreement have made it unlikely that the deal will be signed in October as hoped.

Rights body shake-up under fire Posted: 28 Sep 2014 10:21 PM PDT A former member of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission has questioned the legality of a recent commission reformation amid concerns that some of its more outspoken members have been jettisoned.

Government stands by citizenship pilot project in Rakhine despite protest Posted: 28 Sep 2014 10:18 PM PDT Rakhine State officials insist a citizenship scrutiny project in Myebon township has not been suspended, despite media reports to the contrary and protests from local Rakhine residents.

Ministry of Information to sue two publications Posted: 28 Sep 2014 10:09 PM PDT The Ministry of Information is preparing to take two publications to court after mediation through the Myanmar Press Council (Interim) failed to yield a result acceptable to both sides, according to minister U Ye Htut.

Proposal to reform State Secrets Act rejected Posted: 28 Sep 2014 10:08 PM PDT Official secrets in Myanmar are still protected by a 90-year-old law, adopted under colonial rule, whose text has not even been translated into the Myanmar language, MPs heard last week.

Minister insists broadcast sector has full media freedom Posted: 28 Sep 2014 10:06 PM PDT Minister for Information U Ye Htut has insisted that the broadcast media sector already enjoys full editorial freedom, despite it being controlled by a handful of proprietors hand-picked by the previous military regime.

Mangrove planters get prison sentences Posted: 28 Sep 2014 09:31 PM PDT Four environmental activists were sentenced to jail terms by Ayeyarwady Region court on September 23.

Government to launch second ethnic TV channel Posted: 28 Sep 2014 09:29 PM PDT The Ministry of Information plans to launch another ethnic affairs television channel before the end of next year, a senior official said last week.

1.7m families to get power within 5 years Posted: 28 Sep 2014 09:27 PM PDT With financial support from international donors, the Ministry of Electric Power will extend electrical power to 1.7 million people over the next five years, deputy minister U Maw Thar Htwe told parliament last week.

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